A German snack bar is bucking the economic crisis with a posh twist on a favourite local dish: a veal fillet coated with gold leaf and truffles dubbed the world's priciest schnitzel.
The Golden Imperial Schnitzel is on offer at a self-service counter in Duesseldorf, western Germany for a cool 150 euros ($A242.62).
Swathed in 24-carat gold, it outshines the sausage and meatball dishes on the menu, which start at under five euros ($A8.10).
Yet it is not the Midas touch but rather the white Italian truffles in the breading, sold for up to 5,000 euros ($A8,090) per kilo (2.2 pounds), and the black truffles on top that put the snazzy schnitzel in a class of its own, shop manager Thomas Huber told AFP.
While just milligrammes of gold leaf are needed, the recipe requires a few grammes of truffles.
"Gold has no taste," Huber said, but it gives the dish an attractive glimmer.
Huber has been serving the decadent delicacy for three years, selling about 100 in that time, but has only recently begun actively promoting it.