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A beautiful lunch at La Cantinetta in Wiesbaden…

After an evening in last night, Bill and I decided to venture into Wiesbaden for lunch.  He needed to turn in his rental car and pick up our Toyota and we had tentative plans to visit the commissary.  But lunch turned out to be so sumptuous that we ultimately skipped the commissary and simply indulged in a wonderful meal.

When Bill goes TDY, especially for over a week, both of us suffer in terms of food. I usually spend at least part of that time “on the wagon” and I eat whatever is quick and simple to make.  Bill pretty much does the same thing.  When he comes home, we celebrate.  After we picked up the Toyota at Clay Kaserne and dropped off the rental car at the train station, we took a long stroll into inner Wiesbaden.

Our walk from the train station took us past the Bonifatius Catholic Church in Wiesbaden.  It was built in 1824 and is one Wiesbaden’s many landmarks.

The square in front of the church.  Lots of people were congregating there.

The architecture in Wiesbaden is great.  Reminds me of brownstones in New York.

There was a lit candle by the fountain.

We passed this on the way, too… 

 

We don’t usually park near the train station, so we ended up walking past some places we’d never seen before.  Eventually, we ended up on Goldgasse, which was a bit of a “restaurant row”.  Ordinarily, I don’t like these kinds of “gauntlets” because the wait staff is usually aggressive and annoying and the food winds up being mediocre.  But today, Bill and I were preoccupied and let ourselves be ensnared by a friendly waiter who invited us to sit at a four top.

I took this picture on the way out.  When we arrived, no one else was sitting in front of La Cantinetta Ristorante and Wine Bar.

 

Obligatory shot of Bill looking at the choices.

 

Beautiful fresh cut tulips.

 

The waiter spoke excellent English and offered suggestions.  I told him of my hatred for fungus.  We were just going to order main courses and dessert, but the waiter talked us into trying the homemade pasta.  He brought Bill a small order of homemade gnocci with black truffle sauce, along with a bottle of Barolo, which was elegantly decanted for us.

Bill pronounced this dish heavenly.  I could smell the truffles.

 

I had homemade raviolis filled with beef and Parma ham, as well as pasta stuffed with tiny shrimps and fish.  It was glorious, especially after my Kraft mac n’ cheese fiasco earlier this week.

My main course was sliced roast beef topped with rucola, roasted potatoes, and Parmesan cheese, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  The beef was exquisite; it was very tender and flavorful and married beautifully with the potatoes and rucola.  When I sat down at this restaurant, I was tired and cranky, but this meal really perked me up.

 

 Bill ended up having what I had originally chosen for myself, a delicious Iberian pork dish with bacon wrapped green beans, and baby corn…  The pork was delicious!  I would have been just as happy with Bill’s dish.

 

Although it was a struggle to finish, we did manage to get through our main courses.  After we ate, we enjoyed the rest of the wine, conversation, and people watching.  Many more people came as we were dining.  I noticed the waiters were very welcoming and friendly, inviting people to sit down.  A couple of trips into the restaurant offered a glance at the elegant interior.  They were playing the Italian version of the song “Gloria”, which Laura Branigan made famous in the early 80s.  I believe it was originally an Italian hit.

For dessert, we shared the Dolce Misto, which was a panoply of mini versions of their desserts… and I had another glass of wine…

A nice Italian white.

And the Dolce Misto, which included creme brulee, profiteroles, panna cotta, tiramisu, and fruit.  My favorite was the profiteroles.

All told, about 126 euros… not a cheap lunch, but we left happy and satisfied.  We will definitely be back, especially since I noticed so many other beautifully presented dishes coming out of the kitchen.  The chef definitely has an eye for presentation… and everything tasted and smelled wonderful.

 

Very close to La Cantinetta is an Argentinian steakhouse.  We will have to try there, too.

This restaurant also has pizza and pasta, as well as schnitzel, although I can’t imagine getting schnitzel at this place.  The food is quite lovely.  The waiter was a little more assertive than I like and I did notice that someone complained on Trip Advisor about the upselling.  I agree, it was noticeable. On the other hand, we were in the mood to indulge and everything we had was uniformly excellent.

On the way back to the car, we saw a Saks… Wiesbaden is definitely a ritzy town.

 

More architecture.  Wiesbaden is very gracious.

The train station.  Our car was parked in the garage next door. 

We stopped by the train station so I could pee.  It’s expensive there.  One euro to use the public toilet, which is very clean and has toilet paper.  I don’t really mind paying as long as it’s clean and stocked, however, one euro is a lot for a whiz.

We ended up not visiting the commissary.  I suppose we should have, especially given how much Bill has to do since he’s been out of town.  But I just wanted to come home, write about this lunch, and enjoy the afterglow of a good meal.

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Hammer schmeckt! Lunch at Villa im Tal!

Bill and I didn’t do anything yesterday after we visited the dog hotel.  I decided to work on a book I’ve been reading and Bill was catching up on important paperwork and planning for his next TDY trip, which happens in March and will last for 18 long days.  Today, we had absolutely glorious weather.  I’d never guess it was late February.  The weather feels more like late March.  We had beautiful sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s.

I asked Bill if he would like me to find us a place for lunch.  He agreed, so I booked us a 1:00pm reservation at Villa im Tal, an Austrian restaurant just beyond the outskirts of Wiesbaden.  This restaurant is in a wooded area, very close to a riding school and near nature trails and a spot where people were filling up on natural spring water.

I found Villa im Tal a few weeks ago, but the day I found it, it seemed like it was too far away.  I remember that day was very overcast and chilly.  Today, with the weather so beautiful, we were more game to venture to a different part of the city.  I’m glad we did, since it really wasn’t so far away after all… maybe 25 minutes from where we live now.  One thing I like about our new home is that it doesn’t take long to go places.

Well… we had a truly beautiful lunch.  The service was impeccable and the food was incredible.  The restaurant is in a beautiful old building in the woods.  And for all we had, we didn’t spend as much as I thought we would.  Have a look at the photos!

This is what I like to see when I am in Germany.

 

Nice wooded area.  Watch your step.  The ground can be treacherous.

 

On Sundays, this restaurant is open from 12:00pm until 10:00pm, with no pause.  Other days, it opens for dinner at 5:00pm.  It’s a popular venue for birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings, too.  There’s plenty of free parking, too… a huge bonus up here.

 

From the moment we walked through the door, we got excellent and attentive service.  A waitress invited us to choose a table.  We sat down and the ladies who attended to us poured hot water over hand towels, which swelled up as if by magic.  Then we ordered two glasses of Sekt.  They brought us a lovely rose.

Then we had fresh breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a lovely quark and chive spread.

A better look at the bread, along with the nice Austrian red Bill ordered.  He was also thinking about trying a wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, the source of many of our favorite reds.

Then came the amuse, which really got things off to a great start.  It was smoked salmon over cucumber jelly and cream fraiche.  We both smiled big when we tasted it.

Bill decides on his lunch order.

 

I started with a delightful mango curry soup with lemongrass.  It was absolutely delicious!  Very warm, comforting, and satisfying.  I’d love to have this recipe for the next time I’m sick.  It had just a little heat to it, but what I really got was the amazing lemon and curry flavors that blended with the sweetness of the mango.  It was so good.

 

Bill had a bouillabaisse… hearty with sliced truffle pancake.  I didn’t try it because I don’t like truffles, but Bill said it was very good.

 

Next, came the main courses.  Bill had a saddle of Iberico pork with chorizo sausage, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and potatoes.  I was struck by how aesthetically beautiful his plate was, and the pork was very tender and delicious.  I would have been happy with that dish, but…

 

I decided to have pink grilled Barbarie duck breast on a bed of pears with pureed parsnips, green beans and bacon, and orange-pepper jus.   The duck was cooked medium rare– perfect!  And I can say I honestly enjoyed everything that came with it, even the pureed parsnips surrounded by onion rings.  If I hadn’t known better, I would have sworn the pureed parsnips were especially rich and sinful mashed potatoes.  They were amazing.  Bill made the waitresses smile when he told them it was all “Hammer schmeckt!”

 

Then, we had dessert…  We couldn’t have that awesome lunch without it, even though I wound up ordering a lava cake.  I am not big on lava cakes.  It’s not that they don’t taste good to me.  It’s just that everyone does them.  But I will admit Villa im Tal did beautifully with their version.

A warm lava cake with berry compote and a scoop of walnut ice cream…

Bill kept it simple with scoops of red currant and sour cream and chocolate and Thai chili ice creams.  Both desserts came with light cookies.

This is a happy man who probably thanks God PT tests are now a thing of the past.

 

Our total was about 187 euros.  Bill left 215 euros, which is probably considered a generous tip here in Germany.  It was just such a nice lunch.  The service was so good that we felt it was well-deserved.  Despite being very elegant and offering wonderful food, this restaurant was notated as “kid friendly” on OpenTable.  To be honest, I didn’t see any real indication that that is true, although I’m sure it must be.  As it was, we had no children among us today.  The clientele appeared to consist of well-heeled older folks who love good food at a leisurely pace.  I must admit, this style of dining appeals to me, too.

The only thing I’d change is the piped in music, which was mostly instrumental electric guitar music that sounded inspired by Santana or Mark Knopfler with no actual ties to either audience.  It wasn’t offensive; it just didn’t seem to fit with the classic atmosphere.  But that is a very minor point.  This was a damned fine lunch and we will definitely be back for more.  We paid in cash, but credit cards are accepted.  I’m happy to have found yet another place I’d highly recommend!

Just outside of the parking lot, people gather to get fresh spring water.

One last look.  We’ll definitely be back.

Wiesbaden is nice.

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Valentine’s dinner at Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden!

Valentine’s Day snuck up on us again in 2019.  Last year, we made a hasty decision to have Valentine’s dinner at Refugio, a restaurant at Hotel La Casa in Tübingen.  It was the same place we celebrated in 2017, although 2018’s dinner was not quite as good and lacked the same caliber of entertainment the restaurant had in 2017.

This year, we’ve moved to Wiesbaden, and Bill has been very busy with work.  Consequently, we almost didn’t go anywhere this year.  The Cajun place near us was having a special dinner, but we’re going to France today to celebrate President’s Day weekend and I thought it would be better to have lunch from there before we go.

I consulted OpenTable to see if there was any hope of having dinner on the town.  Sure enough, there were ten restaurants with availability.  One of them was the lovely Little Italy, but we’ve already eaten there three times– most recently this past Sunday.  Another was an American style sports bar, which probably wouldn’t be very romantic.  A third was a German restaurant called Ratskeller, which we tried in December.  I wanted to go somewhere different, preferably with great food.  I took notice of a place called Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden.

Franks (curiously styled without an apostrophe) got really good reviews on OpenTable.  I took a look at their Web site and thought it could use an upgrade, but the food appeared to be really nice on the a la carte menu.  And since Franks is not open on the weekends, I figured Valentine’s Day on a Thursday night would be a good opportunity to try it.  I decided to take a chance.

I believe these roses came from our local Rewe store.  I finally got to use the vase I “made” in the Black Forest last year.

Bill came home at about 5:30pm and we had reservations for 7:00.  He asked me if I’d seen the menu for Valentine’s Day.  I did see that they were offering a four course dinner for 75 euros a person, but I didn’t notice if the a la carte menu would also be available.  Also, I didn’t see what was on the menu, because it was hidden on the news section of their rather low tech Web site.

One of the courses had the dreaded Shiitake mushrooms in it.  And the main course was lamb, which I don’t really like very much.  After presenting me with a lovely bouquet of red roses, Bill called Franks and asked if the mushrooms could be left out of the soup that included them and if there was any way I could have something other than lamb.  Fortunately, the chef was able to accommodate our request.  He left out the ‘shrooms in my Miso soup and prepared a beef filet for me.  Below are pictures from a really fabulous meal!

If you have an electric car and need to charge, you’re in luck!  Franks also has a large parking lot with free parking, which is a huge plus in these parts.  This restaurant is located in a business park in Erbenheim, not too far from where Bill is now working.  It was about a 14 minute drive from our house in Breckenheim.

The menu was posted by the door.  You must climb three flights of stairs to get to the restaurant, or take the handy elevator.  I dressed casually, in a red sweater and black pants with comfortable shoes, so we took the stairs.  The staff at the restaurant had put candles and little heart decorations on the last flight leading to the restaurant.

A very friendly guy greeted us in proper German, took our coats, and led us to our table in the contemporary dining room.  80s and 90s era pop music played on the sound system, but it was turned down low enough that many people wouldn’t notice it.  The tables were set far away from each other, which I really liked.  There was plenty of space to get in and out of the seats and ample opportunity for privacy, although I wouldn’t necessarily describe the dining room as “romantic”, per se.  It looks like the kind of place where businesspeople have lunch.

Strange smirk on Bill’s face.  I’m not sure why.

 

A nicely set table.

 

We had hot bread and butter, as well as sparkling water.  The water was not included in the 75 euro price.

 

We enjoyed a Bellini as Bill looked at the extensive wine list.  The Bellini was part of the menu.  It was a nice touch.  Bill found a beautiful red from southern France.

 

We’ll have to have this again.  It was delightful.

 

I counted five couples attending last night’s dinner.  One of the couples appeared to be regulars.  I noticed an important looking man, perhaps Frank himself, came out to speak to them.  It’s a shame more people weren’t enjoying Franks last night.  The food was superb.

We started with this amuse– salmon mousse, salmon tartar, quail leg (although the chef didn’t know the word in English, so we’re guessing it was quail), and a cup of bell pepper soup served in the style of a cappuccino.  The amuse was delicious and generous.  I especially liked the quail and the soup, although the salmon was also good– very fresh and beautifully presented.

 

Next came the soup course.  This included a langoustine (shrimp), snap peas, carrots, Shiitake mushrooms (omitted from mine), sprouts, and what appeared to be a soft boiled quail egg split in two.  The chef brought out the soup set up, then poured the peppery miso soup over the shrimp, vegetables and egg from a teapot.  The soup was amazing, even without the mushroom.  I’d love to have it for the next time I need comfort food.

These are two views of the next course, two perfectly seared sea scallops with fresh pasta and decorated with dried prosciutto.  I really enjoyed this course, too.  I love scallops and I love pasta, and all of the flavors blended beautifully.

Next, we had our main courses.  Mine was a beef filet, while Bill had rack of lamb.  The herb encrusted meat was cooked to a perfect pinkness and served with hearty root vegetables.  Honestly, this was probably my least favorite of the courses, although that isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it.  It was just the one I enjoyed the least.  Everything was excellent.

Then we had our dessert, a little piece of chocolate mousse cake, with a scoop of citrus flavored ice cream, fruit jellies, strawberries, and what looked like a little twig of white chocolate….

And a few chocolates before the bill was served with fortune cookies that turned out to be surprisingly appropriate…  

 

We thanked the chef for making such a delicious meal for us and he said, “Well, that’s my job.”  I think we’ll be back.  Not only was the food really beautifully prepared, the service was also impeccable and gracious.  I’m sure it helped that there weren’t many people dining last night, which is both a surprise and a shame.  On the other hand, we managed to have a delightful dinner served by people who were neither stressed nor annoyed by a huge crowd of people.

Our total bill was about 185 euros and it was worth every euro cent.  I don’t know how often we’ll get to enjoy Franks, since we don’t often go out to eat during the work week, but we may make a special effort for this place.  I want to try their a la carte menu and “smokers bar”, now.  What a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal we had!

Highly recommended!

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Things aren’t bad in Baden-Baden… Part one

Bill and I have just arrived home after our latest and last trip from the Stuttgart area.  One week from today, the movers will come and pack up our stuff.  I recall the last time we moved out of the Stuttgart area.  It was September 2009, and we were set to move on September 15th.  The weekend before our departure, we took advantage of the long Labor Day weekend in Budapest, Hungary. We had an amazing time in that spa town, where Bill had his very first deep tissue massage.  On that trip, we stayed in the beautiful Hotel Corinthia, which at the time, was probably the most luxurious hotel we’d ever experienced.

It seems only fitting that we’d do our last trip from Stuttgart in another famous spa town, Baden-Baden.  I had been meaning to visit this splendid German town for years, but never managed it because we’ve lived so close.  On a normal day, meaning with no construction or traffic, we could get to Baden-Baden in about 90 minutes taking the scenic route.  Since there’s always the threat of having to move back to the United States unexpectedly, we’ve always opted for trips further afield.

As I was planning our 16th anniversary celebration, I wondered if it wouldn’t be better to fly to an exotic place for our four night trip.  I’ve been itching to get to a more exotic location that I haven’t yet seen.  But when I asked my well-traveled friends on Facebook where we should go, more than a few recommended Baden-Baden.  Both one of my former English professors from Longwood University and another friend, who loves historic, stylish hotels, recommended Brenners Park Hotel and Spa.

The truth is, I had been eyeing that hotel myself.  The many times I thought about taking a trip to Baden-Baden, I considered booking a room at Brenners.  But then I checked out the prices, which are eye-wateringly expensive, and thought again.  Indeed, even when I had made the final decision to visit Baden-Baden, I originally planned to book a room at the ever popular Aqua Aurelia Hotel, which seemed more modern than Brenners, but was also less expensive.  But then when I went to book, the room I wanted, upgraded from their basic room, was not available.

So then I went back to Brenners, and realized you only live once.  I booked us a deluxe double room via Expedia.com for four nights, cringing a bit at the final cost.  We made the reservation through Expedia, but paid at the hotel.  Luckily, my husband is very indulgent and has acquired a taste for luxury after sixteen years with me.

Fast forward to November 15th…  

A few shots from the road.  For most of our drive, we had lots of clouds, but there were a few sunny spots. 

Since we didn’t know where we’d be going for our trip, Bill arranged to drop our dogs off with Max early in the morning.  That left us with plenty of time to make the relatively short drive to Baden-Baden.  Check in at Brenners Park is at 3:00pm.  I thought maybe we’d stop somewhere on the way have lunch.  However, we ran into some road construction on B28  that forced us to take a couple of detours.  One detour took us on a somewhat scary mountain pass with a pretty bad road.  By the time we got to the other side of the mountain, it was about 1:00pm and Bill was a bit shellshocked.

We reached Brenners Park at just after 1:00.  Bill attempted to park the car in the hotel’s garage (26 euros per day), but was blocked by a truck that was unloading.  Frustrated, he pulled out of the garage and was quickly met by a valet, who happily unloaded the Mini and parked it for us.  We approached the check in desk, where a handsome young man greeted us.  I mentioned that we were in town to celebrate our anniversary.  He congratulated us and upgraded our room.

I wasn’t quite sure I’d heard him right when he told us we were getting a junior suite.  That was quite a leap in the rack rate.  But then he escorted us to our palatial suite, where our bags were delivered and set in an enormous changing room.  I was absolutely shocked at the opulence.  It really set the tone for a marvelous stay.

A hallway inside our 70 square meter suite.

The alcove where our bed was. 

Sitting area.

Beautiful writing desk and armoire with a television.

Huge dressing room with wardrobes.

Bathtub.  The bathroom was also huge.  I didn’t do it justice with these pictures.

The mirror had a lamp and its own light.  There was also a beautiful marble shower.

Balcony overlooking the park.

Bill collapses on the royal bed.  

Well stocked minibar.  Water and soft drinks were included in the room rate.  Alcohol and snacks were not.

A daily fruit plate with macaroons, also included.

Turn down service.

Another desk and TV.

 

A handy doorway from the bedroom through the changing room to the bathroom.  

After the shock of the upgrade wore off, we decided to go to the Wintergarten restaurant in the hotel and have some lunch.  Brenners Park has two restaurants.  There’s the Wintergarten, which is in a really pretty solarium, and Fritz and Felix, which is their new restaurant concept of “casual fine dining”.  We didn’t have a chance to try Fritz & Felix, but really liked our experience in the Wintergarten restaurant.

Bill enjoys a glass of Riesling.

Bread with pistachio spread and butter.  I liked the pistachio spread!

For lunch, I had a salad made with greens, cherry tomatoes, and huge sea scallops, seared to perfection.

Bill had a citrus cured lobster salad with melon.  This was the first time either of us had ever had lobster that was cooked without heat.  Instead, it was “cooked” chemically with citrus juice.  I really liked the tangy dressing that came on this salad and, I must admit, raw lobster has an interesting texture.  It reminded me of jelly.

For dessert, I had a Black Forest cream puff with chocolate, vanilla, and cherry.  It came with a scoop of cherry ice cream.

Bill had a lemon tart with basil ice cream and meringues.  This lunch set us back about 159 euros.

 

I grabbed a shot of these desserts on display.

After lunch, we took a short walk around Baden-Baden to get a feel for the place.  It’s quite a ritzy town.  I couldn’t help but notice how international it is, too.  We heard lots of French and British English spoken, but most of all, we noticed Russians.  Russians are everywhere in Baden-Baden!  Quite a lot of them were staying at Brenners Park, too.

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Whirlwind trip to Wiesbaden– our quest to find new dog friendly digs… Part six

We had absolutely glorious weather all weekend.  It was unseasonably warm in Wiesbaden yesterday, so we decided to take a stroll with the dogs, give them a chance to stretch their legs and us a chance to see a little more of the city.  I managed to grab a few more photos and we ran into a fellow beagle owner, who stopped us and enthused about how cute Zane and Arran are.  She showed us a picture of her beagle and I quipped to Bill that having a beagle in Germany is kind of like having a Mini Cooper in the States.  It’s like you’re in a special club!

Below are some pictures from our walk.

Another picture of that beautiful tree in the park.

Wiesbaden has so many fountains!  They’re everywhere!

My friend Susanne says this reminds her of the Salt Lake Temple, only it’s a different color and isn’t LDS.

 

We really didn’t even get the chance to explore the other beautiful landmarks in Wiesbaden… I can see I’m going to have my work cut out for me as I get to know Wiesbaden and Mainz.

Wiesbaden is a very international city– I would say moreso than Stuttgart, which seems more traditional to me.  We saw a lot of Muslims in Wiesbaden, some of whom were openly praying in the park.  I saw many women of Middle Eastern descent dressed head to toe in black, as well as some just in headscarves.  We also saw a group of men sitting on a blanket with one older guy sitting in a chair.  It was something I don’t see a lot of where I live now.  

 

A little bit later, we decided to have dinner, even though I was still pretty satisfied after our Thai food extravaganza.  We passed a couple of Italian restaurants and I decided I wanted Italian food for dinner.  We ended up at Little Italy, which is a tiny restaurant just around the corner from our hotel.

We were looking at the specials, which were written on a portable chalkboard, when a man in a chef’s uniform came out and invited us to sit down.  It was pleasant weather, so we sat outside.  The chef pointed out blankets and a heat lamp over our table, in case we got cold.

Our waiter impressed us by being at least tri-lingual– he spoke English, German,  and Italian.  When he heard me speak English, he was genuinely surprised.  Apparently, we pass quite well for Germans, although his boss in the chef’s outfit quickly figured out we’re Americans.

Bill chose this lovely Super Tuscan wine to go with dinner…

 

This came with the bread… olive oil with a dollop of very fresh tomato paste.

He had a Parmesan tartufo, which consisted of tagliatelle encased in a small Parmesan “bowl” and topped with sliced truffles.  We usually see this made in a big Parmesan cheese wheel, but they do it differently at Little Italy, probably because it’s a very small restaurant.

I had risotto with prawns, onions, and lemongrass.  It was topped with a breadstick.  I really enjoyed this because it was just the right size and very simple.

 

Just after we finished eating, we were thinking about dessert, when a very well-dressed, attractive, petite, older Italian woman sat down at the table next to ours.  She had perfectly manicured nails painted fuchsia, although she wasn’t wearing any makeup.  We noticed the staff at Little Italy knew her and greeted her by name as she sipped a glass of prosecco.  After a few minutes, she struck up a conversation with us.  It turned out she organizes high end luxury vacations, which Bill and I have been known to enjoy on occasion (although we didn’t tell her that).

She told us she hadn’t eaten for two days because she’d been so stuffed at a wedding and she decided that last night, she needed to eat.  So she stopped by Little Italy and ordered spaghetti with branzino.  Before we knew it, this lady was telling us stories about people she’d taken on trips, including one memorable tale about how she’d rented a Mercedes limo to take a client to an opera in Vicenza and the car broke down at a swimming pool.

Bill told her about how he’d been in Vicenza just last week and had Baccalà Mantecato, a Venetian specialty.  He hadn’t cared for it.  It’s salted cod with lots of olive oil served with polenta, which sounds okay to me… but apparently, it sat very heavily on Bill’s stomach.  Our new acquaintance was impressed that Bill had tried it.

Then she showed us pictures of herself and her friends at Carnival in Venice.  They were wearing masks they had made in Venice.  As she enjoyed her dinner, more people who worked in the restaurant came over and said hello.  They were obviously happy to see her, although I got the sense that maybe the chef guy might have thought of her as being too chatty.  She certainly chatted us up, and told us her name is Paola.  I won’t be surprised if we run into her again.  We have a knack for running into people.  Actually, I have a real knack for it– always have, even before I met Bill.

I decided to have tiramisu for dessert.  It was very light and creamy, with ladyfingers that tasted more like angel food cake.

Bill had Zabaione with ice cream… this stuff was absolutely sinful.  It’s like very rich creamy custard made with marsala wine, with a ball of ice cream in the middle.  I tasted it and could practically feel my ass expanding.  

As we enjoyed dessert, Paola told us about a friend of hers who had died.  She had gone on a trip and was feeling kind of blue when she noticed a cloud shaped like an angel.  She said it was like her friend, Sue, telling her to enjoy her life.  Paola came across as very extraverted.  I’m not sure what made her decide to talk to us.  It might have been because Bill looks like a sweet teddy bear and is basically like that most of the time.

Paola told us that she had wanted to go out and talk to someone.  She said she had gone to the sauna and then the movies, and decided to have dinner out because she needed company.  She thanked us for talking to her, since she lives alone.  It was our pleasure.  She’s a very interesting lady.  That experience kind of drove home that Wiesbaden is probably going to be different in many ways… although it also occurs to me that a week ago, we met Germans from Wiesbaden at the Cannstatter Fest.  Maybe it’s one of God’s little signs that we’re in for something new and exciting.  I sure hope so.  But I especially hope we find a house that won’t drive me batty.

Incidentally, my German friend, Susanne, found Paola’s Internet presence, based on my description of her in the post…  Paola might be a good person to know, since I love my food and wine experiences.

We’ll definitely be back to this restaurant, too.  It was a great find!

Our drive back to Stuttgart was mostly uneventful, except that a trucker tried to run us off the road while laying on his horn.  I think maybe Bill was trying to pass him as he was speeding up to prevent being passed.  Consequently, he may have been cut off through his own fault.  He backed off when he looked into our car and saw me with my iPad.  I suppose I could have taken a picture of his very aggressive driving.  He acted like a total lunatic and probably shouldn’t be a trucker anymore.

Our next door neighbor was in her yard when we drove up.  She greeted us warmly and asked me about my singing.  She is also a singer… and she likes Van Halen.  I’m going to miss her when we go. But now that I’ve seen Wiesbaden, I know that there will be new friends to be made there.

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Celebrating 46 years circling the planet at Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold and drinking “crispy” wine!

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was a great day, even though I’m now officially even closer to turning 50.  Bill and I usually try to do fun things on birthdays, although last year, when I turned 45, we spent a rather hellish day driving home from Belgium and got caught in multiple traffic jams.  The upside is that we came home with a lot of great beer, chocolate, and fantastic memories.

This year, Bill went to work, and I enjoyed a rare imported CD on which I spent lots of cash.  I also listened to my landlords cut the grass and the road workers repairing the street that runs in front of our house.  The duplicate tickets I ordered for Paul Simon’s concert in Dublin next month also arrived, so I can breathe easy that we won’t be going to Dublin simply for the Guinness.

When Bill’s work day was over, he came home, presented me with a new iPad, and took me out to dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant in the entire Stuttgart area.  I’m writing, once again, about Osteria da Gino in Nagold– not to be confused with the Osteria da Gino in Herrenberg, which is also a great place to eat.

If you check this blog, you will see that I’ve written about Gino’s awesome restaurant in Nagold many times.  We discovered it in the spring of 2015, when I read glowing reviews on Trip Advisor.  Nagold is very close to where we live and it’s a super cute town, so it’s always a pleasure to go there in any event.  Dinner at Gino’s is always a treat, and not just because the food is amazing.  Gino and his wife are simply awesome people, richly endowed with the gift of hospitality.  I never feel like I’m a customer when I eat at their restaurant.  I always feel like family… albeit family that pays a check at the end of the meal!

Below are some pictures from last night’s glorious birthday dinner!

Obligatory shot of Bill, reacting to one of my crude jokes.  He’s always good for a laugh!

He gives me this look when I’m on the hot tamale train, which doesn’t happen very often these days.  I did decide to get “dolled up”, though, since it was my birthday and my former English professor, who is now a Facebook friend, wanted me to post a new profile picture.  I was happy to oblige.

We did not make Gino or his wife aware that it was my birthday when we made the very necessary reservations.  It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because they always treat us like family.  But I did tell the chef that I was “older”…

So Gino’s wife brought me a flower!  

 

It’s not a good idea to visit Gino’s without making a reservation.  In the colder months, people dine in his very small dining room, where it’s very likely that you’ll be sharing a table with another couple.  In fact, two years ago, Bill and I celebrated my 44th birthday at Gino’s and we shared a table with a French and German couple.  The wife was from the Nagold area and they had come to town to visit her family.  It was their first time at Gino’s and, since it was raining, we ate indoors.  I remember how much fun we had getting acquainted with the couple, who were raving about the food.

Last night, we had beautiful weather and a perfect temperature, so we ate outside at a two top.  When outside tables are available, it’s more likely that you’ll have a table to yourself, although that’s not a given.  We saw at least three couples sharing a four top in the course of our dinner.  I have yet to be presented with a menu at Gino’s.  He usually just offers us what he has, although I know he does have a menu.  I kind of like to let Gino take the wheel.  I have never once been disappointed.

Antipast!  The usual orange and fennel salad and a new offering– a mixture of sausage, cheese, carrots, and red peppers…

Fresh bread…

And the rest… beautifully grilled peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, as well as burrata with fresh tomatoes, salami, prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe, cheese, and dried ham.  

 

We washed this down with prosecco, then Gino’s wife asked us what kind of wine we’d like.  Neither Gino nor his wife speak English and though we’re doing better than ever with German, we still have a long way to go.  So when Bill was describing the kind of white wines we like, I said I enjoy “crisp” wines. Dutifully, Bill described it in German–  knusprig– which does mean “crispy”.  But really, it’s more of a word for “crunchy”– kind of akin to the cracklins on a Schweinshaxe or maybe a bowl of Rice Krispies.  Who drinks crunchy wine?  Well, I might try it once!  Anyway, although there is really no such thing as “crispy wine”, our order of “knusprig wine” got a big laugh!  The wine Gino’s wife brought us was less “crisp” and more “toast”, but it went very well with our fruits of the sea inspired dinner.

Followed by warm, lemony octopus…  I do like a little octopus, but I can’t eat too much of it because it’s very dense and protein rich.  But this was a nice prelude to what came next.

 

Normally, after we have the long antipasti phase, Gino brings out a simple pasta dish, then we have either a meat or fish main dish.  Last night, Gino had fresh lobsters.  He brought one out to us before he turned it into our dinner.  It was still alive!  I was so shocked, I didn’t get a picture of the poor, doomed soul.  Nevertheless, I can’t deny that I love lobster and I am not a vegetarian.  And if I hadn’t had him for dinner, someone else would have.

This was the main event… lobster with pasta and a pleasantly spicy tomato essence.  While my Texas husband could stand more heat, this was just perfect for me.  It was just a notch hotter than the preferred German level of spiciness, to remind us we were eating at an Italian restaurant.

 

Not everyone had lobster last night.  We noticed some people were served clams.  Some people had pasta with black truffles and perhaps a main course of osso bucco or a steak.  I noticed one couple enjoying pasta with Seeteufel (a type of fish).  You just never know what Gino will surprise you with… although the antipasti is pretty standard and you will never get pizza because Gino doesn’t do pizza.

I couldn’t finish all of the pasta because I knew I wanted dessert.  When Gino chided me for not finishing the pasta, I said “Dolci!  Dolci!”, which made him laugh.  One of the ladies who works in the kitchen brought out what is pictured below…

Fresh strawberries, panna cotta, hazelnut chocolate cake, blueberry ice cream, and something very coffee flavored…  Again, you never know what’s coming!  We were also treated to many happy football fans, driving around Nagold blasting their horns when their teams won.  The atmosphere was truly joyful.

As you can see, lots of people were enjoying Gino’s magic last night!  We had such a wonderful time!

 

Total damage for last night’s dinner was 147 euros.  We always pay cash, although Gino does take credit cards.  I should mention that you don’t have to have as many courses as we did.  One couple brought their tiny baby with them and only had a main course and wine.  When they left the unfinished bottle on the table, the chef chased them down and corked it for them.  They seemed very appreciative.  One other thing I noticed was that most of the people dining last night either seemed to know each other or knew Gino well.  But then, I don’t think Gino has ever met a stranger.  He is really a very gregarious guy who was born to throw parties.

It’s safe to say that this is my favorite restaurant in the area and I’ve tried a lot of them.  No one else offers quite the experience Gino does.  We need to visit him more often.

Well… here’s my new selfie.  I’m sure my English prof and everyone else who didn’t like my WTF face is happy now.

Last night’s dinner was definitely a rip roaring success.  If you’re looking for a very different kind of Italian meal, I would highly recommend Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold (not Herrenberg– though again, that’s also a nice place.)  Just call first, come with an open mind, and don’t be intimidated by the language.  I promise, Gino will take good care of you!

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Baden-Württemberg, Schwarzwald, Sundays

Beautiful Burgbach Wasserfall, and lunch at the Klösterle Hof!

A few weeks ago, after Bill and I visited Glaswaldsee in Bad Rippoldsau, I read up on what else was in the area.  I learned that the tiny spa town, also home to the wolf and bear park, is also where there are splendid waterfalls and hiking trails.  In fact, Bad Rippoldsau is not only beautiful, but one could spend a whole weekend busy with things to do in nature.  And if it’s too rainy, there are spas to visit in nearby Bad Peterstal-Griesbach and a glass blowing factory in nearby Wolfach.  Once again, I am reminded of why I really like where we live, for Unterjettingen is just on the edge of the Black Forest, where there are plenty of cool things to do.

Today, while everybody else was watching Prince Harry and Meghan Markle getting married, I had tentative plans to visit two waterfalls.  We only made it to one, the Burgbach Wasserfall, which is very close to both Glaswaldsee and the wolf and bear park.  After reading up on the official info, which is in the first link in this paragraph, I read a more personal account of visiting the waterfall.  A very helpful guy who lives in The Netherlands wrote up his experience hiking around the falls.

Bill was a little worried there would be rain today, but we had perfect weather, at least while we were actually hiking.  There is a large, free parking lot on the side of the road, where there is a map showing where the falls are.  The waterfall can be accessed by two trails.  One is .8km, but a bit steep.  The longer one is about twice as long, but a bit more gradual.  We took the short hike to the falls and the longer trail back.  I think that’s the better way to do it, especially if you’re in crappy physical shape like I am.  The .8km trail is a bit steeper, but it’s shorter.  You still have to walk up hills on the longer trail.  The hills aren’t as intense, but they take longer to climb.  I do recommend taking the longer trail back, because it’s a very beautiful walk.  In fact, we even saw a family with their young boy riding his bike and the mom pushing a stroller.  That’s pretty hard core!

Below are some photos from today’s hike to the waterfall.  Afterwards, we had a marvelous lunch, on which I will report after the photos!

The helpful map.  There is also a picnic table near this map, though we also saw people eating lunch by the falls.  Bear in mind that it’s a wild area, so there are no trash cans or other facilities at the falls.  There are also no admissions fees!

 

The first glimpse of the creek…

 

We’re in the right place.  We took the road in the photo.  We could have also turned right onto another road which allows a longer hike to the falls.  The longer way appears to be easier, but it’s kind of deceptive.  The hills aren’t quite as steep, but they last longer.

The area is full of beautiful wildflowers.  I don’t think I quite did them justice with my camera.

 

Helpful signs show you where to go.

Peaceful creek…

 

In the distance, I spotted what appeared to be a burg on the mountain.  To get to the waterfall on the shortest route, you pass through a neighborhood.  It appeared that they had a trout farm there, though I can’t swear to it.

 

 

I stopped on the trail to take a photo.  There are some beautiful views.

 

Our first glimpse of the falls.  There were a few other people there and some who had braved a walk up to the burg we spotted on the way into the woods.

 

Near the base of the falls.

I think it was worth the trip… the falls are very photogenic and not too hard to get to, even if you’re not in great shape.

After a quick pit stop, Bill and I headed back down the long way.  

 

Der Burgbachfelsen…

Glad I had a zoom lens.

This is what the road looked like most of the way down.  However, we made the mistake of going all the way back to the highway.  I would not advise doing that, especially if you have children or are in any way mobility challenged.  There isn’t much of a walkway by the road and it gets very busy with scary bikers and speeding cars.  There is another, well-marked trail on the gravel road before you get to where the traffic is.  That’s probably the one you’d want to take, rather than trying to walk by the highway.  However, because we didn’t take that trail ourselves, I can’t swear to the accuracy of my advice.

Stop and enjoy the views!

 
That’s a wrap!

This was on the walk back, which was pretty scary due to no sidewalk or trail.  However, I did get a few shots of the wildflowers. 

The restaurant where we had lunch was at a hotel called the Klösterle Hof, which is the site of an old monastery.  Bill and I had noticed it the first time we visited the area, but didn’t happen to be there at a time when it was open.  Today, we had no problem getting a table, even though there was a wedding going on at the huge church next door.  There are a couple of other restaurants near this hotel, but I had read about the hotel restaurant and noticed the stellar reviews.  Having eaten there today, I can add my own stellar review.  We really enjoyed our lunch, even though we got caught by a rainstorm.

We sat outside at first, along with a large group of bikers and another couple.

A very kind waitress, who appeared to be working alone, brought us wine and water.  I loved the little wine barrel pitchers the wines came in.  I had a riesling and Bill had a gray burgundy.  Both were local and very good.  The riesling tasted of limes, while the gray burgundy had a honey essence.

We ordered our food and waited a bit, but the sky began to darken right after the church bells stopped ringing for the wedding.  Our waitress kindly opened a previously closed dining room for us, since all of the inside tables were taken.

It was very quaint and comfortable. 

Bill ordered the fresh trout, which probably came from a very local source.  It was grilled with lemon and served with a green salad and parsleyed potatoes.

I had Seeteufel medallions (a dense white fish– kind of like catfish without the dirt flavor) with white asparagus and Hollandaise sauce… as well as the aforementioned potatoes.

This sauce was the real deal.  No blender cheats with this one!

And a nice table full of digestives, of which we did not partake.  Our bill was about 62 euros and well worth the expense.  I felt great after lunch– not too stuffed and like I’d eaten really high quality food.

 

While we were eating, a group of gentlemen from the wedding showed up.  If I had to guess, I’d say they might have been part of a band.  They came in, had a round of beer, and headed to the church.  We saw them all waiting on the front stoop as we drove past on the way home.

The outside of the restaurant and hotel as it was pouring rain.  There was no rain once we got over the mountain toward Freudenstadt.  Had it not rained, we might have tried to visit the other waterfall I read about.  As it is, we’ll save that one for another day.  I would love to go back to the restaurant and try the Black Forest ham, which I noticed the lady sitting next to us having.  It smelled wonderful.

A trippy photo I took as we drove through the misty mountains.  I love visiting the Bad Rippoldsau area.  It feels like a mini vacation.

 Below are a few more photos of Burgbach Wasserfall I took with my digital camera.  I’m really glad we visited.  The falls are beautiful and, at least today, not nearly as crowded as some of the other waterfalls we’ve visited.  I would highly recommend a trip there, especially if you’re looking for something different and cheap to do.

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Lunch at Pizzeria Permesso in Ludwigsburg…

We had yet another beautiful day here in Germany.  I was somewhat tempted to take a hike to a waterfall.  But then I remembered the large collection of empty beer bottles sitting in our pantry and how they’ve been collecting dust for months now.  It had been ages since our last trip to Heinrich 3000, a drink market in Kornwestheim, which is a town near the city of Ludwigsburg.

Since we had all of those bottles and I was jonesing for some kind of beer other than German, Bill and I decided to have lunch in Ludwigsburg and then visit the drink market.  We walked to the main square in Ludwigsburg’s center and noticed an Italian restaurant called Pizzeria Permesso.  As we approached its outdoor seating area, a very pleasant gentleman kindly welcomed us to sit down.  We happily obliged.

We were seated under a large canopy, shaded from the perfect May weather.

Pizzeria Permesso has a wood fired oven for making pizza.  I saw a couple of pizzas going by that looked very good.  Their calzones also looked pretty excellent.

Bill ordered a glass of Primitivo for himself an a glass of Montepulciano for me, along with our usual sparkling water.  I was pretty impressed with the water came with slices of lemon and an ice cube!  I don’t think I’ve ever had ice in a drink in Germany unless I was at a fast food place on post.  It was a nice surprise!

Ice in the water! 

For lunch, Bill ordered Spaghetti Bolognese– spaghetti with meat sauce– and I had Tagliatelle Salmone.  We were both very happy with our dishes.  I especially enjoyed mine.  Not only was the dish made with a cherry tomato sauce instead of a cream sauce; it also had the most perfectly cooked pieces of salmon I’ve had in a very long time.  It was absolutely delicious!

While we were waiting for our lunch, we noticed some really cute children playing nearby.  They didn’t have a care in the world!

Bill’s Spaghetti Bolognese was a hit!  It came sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

But my Tagliatelle Salmone was even better.  Not only was I impressed by how this dish tasted, I also thought it was beautifully presented, complete with a couple of mint leaves.  I saw several other dishes going by, mainly salads, that were also beautifully plated.  And again, the salmon was cooked perfectly.  It practically melted in my mouth because it wasn’t too dry or overcooked.  Next time, I’m going to have to try a Lachs (salmon) filet.

 

We took our time finishing lunch and our wine.  The wait staff was professional and unhurried, which was nice to see.

I took this picture right after two adorable little girls, both wearing ponytails and maybe about five or six years old, who were holding hands and playing in the square, came over to talk to Bill.  He patiently explained to them that he doesn’t speak much German.  I’m not sure if they got the message, but they did eventually say “Tschuss!”

Bill asked for a double espresso, but they brought him a single.

I had a hefeweizen because the guy sitting near me had one and it looked refreshing.  I probably should have had one of the very beautiful desserts they had on display instead.  Maybe next time.

A cannon went off and sparkly stuff sprayed into the air as a newly married couple emerged from the church…

The Saturday market was also freshly cleaned up.

Pizzeria Permesso is conveniently located in the Marktplatz.  I’m surprised this was our first time visiting.  I’m sure we’ll be back, because I liked their food more than what I’ve had at La Signora Moro, another Italian place on the square.

After Bill paid the check, we headed back to the car by way of the Sparkasse that sports a large metal Sparschwein out front.  The first time we saw that piggy bank, Bill made an inappropriate comment.  Actually, it was an unintentionally inappropriate comment.  The pig reminded him of a metal bull that was once used as a torture/killing device.  On some days, the bank opens the pig so people can see inside.  Bill said he didn’t want to go in there because he was afraid someone would close the door and turn on the gas.

The Sparschwein, whose name is “Louise”, is the largest piggy bank in the world.  The above video offers a risk free look inside.

He clearly forgot he was in Germany…  We laugh about it now, but I’m pretty sure I gave him one of my patented horrified looks.  Talk about black humor!  But I know my husband, and it was definitely an honest faux pas.

We passed a book store that was advertising games, including “Klug Scheisser”.  Klug Scheisser is a game Bill often hears on German radio.  It literally translates to “smart shit”, but colloquially means “smart aleck”, “smart ass”, or “big mouth”.  I see it’s also usually spelled as just one word.

 

We enjoyed a brief shopping expedition at Heinrich’s and came home with lots of Belgian and Icelandic beers to try until our next trip to Ludwigsburg.  It’s a very pleasant town.  We should definitely visit more often.

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Wonderful Georgian food at Tshito-Gwrito in Stuttgart!

Today’s post is brought to you courtesy of Stacy, a member of Stuttgart food and wine lovers, a Facebook group for English speakers in the Stuttgart area.  A few days ago, Stacy posted about Tshito-Gwrito, a Georgian restaurant she and her husband discovered.  She remembered that I posted about how much I love Georgian wines and wondered if I’d tried this restaurant.  I must confess that prior to her post, I had no idea the place existed.  However, it took very little convincing before I was ready to drive the hour to the city to try it.  Earlier today, their official Web site was working, but right now, it appears to be down.  You can also check out their Facebook page.

I was excited to try Tshito-Gwrito, mainly because I used to live in the Republic of Armenia, which is the country south of Georgia.  Both Armenia and Georgia are Christian countries that were once part of the former Soviet Union.  Wine was pretty much born in Georgia and Armenia, although during the Soviet era, Georgia focused on winemaking while Armenia focused on producing exquisite brandy.  When I looked at the restaurant’s menu, I saw a few selections I remembered from my time in Armenia.  Their cuisines are somewhat similar.  I already knew about Georgia’s wonderful wines, which I have talked up a lot in Stuttgart food and wine lovers.  I had a feeling the food would be a most welcome change of pace.

From our home, Tshito-Gwrito is about an hour away by car.  It was a bit of a pain to navigate Stuttgart traffic and then find a place to park.  However, I am happy to report that the effort was well worth it.  We had a wonderful time at Tshito-Gwrito and we will definitely make an effort to go back.  I saw a few things on the menu I still want to try.

A couple of shots of the outside.  In warmer months, they have a Biergarten.

 

On weekends, Tshito-Gwrito opens at 3:00pm and stays open until midnight.  The restaurant is closed on Mondays.  Tuesday through Friday, Tshito-Gwrito opens at 5:00pm and closes at midnight; they will be open tomorrow for Easter.  Our waitress, a lovely lady who eventually confessed to us that she’s half German, half Irish, said that tomorrow they will have Georgians and Armenians having their Easter meal there.  I suspect there will be a lot of happy drunk people there giving super long toasts.  Drinking and toasting are two other things the Georgians and Armenians have in common.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there was also music and dancing.

A shot of the interior.  The dining room we were in was rather small, though they appeared to have another room to the left as we walked in.   We took a seat in a corner.  We had plenty of room, since we arrived at just after 3:00pm.  Two other parties were there with us.

Bill checks out the menu.

Our waitress spoke perfect English.  She seemed slightly relieved when I told her I used to live in Armenia and, therefore, knew about food from the region.  I’m not sure if they’ve had issues with people who don’t get the concept of food from the Caucasus region.  Personally, I thought today’s food was outstanding… in fact, I don’t remember enjoying anything as much when I actually lived in the region.  But then, that was was also the mid 1990s, which definitely wasn’t the best time to be in that area.  Things have improved dramatically over the past 20 years or so.

We ordered a bottle of Mukuzani, which is a spicy, dry, red wine made from Saperavi grapes in Mukuzani, Kakheti.  Mukuzani is aged in oak casks for at least three years longer than similar wines, which gives it a different flavor profile.  This wine was delicious, especially after it had some time to open.  The restaurant also offers Georgian wines by the glass and a range of beers and other beverages.  They have “cha cha” too, which is basically Georgia’s version of grappa.  I steer clear of it because it’s very strong stuff… reminds me of jet fuel.

 

The waitress explained that the restaurant prefers to serve the meals family style, which is also how it’s often done in the Caucasus.  That worked fine for Bill and me, since we like to try different things.  I hesitated when she recommended the Khachapuri, which is flat bread baked with cheese and other fillings.  I remembered the super strong cheese it was served with in Armenia.  The waitress set my mind at ease when she said the cheese they used was mozzarella mixed with a Georgian cheese.  I resolved to try it, reasoning that Bill loves strong cheese and would finish it if I didn’t like it.  We also ordered the spinach, which was basically like a spread made with walnuts, spinach, onions, pomegranate seeds, and Georgian spices.

Oh my word… I am SO glad we had the Khachapuri.  It was delicious.  It came out hot from the oven, with mild cheese that was not at all offensive to my sensitive palate.  And that spinach was also amazing.  Bill said my eyes lit up as I tasted it.

When you look at the menu at Tshito-Gwrito, in the back, you will notice a separate section called Vorbestellung.  Basically, those are dishes you can order ahead of time.  Today, they had several dishes from that part of the menu available.  One of the dishes they had was Ostri, pictured below.

Basically, the Ostri was like a tomato based beef stew.  The beef reminded me of very tender pot roast cut into chunks and mixed with the mildly spiced tomato ragu.  It was served with slices of bread that could be used to sop up the stew.  They also had a chicken stew.

And we also had Shashlik– marinated pork grilled on a spit and served with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and fried potatoes.  The shashlik came with a cold tomato sauce on the side.

 

When I lived in Armenia, one of my favorite treats was xhorovatz (Armenian barbecue).  It was basically meat on a stick cooked over a fire and served with vegetables and lavash.  Shashlik was a lot like xhorovatz, minus the lavash.  It was delicious!  I will admit that getting through the last course was a challenge.  I was getting full!

We took some time to finish our wine and water after we finished the shashlik, listening to the pop music and chatting with the friendly waitress, who confessed that the Georgians who own the restaurant are wonderful people.  I am not surprised.  That part of the world is renowned for its hospitality.  I am hoping we can plan a trip to Georgia and Armenia before we have to leave Europe.  I am dying to show Bill my old stomping grounds, meet up with people I know over there, and enjoy the amazing food and wine.

We finished up by splitting a Napoleon, which is basically a very light, crispy pastry filled with custard and covered with powdered sugar.  We also had espresso, which came with a little glass of sparkling water.  Napoleons are widely found in the Caucasus region and in Russia and France.

 

When we were finally finished after almost three hours, we owed about 81 euros.  This was a wonderful meal and worth every Euro cent.  We definitely plan to go back sometime, even though getting there isn’t that easy.  The food is outstanding and the service was charming and friendly.  Honestly, in a place where there are so many Greek, German, and Italian restaurants, it’s such a nice change of pace to have a meal in a place that serves something different.  We didn’t have a single item today that we didn’t really enjoy.

If you’re in the mood for something different, I would highly recommend making the trip to Tshito-Gwrito.  Many thanks, once again, to Stacy in the food and wine group!  One of the reasons I started that group was so that we might all make new culinary discoveries!  Today’s restaurant definitely counts as one of those!  And now I can steer people to Russian food AND Georgian food in the Stuttgart area.

I think this is my new WTF look. 
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Another wonderful evening at Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold…

My husband’s mother, Parker, just flew from San Antonio, Texas to Germany to see us for the first time since we moved back here in 2014.  Parker is a wonderful person and I’ve missed having easy access to her.  We came to Stuttgart from San Antonio and she used to come to our house all the time to spend the night or have dinner.

We spent yesterday morning driving to and from Frankfurt to collect her at the big airport.  Then, having arrived home at about 3:15pm, Bill picked up our stylin’ new glasses from the optical shop in Nagold.  I’m pretty pleased with our badly needed new spectacles, although I don’t like wearing glasses as a rule.

Last night, we went to see Gino at Osteria da Gino in Nagold (not to be confused with the one in Herrenberg).  As many places as we’ve dined since we came back to Germany, I think Gino’s is probably my favorite.  He and his wife greet us like family.  In fact, when Bill called for a much needed reservation a few days ago, Gino’s wife immediately recognized the name and gave him a very warm greeting.  They are truly wonderful hosts.

I have reviewed Gino’s restaurant plenty of times in this blog.  I have never been disappointed on any visits there, even though Gino’s style is different than most anywhere else we’ve been.  For one thing, I have never once been offered a menu at Gino’s place.  He or his chef just comes over and asks you if you want each course.  The antipasti is usually pretty much the same thing.  An orange and fennel salad, grilled vegetables, sliced cheeses and sausages, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, and bread.  But then he’ll bring out pasta and that course often varies.  Then we’ll have fish or meat and we never know what that will turn out to be.  We’ve had everything from filet mignon to osso bucco.  Finally, dinner is capped off with dessert, which is usually a platter of different things… or maybe tiramisu.  You just never know.  One thing you will never be served is pizza.

Anyway, here are some photos from last night’s food extravaganza.  Gino had a full house last night– 26 people in his tiny dining room.  It had the ambiance of a good party, with everyone sharing a table and a good time.

I took a few photos of Nagold, which is now beautifully decorated for the holidays.  If you haven’t visited this cute little town, you should come by and see it.  It’s super quaint and adorable and there are a lot of nice restaurants there.  

 

We had to keep our tour of Nagold brief, since Parker didn’t bring a heavy coat with her.  She said it’s about 80 degrees in San Antonio right now.  I would be surprised if she owns a heavy coat.  As soon as we walked into Gino’s restaurant, he turned around and tried to place us in his mind.  It’s been too long since our last visit.  His adorable wife remembered us immediately.  Gino doesn’t speak English, but that doesn’t matter.  He has such a big personality that it’s easy to be friends with him.

We were seated with a party of five at a long table.  Lots of people were enjoying Gino’s hospitality last night.  I don’t think I have ever seen his dining room when it wasn’t full.

Obligatory shot of Bill…

and his lovely mom, Parker.  Now both of our mothers have visited Gino!

We started with a lovely bottle of Primitivo.  We actually had a bottle, which was kind of a switch.  Usually, Gino brings us little carafes and I don’t know what I’m drinking.  I enjoyed this wine enough to look for it next time I’m shopping.  It was very pleasing.  Incidentally, we didn’t specifically order this.  They suggested a Primitivo and we said that was good.  This is what they brought us.

The four above shots are of the antipasto.  We had the orange and fennel salad with olives, fresh sausages and cheese, mozzarella and tomatoes, and grilled vegetables.  I am always pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy the way Gino’s chef grills the veggies.  They are delicious.

Next, we had a pasta course.  Bill and Parker had their spaghetti Parmesan with truffles.  I had mine plain, sprinkled with just a little ground pepper.  Although his restaurant is too small to witness this in the dining room, Gino’s hardworking culinary crew makes this dish in a big wheel of cheese.  Bill watched them preparing it as he passed the kitchen.

Next, the main course.  We all had filet mignon, cooked medium rare and topped with rosemary, with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach.  I noticed a couple of ladies having zander filet, which was the fish option last night.  One man had what appeared to be shrimp.  If Gino offers you something that doesn’t appeal, chances are excellent that he’ll have something you’ll love.  We enjoy letting him take the wheel, though.  He has never disappointed us.

And finally, dessert.  This was just enough because we were a bit full.  Parker and I were going to have espresso, but I think they forgot to bring it.  By the time we were finished with dinner, it was time to go home and sleep.  

The bill for this lovely meal was just under 300 euros.  We usually spend in the neighborhood of 160 to 175 euros when it’s just Bill and me.  But then, we also always get four courses, which you certainly don’t have to do.  We saw at least one couple having two courses.  They were the first and only ones to leave for a couple of hours.  Most people who dine at Gino’s seem to go for the whole program.  Fortunately, you can pay by credit card.

As I mentioned before, Gino’s food is usually fantastic.  But what I love the most about his restaurant is that it’s unlike any of the others in the area.  Every time we go there, it feels like we’ve been invited to a great party.  More than once, we’ve met new people there and even made new friends.  And Gino and his wife are just wonderful, warm hosts who make us feel at home.  I love bringing friends and family to this place.  As usual, I warmly recommend Osteria da Gino in Nagold if you ever have the chance to visit.  Just don’t go on Sunday and don’t go there looking for pizza.

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