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Dinner at Hotel Adler in Nagold…

Although the terrorist events in Paris that happened last night kind of put a damper on our spirits today, Bill and I decided we wanted to go out to dinner.  Originally, we hoped to try a nice restaurant in Wildberg that gets great reviews and has a Michelin Star.  But they were fully booked tonight.  So then we went to Nagold and tried to walk in to Il Due, an Italian place we keep meaning to try.  But they, too, were entirely booked.  So we went to Hotel Adler, where we had dined once at lunchtime back in July.

I was eager to try Hotel Adler again, because they offer good German/Swabish food and they have a really lovely dining room.  Since it’s November, we knew it wouldn’t be hot and nasty in their restaurant like it was when we were there in July.  Of course, the intense July heat wasn’t their fault, but I’d be lying if I said I fully enjoyed our first experience there.  I have memories of sweating a lot.

They also looked pretty full tonight, but we were in luck because they had a two top table available for us.  It was in their breakfast area.  I noticed that aside from the full main dining room, the breakfast area also had a bunch of tables with reserved signs on them.

I catch Bill smiling after a kind waitress lit our candle.  This was right before a whole bunch of people showed up for dinner.  There was only one other party in the dining room when I took this picture.  Minutes later, the place filled up.

 

Since I had fish the last time we visited, I decided to try the Hotel Adler’s Argentinian rumpsteak.  Bill had a wild game plate.  I think he said it was venison he was enjoying, but he didn’t seem entirely sure. We also ordered wine and water, as usual.  Tonight’s wine was a nice Bordeaux that went well with our meat dishes.

Bill started with a salad.  My dish did not come with a salad, but that was okay… I’m not that into salads, anyway.

Bill’s wild game.  He said this was a bit dry, though it came with a gravy that seemed to help.  There was also a dish of cranberry sauce that I think was supposed to go with my steak, but he used it on his meat, too.  

 

And, of course he had spatzle, too…

 

I really enjoyed this steak.  I ordered it medium, but it was really more medium rare.  It came with a side of house made croquettes… basically, deep fried mashed potatoes.  Yum! I liked the gravy that came with the meat; it complimented it well.  Also, I noticed this steak was good quality and didn’t have the weird aftertaste I notice sometimes with German beef.  Seeing as though this was supposed  to be Argentinian, I kind of expected that it wouldn’t taste German.

 

The wait staff were all pretty women dressed in dirndls.  They were very professional, even when one of them dropped a plate that made a big crash.  No one was stressed or rushed, though service was probably slower than what many Americans might expect.  I have come to appreciate the way dining is in Europe, though.  I didn’t mind waiting and digesting while chatting with Bill.

We were tempted by dessert.  Bill had vanilla ice cream with hot raspberry sauce.

I had chocolate mousse… white chocolate and milk, with a scoop of ice cream and a cookie.

 

Our check came to 78 euros.  I thought it was worth the cost.  I like Hotel Adler, especially when the weather is cooler.  It’s a nice place to have a traditional meal.  Their main dining room is classy, with its traditional wood paneling.  Since our 13th wedding anniversary is Monday, we will probably try to go to a special restaurant.  I am not sure where that will be yet…

This cake is an example of why Bill and I have been married so happily for so long…  He went to the Real today and they had Black Forest cake.  They almost never do.  He knows I like it, so he bought a couple of pieces.  This was also really nice.  Not too sweet or heavy and a lovely surprise…  I probably shouldn’t have had dessert at Hotel Adler since I ate this earlier today.  But, what the hell…  

 

On a personal note, it does my heart good to see so many good restaurants in Nagold… and see them full of people enjoying their evening instead of being cowed by terrorism.  I’m going to make a point of continuing to go out and enjoying myself… and living my life as well as I can.  I hope others will, too.

 

 
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A little while ago, my dogs announced the mail…

And in the mail was a final bill for our upcoming Hebridean cruise.  In July, we paid a $1600 deposit.  We now have $4800 left to pay for our Spirit of Scotland cruise in mid March.

It’s funny, because we were just talking about the cruise last night.  It sounds like it’s very expensive, but we actually got a really good deal.  We took advantage of a sale being offered and, for some reason, it was cheaper to pay in pounds.  Also, when you sail on Hebridean, absolutely EVERYTHING is included, unless you buy something from the gift shop.  Once you pay your fare, that’s it.  They don’t even ask you for a credit card when you board.

Booze is included.  Excursions are included.  Entry fees to museums and parks are included.  There is no tipping at all.  Transportation is also included.  So yeah… it seems like a lot of money, but having sailed with them before, I know it’s worth it.  And there are only 49 or 50 people sailing at a time.

Still… for many years, the idea of us doing a cruise this expensive was out of the question.  It hurts to drop four figures on a vacation.  And I still need dental implant surgery.  So yeah…  ouch.

But this is so worth the money…  I can’t wait.  Scotland is one of my favorite places in the world.

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Lunch at Forelle Weinstube in Tübingen… and a puzzling pigeon…

Since today is Veteran’s Day and we missed our Saturday outing last weekend, Bill and I decided to go to Tübingen this afternoon for lunch and a brief shopping excursion at Vinum.  I wanted to dine at Forelle Weinstube, an adorable restaurant I remembered from our first time in the Stuttgart area, but according to their Web site, Wednesday was supposed to be their Ruhetag.  We decided to check there anyway, since Google said they were open… and, as things tend to go with Google, Google happened to be right.  I was glad they were open because I remembered having a really nice meal there seven years ago.  I wanted to see if they were still good.

We arrived at about 1:30pm, just as the lunch crowd was winding down.  A kind waitress offered us a table and we decided to have a leisurely lunch with a bottle of locally produced Riesling.  As we waited for the wine, I looked around and was charmed by how quaint the interior was.  It truly looks like a stereotypical old fashioned German restaurant.

The outside of the restaurant on a street tucked away from the main drag.  Forelle is the German word for trout and they do have it on the menu.

Bill checks out the menu.  They had a special today, but he went with the Linsenteller, while I had trout…

 

Loved the murals on the walls and ceiling, and the etched windows.  It’s a very homey place.

Bill’s lentils… came with spatzle and pork cheeks.  He said it was very satisfying.  My gut tells me he’ll be regular tomorrow and probably the next day.

My trout.  This came with a small green salad dressed with a light mustard vinaigrette.  I really enjoyed this dish, though at 19,80, it was the most expensive thing on the menu during lunch.  They do offer a small portion for about three euros less.  

 

View of the bar area.  The restaurant is small, so there’s no one actually sitting there.  They do appear to have an upstairs dining area, too.

 

Nice wine glasses…

 

After lunch, we had double espressos.  I knew that I was asking for trouble drinking wine, water, and espresso and knowing we were headed for Vinum, where there are free samples aplenty.  But my appetite won out over my sense of practicality and I indulged.  Then I visited the ladies room and sadly, the toilet wouldn’t flush.  Oops.

Loved their espresso glasses.  They were made so our fingers didn’t touch the hot liquid.  Reminded me of the cool beer glasses we saw at the beer museum in Lisbon, Portugal.  

After we paid the check, which came to about 66 euros, we headed for Vinum and tried some wines.  An American couple came in while we were shopping, though I might not have pegged them as Americans immediately.  The guy was wearing a Jack Wolfskin jacket and had a beard.  Bill chatted with them a bit while I taste tested a few reds.  We used our handy wine caddy bag, which which the lady at Vinum was impressed, and refilled our bottle from Vinum’s wine tap.  On the way out of Vinum, I heard a guy playing Vivaldi on an accordion.  It was interesting and he was surprisingly good, though if I wanted to hear Vivaldi, I probably wouldn’t choose to hear it played on an accordion.

Nice church shot…

By the time we left Vinum, my bladder was starting to sound off.  So we stopped at Ranitzky’s coffeehouse, which is right on the big square near the Rathaus in Tübingen.  It was a prime spot for people watching and enjoying hot chocolate.  My stomach neither needed the extra calories nor did my bladder need the extra liquid, but it did give me a chance to process more of the fluids I had at lunch and at Vinum.

Coffee break.

 

Bill had a large hot chocolate without cream.

I had a Bailey’s hot chocolate… it was very yummy.  They also have lots of tempting desserts, drinks, and light food.

 

While we were enjoying hot chocolate, we did some people watching…  I observed a drunk bum chugging what appeared to be vodka from a bottle as he staggered across the square.  Of course, it could have been water, too.

Bill people watches…

 

Rathaus… I was glad to see more of the construction is done.  Will it ever end?

 
 

Remnants of the market…  Most of the booths were shutting down as we arrived.  This was still open at 3:00 or so.

We saw a bunch of kids checking out the fountain and a woman walked by with her “bagel” (beagle and basset hound mix).

Then, we observed a woman looking curiously at what appeared to be a dead pigeon, only it was sitting on its feet…

Lots of people stopped to observe this bird, which made no move even when people got within a foot or two away.  Bill wondered if someone was doing a science experiment or something.  

 

I remembered my former German neighbor from our first tour here saying that it’s against the law to feed pigeons in the city and that locals refer to them as “rats from the sky.”  But still, a lot of people were curious and maybe even concerned.  I decided I wanted to pick up some Ammertal whiskey, so we went into Silberburg and bought a small bottle.

We never tried this the last time we lived here, though it is made in Unterjesingen, which was the town next to where we used to live and very close to Tübingen.

 
They had a nice selection…
 

When we came out of Silberburg, a woman had picked up the seemingly dead pigeon and we saw its wings flap feebly.  I guess the bird was sick or something.  Reminds me a little of the time we visited Nagold’s castle and a whole bunch of people were gathered around a dying mouse.  Someone finally picked the poor creature up and moved it to a more private place for its final death throes.  I don’t think the pigeon was quite so lucky.

We decided to head home, though I knew my bladder was going to be aching soon.  On the way out of the city, I spied some graffiti.

And a charming street scene…

 

Bill was going to drive back on B28, which is kind of the long way back to our town.  I asked him to head back to Jettingen via Poltringen instead.  It saved us significant time, helped us avoid traffic, and got me to a bathroom sooner.  Don’t think I wasn’t tempted to stop off on the side of the road, though…

Stop here for fresh milk, eggs, and onions.

 

All in all, we had a very pleasant afternoon.  It’s always a pleasure to visit Tübingen.  We used to go there all the time when we lived here in 07-09.  This time, we’re trying to see more of the area around Stuttgart.  But I am never disappointed when we visit one of my favorite college towns.  We’ll have to go back soon.

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A visit to King’s Palace in Vaihingen…

Bill and I had made tentative plans to go out yesterday.  We ended up staying in because our dog, Zane, somehow hurt his paw while Bill was walking the dogs yesterday morning.  After a trip to the on call vet in our area, where Bill dropped 88 euros for an office visit, x-ray, anti-inflammtory shot, and pills, we decided to stay home and make sure Zane was okay.  I’m not complaining about the vet’s prices, by the way.  In the United States, we would have spent way more money.  Zane is fine today, so we decided to stop by Panzer and Patch.  In between stops, we had lunch at King’s Palace, an Asian eatery in the Schwaben Gallerie complex in Vaihingen.

The front door to King’s Palace…

The last time I ate at King’s Palace was when we lived here the first time.  In fact, I think it was during the six weeks we lived at the Vaihinger Hof hotel in Vaihingen, so that would have been October 2007.  I remembered the interior of the place to be kind of fancy.  Having walked past the restaurant dozens of times since we moved back, I can see that it hasn’t changed at all.

At about 1:00 today, King’s Palace was hopping with business.  A young, hardworking waiter directed us to a two top table on the side of the restaurant nearest to the sun.  They had drawn the shades, so the sun wasn’t directly in our faces.  Unfortunately, the restaurant was pretty warm because the weather today was unseasonably spring like.  I was feeling cranky because I was hungry.

We sat down at table 31, noticing that we arrived at the same time as a large party of Asians.  It was someone’s birthday.  They were all speaking German, but hung up a banner in English that read “Happy Birthday”.  As the large party greeted each other and got situated, Bill saw the look of irritation on my face.  When I start getting hangry, I get impatient and bitchy.  But he laughed and said I wasn’t the only one who was feeling grouchy as the partygoers settled at their table.

Bill checks out the menu.  Prices are reasonable, especially on the lunch menu, which is apparently not available on Sundays.

It took a few minutes before a waiter took our order.  Since King’s Palace has a rather extensive menu, the slow service was kind of welcome.  It took time to figure out what I wanted and what was most likely mushroom free.

Bill gives me an obligatory disinterested look…

I took this for Untappd…  It was refreshing in the stuffy restaurant.  Bill’s Krystalweizen came with a slice of lemon.

I made Bill laugh.  I think this is a memeworthy photo.

I started with chicken skewers, which curiously came out before Bill’s bowl of Thai soup.  They were welcome, since I was hungry.  The peanut sauce was surprisingly subtle.  I would have appreciated a little more peanut flavor.  However, I have to admit to scarfing these down…

 

Bill’s spicy Thai soup with shrimp.  I almost ordered this.  I’m glad I didn’t, because it had mushrooms in it.  Yecch!  Bill liked it, though.  He said it had a kick to it.  He likes that in his food… and his women.

Bill had chicken curry which was pretty good, except it too came with mushrooms.  I tasted a piece of the chicken and it was pretty good.  Too bad I hate fungus.

I had crispy duck with pineapple.  This was pretty good.  The pineapple didn’t appear to be fresh, but the peppers were.  I ate most of this, which was surprising.  But, like I said, I was feeling “hongry”.

Rice and my sweet and sour sauce.  We were relieved that they only brought out one pot.

 

Like many German Chinese restaurants we’ve been to, King’s Palace has warmers on the table.  Everything was served family style.  I appreciated that, even if the fungus in Bill’s selections precluded me from sharing his dishes.  We were pretty satisfied after lunch, which ran us about forty euros.  On the other hand, Bill and I had some take out Chinese food in Kemnat back in August 2014 that was absolutely delicious.  You wouldn’t think a take out place would have better food than a sit down place…  now I wish I remembered the name of the restaurant and lived in an area where I could get it more easily.

King’s Palace offers good food and the interior is kind of cool looking, but I’ve had better Asian food.  On the other hand, I’ve also had worse.  I’d recommend King’s Palace, though the atmosphere was pretty hectic and sort of uncomfortable today– crowded, stuffy, and warm.  I did appreciate how industrious and hard working the staff appeared to be, though.  And today’s choice was a nice change of pace from the German, Greek, and Italian places we’ve been frequenting lately.  My kingdom for a pu pu platter, though.

A house shot with the bill.  It reminded me a little of upscale Hawaiian Punch.

 

We stopped by the commissary to pick up a few items for the week.  While we were there, we donated a ham and a turkey to the USO and I chatted with one of my fellow Facebookers…  Then we went to the Class VI store, where I spotted the wine pictured below…

I’m always skeptical when I see wine so obviously presented to sell to tourists…  I skipped it and picked up a few bottles of plainer wines.

 
 
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Dine in the country for 1/3 the price…

Last weekend, we went to [M]eatery for lunch.  Last night, we went to Tommi’s Bistro.

At [M]eatery, we had steaks, two soups, sides of mashed potatoes, spinach, and frites,  a bottle of wine, sparkling water, and I had a brandy.  Total bill, with tip, was about 185 euros (we ended up tipping two people).  We fought horrendous traffic and a full parking garage.

At Tommi’s last night, we had two rib eye steaks, sparkling water, two bottles of wine, and two orders of frites.  Total bill, with tip, about 70 euros.  We walked there, so there was no traffic or parking trauma.  The steaks were better than what we had at [M]eatery.  We had a little more food at [M]eatery and [M]eatery offers different foods than Tommi’s does.  For instance, Tommi’s doesn’t offer burgers or surf and turf.  But if I just want a good steak for a fair price, Tommi’s wins easily.

Yep.  I like Stuttgart and will eat there again, but I think dining in the country is much more economical and just as good.

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All Saints Day Sunday at Alte Post in Nagold…

Last year, All Saints Day fell on a Saturday.  This year, it was on a Sunday.  I think that made a difference in our expectations of having stuff to do.  As it was, I stayed in my nightgown for most of the day and did laundry.  Bill did schoolwork and walked the dogs, running into the local horse folks.   The dogs, of course, freaked out.  I bet none of the local horsey people would believe me if I told them that I spent most of my childhood in a barn and used to compete in horse shows.  But it’s been years…  I’m sure I could ride if I wanted to, but I would pay for it.  So would the horse, for that matter.

We did decide to go out to dinner, though, and tonight we chose to dine at a restaurant in Nagold that has been piquing our interest for awhile now.  The Alte Post Hotel is a centerpiece of Nagold.  It’s situated right on the main square and is a sight to behold.   We live a mere five kilometers or so from Nagold, though you’d never know it from the way the landscape so dramatically changes.  Jettingen goes from open fields and flat horizons to deep valleys and hills in Nagold.  It’s hard to believe they are so close together.  Since we live so close, there’s no need to try the hotel… however, the restaurant is a different matter altogether.

There is a much fancier sign closer to the entrance, but since it was dark outside, I photographed the one that was lit…

We were welcomed into the intimate dining area to the left of the entrance.  It wasn’t until we were leaving that I noticed there’s a smaller and more intimate dining area to the right, too.  It was no matter to us, though, since there was only one other couple there when we arrived.  We sat at a table in the corner of the dining room…

Since we both wanted fish, Bill chose a nice local white wine for us… made right here in the Stuttgart area.  We also had our usual water with gas.

 

I entertained myself by speaking very rudimentary German to our excellent waitress.  There were actually two of them helping us.  One spoke excellent English.  The other, I’m not sure, since we managed to converse in German.  All these evenings out in nice restaurants have helped me with my language skills somewhat.

I don’t always have a starter, but I was intrigued by the spinach soup, which was served with strips of house prepared salmon.  Bill had a salad.

As we waited for our first courses, group of three came in with two dogs, one tiny chihuahua and a much larger hound who looked kind of like a cross between a lab and a viszla. I was amazed by how cute they were and how well they behaved.  The larger dog curled up on a blanket and went to sleep while her owners enjoyed dinner.  Wish mine were that well behaved.

Bill’s salad was supposed to be small, but was somewhat substantial.  It was very colorful and had a nice, tangy vinaigrette.  He liked it, but had to stop before getting too full.  The bread was very fresh and delicious.

My spinach soup.  This was very delicately flavored… spinach with some cream and salmon strips that didn’t taste like they were smoked.  I enjoyed the soup, though I think I might have liked some salt with it.  There was neither salt nor pepper on the table.  Perhaps it’s just as well.  Salt would have covered up the subtle nuances of this soup’s flavors.

 

Since we had a big meat day yesterday, Bill and I each had fish for dinner.  He had the lachsforelle and I had a zander filet.  We had the same sides, too, rosemary potatoes and spinach.   We each had a choice of two sides and happened to pick the same ones.  The potatoes were hearty, flavorful, and delightful and they were not overpowered by the rosemary.  The spinach was perfectly done; not mushy or overcooked.   I think if I had known yesterday that we’d be eating at Alte Post, I might have picked something other than spinach!

My zander filet is in the foreground.  It was very satisfying with its firm white flesh.  I tried Bill’s lachsforelle and it was also nice, though I preferred the zander.  By this point, a couple was seated next to us and I noticed them noticing me taking a photo.  That’s why I only took one photo.  They seemed to think we were kooky Americans.

 

I also accidentally poured fizzy water into my wine glass just as Bill was about to recharge our glasses.  The waitress seemed to take slight mock offense as she shooed him good naturedly back to his seat.  I am happy to report that service is very professional at Alte Post.  They take it seriously, even if they are getting slightly weeded by a large influx of people.  A bunch of ladies showed up and the had obviously made reservations, since there was a big table made up for them, complete with three glasses per place setting.  The restaurant had been almost empty when we arrived and by the time we were finishing dinner, was full.

Though I was well satisfied after the main course, we decided to have dessert.  Alte Post’s restaurant has a number of enticing choices.  They have creme brulee, strawberries with cream, and several house made ice creams.

I went with the Schwarzwalder… This was vanilla ice cream with cherry sauce, cherries, and a sprinkling of chocolate powder.  A little more chocolate would have made me happy, though this was a really nice ending.  It wasn’t too big, either.

 

Bill’s dessert was basically vanilla ice cream covered with a shot of hot espresso.  It was fantastic.

We noticed the people sitting around us enjoying what looked like fabulous steaks with frites.  Again… the prices out here in the country are less than what we’d pay in Stuttgart, yet the food and service is just as good and, in many cases, even superior.  Tonight’s bill came to 106 euros, which is significantly less than what we spent at [M]eatery yesterday.  The service was also more personal and, I think, even more professional.  We didn’t notice our server taking a break at the bar, for instance.

Anyway, if you’ve been reading this blog, you already know I’m a fan of Nagold’s adorable charm.  On Sundays and holidays, you can park for free.  And for us, it’s less than a ten minute drive.  Yes, we’ll go back to Stuttgart for dinner, but with the choices we have in Nagold and even Tuebingen, it’s hard to imagine why…

Of course I recommend Alte Post.  It’s a great place for a date night.  And for those who have kids, I believe I spotted a kinder menu.

For more on the Alte Post, check out this article…  it’s in German, but there’s always Google Chrome for translations.

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Lunch at [M]eatery… and a run in with PETA…

Bill and I are always on the lookout for good places to eat.  We had heard a lot about [M]eatery in Stuttgart and noticed that it’s located very close to where we go to the dentist.  I told Bill we should visit over the weekend.  He told me that he’d heard that PETA was going to be protesting on Saturday.  Not knowing what kind of presence PETA has in Germany, he said maybe we should try to visit on Friday instead of Saturday.  But then it turned out [M]eatery was booked solid both Friday and Saturday nights.  So we decided to go there for lunch today and brave the PETA protest.  I grew up sorta near Norfolk, VA, which is where PETA is based, so I got a bit of a kick out of the prospect of seeing a protest here in Germany.  We heard it was only going to be about 20 people anyway.

On the way to Stuttgart, we ran into a slight traffic problem.  B28 is completely shut down for roadwork.  Consequently, a whole lot of people were trying to get to the autobahn through one two lane road via the city of Herrenberg.  It was very backed up, kind of like my colon after a Schlactfest.

On the way through backed up Herrenberg.  Two different guys on motorcycles cut in front of us.  Bill looked exasperated after the second one went and the guy casually scratched his head… but we noticed his middle finger extended.  I say, if you’re going to be ballsy enough to flip someone off, especially in a country where that’s illegal and everyone has a camera, at least do it openly.  None of this pansy ass subtle shit…

The traffic was very annoying, but didn’t delay us too much.  We got to the parking garage a few minutes after 2:00.  Our reservation was at 2:00.  The garage was packed, but we managed to find a spot anyway.

Outside at [M]eatery…

A server seated us at a comfortable two top with a nice view of the open kitchen.  We perused the very [literally] large menu.  Bill ordered wine and water.

The menu is literally big, as in it takes some coordination to hold it in your hands.  But it doesn’t have a huge variety to choose from, unless you want meat.  There are plenty of cuts of beef from places around the world with some nice sides, sauces, butters, and oils.  They also have burgers, salads, and fish dishes.  I wonder how many people ordered the Porterhouse.  It runs for about 89 euros!  
 
Though we didn’t necessarily need a menu in English, the waitress kindly gave us one.  I noticed that the weights on the beef were in ounces instead of grams, as they are on the German version.  They surely get a lot of Americans visiting them.  [M]eatery also has locations in Hamburg and Dresden.

Waiting for our first courses.  You can see the kitchen over Bill’s shoulders.  The chef was appropriately pierced, though not as much as the chef at Tommi’s.   The waitress brought out some hearty brown bread and butter.

Bill started with the “Beef Tea”, which sounds kind of gross.  Basically, it’s a soup that tastes like it’s made from the drippings of a roast beef.  He loved it.  I thought it wasn’t too shabby, either.

 

I had lobster chowder, which was rich and tasty and finished with watercress.  I didn’t eat the whole thing because I wanted to have room for my steak.  The chowder was basically good, though the potatoes were just a tiny hair underdone.  

Bill opted for a sirloin with a side of fries… The fries were a little greasy, which is kind of the way I like them.  They had a rich potato flavor, though… like they came from Idaho or something.  

 

I had the 10.6 ounce rib eye with a side each of herbed mashed potatoes and spinach.  I enjoyed my steak, though I wasn’t able to finish it or the sides.  It was the smallest rib eye they offered and cost 34 euros…  the funny thing is, I can get a similarly sized rib eye at Tommi’s in my town for about 14 euros and change.  It tastes about the same and costs less than half as much as this did.  However, I really liked the sides at [M]eatery.  The spinach was done perfectly and wasn’t too mushy and the mashed potatoes were surprisingly flavorful and comforting.  Tommi’s doesn’t offer the same sides– I usually end up with frites there, which is fine, but given a choice, I probably would choose mashed potatoes to go with a steak.  Sides at [M]eatery are four euros each.

Halfway through lunch, our waitress changed clothes and took a break.  We were then looked after by a very professional male waiter who lit up when I asked him for brandy.  He wrapped up my leftovers into a basket.  I should have taught him how to make a swan.  😉

Bill had a double espresso.

I had a heavenly snifter of Hennessy XO, which runs 25 euros a pour.  That was the midrange cognac on offer.  The cheapest was nine euros and the most expensive was 49 euros.  All three were Hennessy.  I gotta say, the XO is very nice.

 

We finished up at about 4:00.  Our original waitress had changed back into her working clothes and presented us with the check.  Our bill before tip was about 165 euros, which was slightly less than what we were expecting.  Bill was able to pay with a credit card.  After we settled our check, we headed to where the PETA protest was.  I was expecting to see a bunch of picket signs and the like.  I must say, PETA surprised me by being clever…

Look in the distance and you can see a table set up with made up young people…  They were dressed like zombies!

 

I didn’t want to get too close, though one of the zombies did hand me some literature…  Sorry these are not great pictures, but again, the protest was not very big.  Look toward the back right for black signs with purple lettering.  Some of the “zombies” were really taking their roles seriously.  Not only were they dressed the part and in full makeup, but they were even walking like something out of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video.

 

I walked away with the leaflet, along with my meaty leftovers from [M]eatery…  The “protest” was very low key and kind of funny.  I liked that they took advantage of Halloween to make a statement, even though I’m not a vegetarian at all…  Frankly, I kind of admire people who don’t eat meat.  Wish I wanted to do it.

The PETA literature… not nearly as offensive as a Jack Chick tract!

And next weekend, it appears that Stuttgart is going to have a big shopping event.  Since Herrenberg will likely still be STAU-ified, I doubt we’ll take advantage…  Beyond this sign, a young man was playing new age piano versions of ABBA songs.  I must say I enjoy visiting Stuttgart.  Should have done it more when we were here from 07-09.

One last Stuttgart city view…

I don’t know why, but we completely forgot about Halloween on the military installations.  We decided to stop by Patch on the way home for a pit stop and to pick up a few items from the commissary.  We were confronted by a huge line of cars and people waiting to go trick or treating.  I must admit, we saw some truly great costumes.  Bill saw one kid dressed as a Dalek, which is a character from Dr. Who, and he said the kid must be a real “geek”… but he meant that in the nicest possible way.  Bill is a geek himself and he is a big fan of Dr. Who.

Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch at [M]eatery, although to be very honest, I didn’t think the steaks were better than what we have had at Tommi’s Bistro here in Unterjettingen.  Tommi’s is also a hell of a lot less expensive, offers live music, and we can walk there from our house.  I don’t know if or when we’ll be back to [M]eatery, though I would certainly recommend it to meat lovers who are in Stuttgart.

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Practicing German with “The Mad Scientist”…

Last night, Bill and I decided to drive down to Entringen and have dinner at Agais.  If you read this blog regularly, you may know that we used to go to Agais all the time when we lived in Germany the first time.  It was located a few kilometers from our home.  Now that we live in Unterjettingen, it’s not that close.  We still like to go down there, though, and visit “The Mad Scientist”…  He was having a pretty good night last night.  There were two guys in his dining room when we arrived, then another guy and another couple showed up.  We were warmly greeted  by name when we came in and sat down.

I had salmon and Bill had lamb.  It was not my first time having the salmon, but it was Bill’s first time eating lamb at Agais.  He said it was very good.  My salmon was decent, too, and probably healthier than gyros would have been.

Bill’s lamb.  He had a side salad with this.  His salad was smaller than the one that came with my dish.

Salmon with a little olive oil…

Obligatory shot of Bill…

I love the cool phonograph…

While we were sitting there, I asked The Mad Scientist about a sign he had on his wall.  Several years ago, he would have answered me in flawless English.  He told us that he lived in Canada for years and worked as an engineer.  Unfortunately, in the five years since we first lived here, he got sick.  I don’t actually know what was wrong with him, but I’m guessing that he may have had a mild stroke.  He doesn’t move as fast as he used to and I think his English skills have vastly deteriorated.  It’s like he understands English, but can’t really speak it anymore.  So he speaks mostly German to us now.  Fortunately, I understand much of what he says and sometimes I can even answer him.

Anyway, the couple sitting near us were locals who spoke great English.  They translated some of what our old friend said about the sign on the wall.  He had gotten it for preparing food with a certain type of olive oil.

We explained to the other couple that we used to live in the area and, back then, visited all the time.  Then we went back to the States and I missed The Mad Scientist and decent Greek food in general.  So now that we’re back in Germany, even though we live in Unterjettingen, we still come down to see him.  The female half of the German couple said that she likes his food because it doesn’t give her indigestion like other Greek restaurants do.  I thought that was a pretty funny comment.

I think The Mad Scientist had a good night last night, with three tables ordering dinner and Bill and I not ordering our usual gyros.  I even had an extra glass of wine.  I actually wanted retsina, but he either didn’t hear me or didn’t understand.  It’s sad that his health has been declining, but I am glad to see he is still willing and able to run his restaurant.  We always have a good time when we see him.

Today, we have plans to have lunch in Stuttgart.  Stay tuned!

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Pasta at Provinciale in Nagold…

I think this will be the last of my restaurant reviews this weekend.  Bill has homework to do and I’m ready to hang out in my nightie on this cloudy Sunday.  We did decide to go to Nagold for lunch today because a fellow Stuttgart Friend 2.0er recommended Provinciale, which is right on the main square.  She said they had wonderful veggie pizza.  I believe her, because the restaurant smelled wonderful.  I decided on pasta, though.  So did Bill.

Looking on Trip Advisor, I see that Provinciale gets surprisingly low marks.  However, when we got there at about 1:00pm, they were doing a brisk business and it looked like everyone was pretty happy.  Indeed, I thought the waitress who helped us was super friendly and nice, the wine we drank was generously poured, the San Pellegrino was cold and fizzy, and the food was fine.  What more could we ask for?

Bill smiles for the camera.  He’s very patient with my constant photographs.  If he were doing that to me, I might have to get snotty.

Anyway, though I was thinking about pizza, I am actually not the biggest fan of the pizza one finds in Germany.  I prefer big American ones that are shared.  I know that’s lame.  I can’t help it.  When I was a kid, I wouldn’t even eat pizza.  It took a long time before I realized how good it can be.  Bill likes pizza more than I do and was thinking about getting some, but I talked him into getting lasagne.  I wanted to see if it had mushrooms in it.  I settled on farafalle with salmon and spinach.  We listened to Kiss and talked about David Hasselhoff, Clownvis the King of Clowns, and Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne as we waited for the food.

My bowtie pasta with spinach and salmon was served with a mild cream sauce.  It was very good and not too much food.  What I liked best about this dish was that the salmon tasted fresh, as if it was recently cooked and slivered off for my pasta dish.  The spinach was good too.  Fresh and bright green, it was flavorful and not too mushy.

Bill also enjoyed his lasagne.  I’m proud to report that it had no mushrooms in it, though it did have peas and a boiled egg.  

Our bill came to 27,90, which I thought was a fair price.  I would definitely eat at Provinciale again.  I especially appreciated the friendly service, even if people on Trip Advisor panned it.  I also want to mention that this is also a kid friendly restaurant.  I saw many young folks enjoying lunch today.

Special thanks to Sarah from Wildberg for the recommendation!

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Breakfast at the Ritter Sport factory cafe…

This morning, Bill and I decided to go to the Ritter Sport factory’s cafe for breakfast.  Although we’ve  lived in the Stuttgart area for a total of over three years and have been enjoying Ritter Sports the whole time, this was our first visit to the museum in Waldenbuch.  We kept meaning to go there and check out the museum, but never got around to it.  I had heard that they offered a nice breakfast at their restaurant and it’s open on Sundays.  We showed up there at about 9:45 this morning and noticed that quite a few tables were reserved.  Fortunately, we found a spot to sit down next to a very nice German couple.

We were managing with the German menu, but the waitress kindly brought us one in English, even though we didn’t request it.  I heard the Ritter Sport cappuccino is very good, but I decided to go with #11 on the menu,  a chocolate filled croissant and hot chocolate.  I also had orange juice because I need more sugar in my diet…  😉

Flaky croissant… I don’t think it was full of Nutella, which is a good thing.  The hot chocolate was amazing.  It had chocolate melted on the bottom.

 

Bill ordered scrambled eggs with ham, but ended up with eggs that had mozzarella and tomatoes in it and a cup of regular coffee.  They were good.

 

Bill is all done with breakfast.  Behind him is a case full of delicious looking pastries.  The cafe is obviously a great place to have coffee and cake.

 

I expected to see more Americans at the cafe, but the place was full of locals enjoying themselves, including one guy who was having beer.  We were finishing up breakfast when a familiar face came into view.  I finally got to meet our local Dutch handyman hero, Bram, and his adorable daughter.  It was an honor and a pleasure to finally see in person the man with whom I have interacted many times online.

After we paid, we took a quick walk around the grounds…

The folks living next to the factory had a cute little primate statue…

I noted that the fence was electric and Bill warned me that it’s not a good idea to pee on an electric fence.  Not that I was tempted to do that, of course.  

They also had lots of signs…  This one was especially stern.  

 

Apparently, people have been letting their dogs crap on their property… I took pictures of two signs, though there were several…  I take it the shit and run action has been a real struggle for them.  I don’t blame them for being “pissed”…

Pretty fall foliage.

After we were finished with breakfast, we went to Panzer so I could pick up a couple of sympathy cards for my cousin and her stepmother.  I hadn’t been there since they finished the roadwork.  Nice to see that area somewhat functional again.

If this post makes you want to visit the Ritter Sport Cafe for breakfast, I recommend making reservations or showing up early.  The place was pretty packed when we left.  And if you walk your dog in the area by the museum, be sure to bring your crap bags so more anti dog shit signs don’t get posted.  We’ll have to go back and actually tour the museum sometime.  I think we could have today, but we didn’t feel like waiting around for it to open.

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