Afternoon Bite: Sausage Specials At Der Kommissar

If you love sausage and you haven’t been to Der Kommissar, you’re doing yourself a disservice. The bar and restaurant, which opened more than three years ago at 559 5th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, serves up some of the most delicious

artisanal Austrian-style sausages in town. And while their regular menu, featuring many traditional sausages alongside some not-so-traditional ones, is always great, you should definitely keep an eye on the specials.

It was the banh mi sausage ($10) advertised on the sidewalk chalkboard that drew us in recently. Their spin on one of those delicious Vietnamese sandwiches you’ll find plenty of up on 7th Avenue, we were curious how they’d blend all those flavors — the sandwiches are often stuffed with cold cuts like slice pork, pork sausage, and liver pâté.

And somehow, not surprisingly, they did it. On a piece of French bread and topped with carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro, it was so much like what you might get at Hanco’s or Henry’s, but taken up a notch, and with that pleasant snap of the casing with each bite.

Of course, if the specials aren’t up your alley, or if they’ve sold out — they often have a limited supply, and when they’re gone for the day, they’re gone — you can’t go wrong with the regular menu. The weather is still terrific to enjoy the food in the backyard, and you can always take things to go or get delivery instead.

Or, just hang out with a drink, and know that if you end up needing a bar snack, that pretzel ($3) and a healthy amount of spicy mustard is waiting for you.

Der Kommissar is located at 559 5th Avenue, 718-788-0789. Hours are Monday-Wednesday 3pm to late, Thursday-Saturday 12pm to late, and Sunday 11am-late.