German’s takes the cow heel soup ‘with everything inside’ to NY

By Mark Murray

From a Guyanese to a Guyanese, if someone says the soup has “everything inside” you know what that means; “is a rail, rail soup,” to put “genuine Guyanese soup” in Creole parlance.

And’s that what German’s is known for.

For Sherril Fraser, who migrated from New Amsterdam, Berbice, the taste is unmistakable, though it is not easy to describe what a “rail, rail” Guyanese German’s soup is.

“…the cow-heel soup always very nice; tasty too! It has everything inside.

“…it’s as if you back home in your kitchen,” is how she chooses to summarises the German’s experience.

It is little wonder she was among the first customers when German’s opened a kitchen in Brooklyn, New York last week.  

Like Sherril, Guyanese in the diaspora, well, at least those in New York, can now satisfy their longing for a genuine taste of home – a good German’s soup – at the corners of Utica Avenue and Linden Boulevard in East Flatbush.

Clinton Urling, who serves as General Manager, said the expansion represents more than just the German’s brand. He sees it as an export of Guyanese culture and cuisine.   

“We believe it was about time we bring the soup to the diaspora community instead of them having to just [go back] home to Guyana,” he told the News Room.

A bowl of cow-heel soup remains the number one seller among German’s customers; we are not surprised.  

So, why ONLY now?

Much depended on finding the “opportune location,” Urling said.

“So far, we can only service the New York area,” he said. The prophetic tone may very well be welcomed for Guyanese in other parts of the diaspora.  

He said the company is currently exploring the possibility of opening a second branch in the near future in Little Guyana, which is located in Queens.

Terrence De Mendonca, who has lived in the Brooklyn area for the past 48 years, who cane asily testify that the soups being cooked at German’s is worth every drop. 

“It’s something my mom use to make for us every Sunday, it’s very nutritious,” said Mr. De Mendonca. Terrence also mentions that it was his father who first introduced him to the soup which was originally cooked by Clinton’s father Hubert “German” Urling. So he makes sure his children appreciate what a proper Guyanese soup is.   

He says he is “always interested in supporting any Guyanese business to uplift the community.”

The Guyanese restaurant has been around for the last 58 years.

Just in case you’re wondering, the German’s Brooklyn kitchen is manned by an all-Guyanese staff, so, as we would say in Guyana, “you can’t go wrong!”