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Baden-Württemberg

Insane 15th anniversary celebration at the Alte Post in Nagold!

Edited to add: Alte Post has sadly closed.

Yesterday, Bill and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.  Although last year, we went on vacation to Ireland for about ten days, this year we needed to stay in town because Bill is still earning time off from his new job.  At the very least, it’s always been our habit to go out to dinner on our anniversary.  We’ve enjoyed some wonderful anniversary meals over the last fifteen years.  However, last night’s glorious repast will definitely be a tough act to follow!

Initially, we considered finding a really nice restaurant in Stuttgart, like we did two years ago.  In 2015, we tried the “surprise menu” at Five.  As cool as that restaurant is, I think Bill and I have determined that we don’t always like surprise menu concepts, mainly because there are a few things I can’t abide, like truffles and mushrooms.  Also, the prospect of driving all the way from the edge of the Black Forest to Stuttgart was unappealing to both of us, since Bill is working today.  After trying and failing to find the right place to eat, I finally said, “Why don’t we go to the Alte Post’s gourmet restaurant again?”

I have written about Nagold’s Alte Post a few times.  This beautiful former hotel is now split into two restaurants.  There’s the more casual and less expensive Luz Bistro & Bar, which is on the first floor and open daily (except Sundays and Mondays) for lunch and dinner, and then there’s the more formal and expensive Alte Post Restaurant on the second floor.

Bill and I eat at Luz Bistro somewhat regularly, and you’ll find many posts about those experiences in this blog.  Last night was only our second time in the gourmet restaurant, Alte Post, which takes eating to a whole new level.  The Alte Post gourmet restaurant is only open Wednesday through Saturday nights from 6:30pm until 11:00pm.  The “deadline” for coming in for dinner is at 8:30pm, although I recommend making a reservation rather than just walking in.

We tried Alte Post’s gourmet restaurant for the first time in March of 2017 and had some very interesting and expensive new food experiences.  I really broke some boundaries on that visit and was eager to try it again.  I am so glad I did.  Although we dropped a large load of euros on our anniversary dinner, it was money well spent.  Every course was positively orgasmic and I say that as someone who can be picky and isn’t necessarily impressed by culinary gimmicks.

We only live about four miles from Nagold, so getting there is usually easy.  However, last night there was a very bad accident on B28, which is the road that usually takes us to Nagold.  We were met by the police, who directed us to detour.  We drove back through our town and went via Mötzingen, a little village adjacent to Jettingen that we usually only see when we’re being forced to detour.  Even after the detour, we arrived about fifteen minutes ahead of our reservation time of 7:00.

Although there was a function going on in another private dining room in the restaurant, we were the first of two couples to arrive for last night’s multi-course extravaganza!  Yes, that’s right… one of the lovely things about Alte Post’s gourmet restaurant is that your table will be relatively private.  There’s one dining room with a large table in it and the smaller room with four tables set for two.  Only two of the four were used last night, so you get plenty of room to spread out and enjoy.

We were personally attended to by Marina Hentsch, who along with star Chef Stefan Beiter, runs the whole operation.  Every time we’ve visited the restaurant, we’ve seen her waiting tables or otherwise attending to guests.  Besides providing stellar front of the house service, she is also a wine expert (sommelier).  Thankfully, Hentsch does speak some English (and French, apparently), though she claims her English isn’t good.  We found her very charming as she seated us and offered us an aperitif.  Since it was our anniversary, we started with a round of champagne.  And she brought us a little snack, pictured below…

This is tuna rolled in a little “cone” and topped with radish slices and caviar.  Although I was a little timid at first, this set the tone for a perfect evening of fine dining.

Bill looking sharp as we decide how we’re going to do things…

 

The first thing to know about Alte Post’s gourmet experience is that a set menu is offered.  You can have up to seven courses, but you can’t simply pick the courses you want.  Last night, there were courses featuring tuna, lobster, quail, salmon, beef, duck, and dessert.  We opted to have five of the seven courses because the quail included truffles, which I knew I wouldn’t like.  The other couple who came in later (and spoke French the whole time) apparently had the full seven courses.

We also had the wine pairing, which I highly recommend if you like tasting different wines with foods.  Marina Hentsch does a great job choosing wines and explaining them, although it helps to know a little German in that case.  I surprised myself by understanding a fair amount of what she said.

The menu is offered in both German and English.  You can also check it out online and outside the restaurant’s front door.  If you have any food idiosyncrasies, I recommend checking the menu before you book your table.  Otherwise, you may find yourself trying and enjoying calves’ brains, as I did the first time we tried the gourmet restaurant!  The menu does change regularly.

Not the best lighting, but this is an example of one of the tables.  

Last night’s menu in English.  Bill took a German menu.

 

Once we ordered our five course feast, Marina Hentsch went back to the kitchen and returned with the amuse, pictured below…  It was actually in two pieces.

These little bites were mindblowing.  There was a tomato and tuna bite, sushi with goat cheese and shrimp, and a tempura fried shrimp on a rice cake.

They were followed by hollowed out eggshells, painted black, and filled with a warm curry spiced soup.  It had a bit of a kick to it, which Bill especially loved.  Our hostess also brought us delicious potato bread with salted butter.  It was so good!

Our first course– fresh tuna with beetroot and green apple.  The beetroot reminded me of a very dry Fruit Roll Up.  It crackled and was very sweet, almost like candy.  I don’t normally like beets much, due to their earthy flavor.  I have to admit this was kind of a treat.  Under the beetroot curl, there was a little dollop of what tasted like apple flavored ice cream.  You wouldn’t think this would go with tuna, but it all worked surprisingly well.  It was paired with a steel aged chardonnay that was crisper than I was expecting and delightful.

Bill’s reaction thus far…

Next, we had Norway lobster served on top of mashed potatoes with bouillabaisse (fish stew) and beautifully decorated with a flower petal.  This was served with another chardonnay which was aged in oak and imparted buttery notes.  Sorry this photo is a little blurry.  I took two shots and they both turned out this way.  🙁

It was followed by my favorite of all of the courses, the salmon.  Salmon is one of those dishes that I tend to love or can take or leave.  A perfectly cooked piece of salmon is a delight to me, but when it’s dried out or dull, it leaves me underwhelmed.  This particular presentation was very exciting.  The chef paired it with sweet potato curry, avocado, and mangos.  I don’t usually like sweet potatoes much, but paired with the curry and Asian spices, this course practically exploded in my mouth.  I loved it!  This was served with a locally produced Riesling, that had a lovely essence of peaches that married beautifully with the curry.

Next, we had the duck, which was Bill’s favorite course.  It was served medium rare in pepper sauce with Preiselbeeren (cranberries).  I told Bill that I think I’d love a Thanksgiving dish of duck with cranberries and he immediately started talked about getting out his Anova precision cooker.  Again, beautifully done, though the duck had the misfortune of following the spectacular salmon.   

Finally, we enjoyed dessert… a panoply of chocolate.  There was a truffle that was full of warm chocolate “lava”.  I don’t really go for lava cakes much, but this was nicely done.  There was a little cloud of foam on top, along with a smidge of chocolate ice cream topped with mousse and garnished with walnuts, grapes, and something that reminded me of very high end Cracker Jacks minus the peanuts.

 

Once we finished dessert, we were offered a digestive.  Bill declined, since he was driving, but I tried a locally produced Mirabelle (made in Nagold for the restaurant).  I had a Mirabelle last week in France, so it was interesting to try it here in Germany.  It was not served chilled, as it was in France, which I think made it easier to detect the subtle flavors of plums.

Then we had a round of espresso, which was served with yet another two part treat, pictured below…

Four little candies– a marshmallow, a peanut chew wrapped in edible “plastic” (which I still peeled off, but didn’t have to), a very intense spiced jelly gumdrop, and a little chocolate cookie.

And this amazingly exquisite half lemon filled with light cream and topped with crispy, curry flavored flakes that reminded me a little of shredded wheat.  It was surprisingly delicious.

 

So, by now, you may be wondering how much this dinner set us back.  Well, folks, I will confess that hospitality at Alte Post doesn’t come cheap.  Our bill came to 346 euros before the tip.  However, I think it’s important to bear in mind that we were two of only four people in the dining room and both the service and the food were impeccable.  We were both raving about how excellent everything was as we walked back to the car, still bowled over by some of the exotic flavors we encountered last night.  It all worked so amazingly well!

As I mentioned, this was only our second time in the gourmet restaurant.  It really should be reserved for special occasions or nights when you just want to sit for a few hours and enjoy very fresh food creatively prepared.  Yes, it’s very expensive, but I think of it as one of life’s little experiences… ones that make putting up with all the bullshit worthwhile.  I can see why Chef Beiter is a “star”.  If you like gourmet food, I highly recommend visiting Nagold and trying Alte Post.  Bring a credit card and an open mind, and be prepared to spend a couple of hours.

A bonus was that last night, I managed to wear my contact lenses without pain, although you can see my eyes are pretty irritated…  By the way, we did dress up because we like to, but there is no need to do that if you don’t want to.  The other couple who joined us were wearing jeans. 

Next week, we will be visiting Delice in Stuttgart.  I understand that will also be a culinary adventure.  I look forward to returning and reporting!

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… A fantastic meal at Osteria Monti followed by an unpleasant surprise… Part 5

Bill and I decided that it wouldn’t do to drink our dinner on Saturday night.  So we decided to head back down the hill to a wine shop/osteria I had noticed during our earlier walk.  We neglected to make reservations, which was kind of a mistake.  Fortunately, there was an available table at Osteria Monti when we arrived at about seven o’clock.  We took a seat and proceeded to enjoy a fantastic dinner.

This place has wine for purchase as well as a delightful restaurant.

Bill decides on dinner.  I noticed a lot of tables had been booked, but most of the people never showed up.  By the time we left at about 9:30, the reserved tables were still empty and had been all evening.  The couple sitting behind Bill brought their well-behaved dog with them and the staff brought out a bowl of water.  Given what we discovered later, we should have brought ours, too.

This wine was superb!  I’m definitely going to look for it around here.

The amuse.  This was warm octopus with tomatoes and peppers.  It was delicious.

I had a substantial starter.  These were shrimp fried in phyllo and served with fried potatoes and a mild, citrusy sauce.  They were a hit with me!

Bill had dried beef, which was flavorful and satisfying.  I preferred my shrimp, though.

For dinner, I had Iberian pork served with mashed potatoes and mustard.  This pork was absolutely delicious.  It was tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection.  And it was just the right size.

Bill had Irish beef with lentils, again perfectly cooked to medium.  

A pre-dessert dessert–  vanilla chantilly with a dash of strawberry.

And I had a lime and gin ice cream creation.  The ice cream was so creamy and rich that it reminded me of custard.  That’s probably what it actually was.

Bill had moist chocolate cake with hazelnut and pistachio ice cream.  Our bill came to 115 euros and it was worth every euro cent.

 

The walk back to the apartment was very pleasant.  There was a warm breeze and the air smelled of flowers.  Little did we know, we’d come back to a mess.  While we were gone, Arran the mischief maker managed to pull a crate full of supplies off the counter.  In the crate were a couple of partially eaten chocolate bars, an entire bag of expensive Orijen dog treats, and a small bag of dry dog food.  Arran helped himself to the dog treats and the dog food and ate part of the chocolate.

As most dog owners know, chocolate is toxic to dogs.  Fortunately, the bars we had were not especially dark chocolate and Arran didn’t eat all of them.  I think he got about 100 grams.  Also, Arran apparently didn’t let Zane get into the booty because only Arran was looking pregnant.

Naturally, we were upset about the mess and the potential chocolate poisoning.  I went looking to see if the area had emergency vets.  Of course, both Bill and I had also been drinking wine at dinner, so neither of us was in any condition to drive.  As it turned out, Arran was totally fine.  He didn’t even so much as suffer a loose bowel movement or vomit even once.  For those who are wondering, yes, there are emergency vets near Domaso.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to pay a visit there.

We didn’t sleep well on Saturday night, though, because we were worried about Arran getting very sick.  Next time, we will do a better job of beagle proofing.  The kitchen in the apartment where we were staying does have a closing door.  In retrospect, we should have closed the door and that would have prevented this little mishap.  Lesson learned.

Just before Bill and I got married back in 2002, our dog CC broke into some chocolate that I hadn’t hidden well enough.  CC ate about two pounds of Hershey’s Kisses and Dove candies that I had used as wedding favors.  He did get pretty sick, although we were able to take care of him at home.  This situation with Arran wasn’t nearly as dramatic as that one was.  Every once in awhile, we have to be reminded not to get too complacent.  Consider us reminded.

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A magical meal at Der Zauberlehrling…

Last night, Bill and I had a dinner reservation at Der Zauberlehrling, a chic hotel/restaurant in downtown Stuttgart.  I was excited about our visit because we had eaten there in 2008, when Bill and I were here courtesy of the Army.  At the time, Der Zauberlehrling was the only Stuttgart area restaurant listed on OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service we’ve been using for years.  Now OpenTable has hundreds of restaurants listed in Stuttgart.  I remembered that meal from 2008 fondly.  It was probably the fanciest dinner we ate in Germany before we came back in 2014.

“Der Zauberlehrling” is the German title of a famous poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  Americans may know it better by its English translation, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”.  The hotel and restaurant that shares the name certainly has some unexpected and whimsical elements to it.  Although we have not yet had the pleasure of staying the night at Der Zauberlehrling, we have done some reading up on it.  Each room has a quirky style of its own.  Der Zauberlehrling also offers cooking classes, but I don’t know if they are available in English.

Things had changed a bit at the hotel’s restaurant since our last visit.  For example, on Saturday nights, the restaurant now offers a candlelight theme night for 115 euros a person (although it says 105 on the hotel’s Web site, on OpenTable it was priced 115 euros and that was what we were charged last night).  On the first Saturday of every month, they have a “magic” candlelight dinner, which includes a show by magician, Stefan Handel.  That dinner starts at 6:30pm and costs a little bit more.  The price of the dinner includes an aperitif, snacks, and four course meal with wine pairings and espresso or coffee.

I was a little concerned about the “theme night”, because it’s not possible to order a la carte when they offer it and I don’t always have good luck with mystery menus.  I tend to be rather picky about some things, especially mushrooms and truffles.  Fortunately, there were no major issues last night.

We parked at a large garage downtown, maybe a few minute’s walk from the hotel and restaurant, although it seemed further in heels.  I enjoyed the charming neighborhood near Der Zauberlehrling.  The streets were cobblestone and tree lined; for a moment, I even forgot we were in Stuttgart.  We were warmly welcomed when we entered the hotel lobby, though we were one of maybe ten couples dining last night.  Regular theme nights always start at 7:15pm, so everyone shows up at about the same time.

Approaching the restaurant/hotel.  I was trying not to get a shot of the large trash bin.

A very professional and well-dressed lady showed us to our beautifully decorated corner table.  I took a look around and remembered how tiny the dining room is.  It has a very cool looking modern fireplace, though.  You can see its hood behind Bill’s head in the picture below.

Bill takes a look at what’s being offered.  The same lady who showed us to our table poured us a drink with house made gin, grape juice, and locally produced sparkling wine.

When we first sat down, the white thing in the finger bowl resembled a breath mint.  But then a server poured liquid on it and it expanded as if by magic.  We weren’t sure what it was at first, but then we discovered it was a moist towel.  I guess that was their way of getting patrons to wash up.

The menu.  I would imagine this changes weekly.

We started with tasty hors d’oeuvres.  There was a tiny piece of quiche, potato fritter, and a cracker with roast beef and horseradish.  We also had mixed nuts and sweet cocktail onions.

 

Next came crusty bread served with interesting butter and salt.  Our server explained the butter was laced with citrus…

And we could pair it with one of four types of salt.  There was Portuguese salt, that was much like what we’re used to, a black sea salt, and a “male” and “female” salt.  The male salt was infused with pepper, while the female sale was less assertively infused with ginger.  Although I’m not into salts, I have to admit it was interesting tasting them with the butter.

Next came salmon with cous cous, avocado creme, pickled vegetables, and enoki mushrooms, which Bill kindly removed for me.  This was the last of the snacks!

The first course was creamy risotto with peas, white asparagus, tomatoes, and dried ham (which they said was bacon).  Bill was marveling at how good the risotto was.  I also enjoyed it, although the ham was a little different for me and took some effort to chew.  This course was served with a 2016 Kirchner white wine from Pfalz.

I really liked the next course, a chilled gazpacho with tomato, basil ice cream, and a spicy piece of watermelon.  This soup was refreshing and interesting.  The basil ice cream was slightly sweet and offered an interesting contrast with the piece of watermelon imbrued with spicy heat.  It was very creative.  This course came with an exquisite 2016 Pfannebecker Goldmuskateller, also from Pfalz.

Next came the main course, olive crusted pork loin with artichoke hearts, snap peas, and tomato filled tortellinis.  The tortellinis were clearly housemade and very good.  The pork was tender and juicy and played well with the vegetables.  I especially loved the red wine with this course, a 2015 Karl Haidle Cuvee made with lemberger grapes.  We’ll be looking for that wine. 

Next, we had dessert.  This was a dark chocolate pear creation, with hazelnut ice cream packed with some kind of crunchy cereal that gave it sort of a whimsical effect.  There were fresh pears shaped into balls, molded atop a pear gelatin base with a layered cake.  This was paired with a small amount of very sweet 2008 Carme de Rieussec Sauternes from Bordeaux.  I also enjoyed a little more of the red wine with this, since sweet wines aren’t my thing.

And finally, we enjoyed an espresso, which was served with three kinds of sugars.  The dark brown one was the one I used.  It came from Mauritius and was not as sweet as regular white sugar.  Instead, it had more of a creamy caramel essence.  That was just the jolt we needed to get us all the way back to Unterjettingen!

 

I don’t always comment on the toilet facilities in restaurants, unless there is some reason to.  I am happy to report that not only are Der Zauberlehrling’s facilities sparkling clean and luxuriously appointed, but the ladies room has what appears to be a German style Japanese toilet.  Check out the video below.

When I opened the stall door, the lid came up and the inside of the bowl was lit, as if to welcome me!  

Here is the control panel for the fancy toilet.  Yes, you can get your private parts washed if you want. Bill reports that the men’s room had a more conventional toilet, although the seat had what appeared to be gold glitter on it (and no, not the kind that sticks with you for years).  He also said the men’s room had a flatscreen television mounted over the urinal.  

 

I’m not sure I would have ordered all of the courses we had last night had I been left to my own devices.  A couple of them were a little beyond my comfort zone.  However, I was very pleased with what we had and glad we had the chance to try something very new.  The food and service at Der Zauberlehrling were just as excellent as we remembered it.

This week, no one stared at us.  In fact, our waiter asked us where we were from and we had a brief discussion about politics.  I left the restaurant feeling welcome and among friends.  One lady, who showed up a little late and had green hair, even bid us a cheery farewell as we headed back to the car at about 10:45 pm.  All the way home, we talked about how much we enjoyed our evening.  The toilet in the ladies room alone will keep us talking for a long while.

I would definitely recommend Der Zauberlehrling for a date night.  Just be advised that on Saturday nights, you can’t order a la carte and they are not open on Sundays.  Also, I highly recommend making reservations because the dining room is very small and the restaurant is popular.  It’s been fully booked both times we’ve visited.

Dress is smart casual.  We saw a couple of people in jeans and others, like Bill and I, decided to dress up a bit.

I got to debut a new shawl!

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Food orgy at Osteria da Gino in Nagold…

A week ago, I wrote a review of Alte Post, a very nice restaurant in Nagold.  Our evening at Alte Post was sublime… and also very expensive.  Last night, while dining at Nagold’s Osteria da Gino, I couldn’t help but compare our two Saturday night culinary experiences.  The five course meal we had at Alte Post was clearly prepared by a classically trained chef and presented with much fanfare.  The mood at Alte Post was almost reverent, with people speaking in low voices and taking pains not to disturb others.

By contrast, last night’s meal at Osteria da Gino’s was more like a very enthusiastic culinary orgy.  The noise level in the dining room was positively boisterous.  And while what we were eating was definitely amazing, I had more of a sense that it was prepared by a very talented family member who really knows how to cook.  It felt more like a very happy dinner party than a religious experience.

We’ve been to Gino’s restaurant several times now, so it almost does feel like we’re visiting family when we stop in for a meal.  Our decision to eat there last night was spur of the moment; and indeed, it was a very good thing Bill called for 7:00 reservations.  The whole place was booked.  But then, Gino has a very small dining room and, more often than not, when we eat inside, we share a table with another couple.  Such was the case last night when after our appetizers, a very pleasant German couple sat down with us and shared in the culinary orgasms.  Pretty soon, the weather will be better and Gino will set up outdoor seating.  The food will be just as good, but the mood will be somewhat different and slightly more private.

Bill prepares for a wonderful meal.

In other reviews I’ve written about Gino’s restaurant, I have mentioned that eating there is a different kind of experience.  Although he has a menu posted on the wall, it’s kind of illegible.  Not once has Gino ever brought us a printed menu.  Instead, he sort of takes the wheel and just starts bringing out food.  It was a little scary the first time we experienced Gino’s hospitality, but now that we’ve grown accustomed to it, we’ve found that it’s really best to let Gino handle everything.  If there’s something you absolutely don’t like, don’t be afraid to tell Gino ahead of time.  For example, he knows I don’t do fungus.  Bill, on the other hand, loves mushrooms and truffles.  So Bill might get something with mushrooms or truffles, while I’ll have something else.

A lovely primitivo we drank last night.  This was the first time we’ve ever gotten a bottle of wine at Gino’s.  Usually, he brings us wines by the glass or in small carafes, which adds to the mystery.  I liked knowing what we were drinking last night, because this was a very nice wine and I’d buy it again.

 

Gino is usually at the door to greet us when we go to his restaurant, but last night, we didn’t see him until we were well into our meals.  I was glad to see him because he has a way of lighting up a room. He’s a very friendly and affectionate guy…  speaks no English, but is so gregarious that it’s easy to talk to him despite the language barrier.  Even though we didn’t see Gino right away, we were well taken care of by the usual staff.  They started us off with four delightful antipasti dishes.

Chilled veal with creamy caper and tuna sauce.  I always smile when I see this, because it’s always delicious!

Caprese…  chilled mozzarella with fresh tomatoes, peppers, salami, and blood oranges.  I usually don’t eat cold cheese, but this was delightful.

Octopus, served warm with super fresh lemon…

Grilled vegetables…  eggplant, zucchini, artichoke hearts, peppers, and tomatoes…

 

You’d think so many starters would be filling, but these dishes were simply prepared and not too much.  I still had plenty of room for the next course… pasta!

This was the first time I’d had this particular dish, which consisted of delicious rigatoni with basil pesto and a very generous dollop of creamy cheese.  This dish was also very liberally seasoned with roasted garlic, which was absolutely insane.  The German couple sitting next to us were obviously enjoying my facial reaction, which must of been one of pure joy.  I can’t be certain it was, but that pasta tasted homemade.  The lady sitting next to me had the same pasta, but with a very light tomato sauce.

 

Next came the meat course.  I happened to notice Gino’s expeditor bringing out the fish for a large table.  He caught my eye and very flirtatiously kissed his fingers, as if to promise me the fish was outstanding.  I love fish, and when I eat with Gino, I usually order the fish over the meat.  So that’s what Bill and I both did…

We both enjoyed the Skrei– a mild white fish from Norway.  Gino paired it with a creamy sauce and plenty of roasted garlic…

And the expeditor also brought out mashed potatoes and broccoli.  I could barely sample the sides and we did not come close to finishing them.  The fish was outstanding, though.  It was very fresh.  We noticed the couple sitting behind Bill shared what looked like an enormous t-bone steak.  The lady sitting next to me had what appeared to be veal.  She clearly enjoyed it, although again, it’s not like you really ask for specific items at Gino’s Osteria.  He just kind of brings stuff out to you.

 

By the time we finished the fish, it was about ten o’clock.  The noise level in the dining room was very high, but not a single person looked like they were sorry they came.  Everyone was having a good time.  I watched Gino and his wife, along with other staff, hugging and kissing guests who obviously visit him more often than we do.  Everybody– and I mean everyone— was having a fun evening, even though the hours were passing and it was getting late.

Bill takes a break as we wait for dessert.

We decided to split the sweets.  This is a plate of assorted Italian goodies.  There was panna cotta, incredible tiramisu, ginger vanilla gelato, roasted plums, and a berry flavored gelato.  We decided not to have coffee, since it was getting past our bedtime.

 

Total damage for this food extravaganza was about 140 euros, before the tip.  At almost eleven o’clock, we said goodbye to Gino’s wife and the lovely German couple who had shared the culinary orgy with us.  Bill marveled at how last night’s sumptuous dinner cost less than half of what we spent at Alte Post and was quite a lot more exciting.  Which isn’t to mean that I didn’t think last week’s dinner was also amazing.  It was.  It’s just that Gino’s place has a very special vibe.  It’s not just about excellent food.  It’s about warmth and hospitality paired with food so fresh, plentiful, and healthy that you feel great as you walk out the door, basking in the afterglow.

As always, I recommend calling ahead for a table, especially if you plan to visit on a Saturday night.  In the colder months, Gino doesn’t have as much seating.  Unless you come in a group, you will likely share your table with another couple.  My advice is to embrace it.  At least three times, when we’ve shared a table at Gino’s, we’ve enjoyed the company of the other couple sitting with us.  In one case, we actually made new friends.  Don’t be afraid to share the experience and mingle.

Don’t go to Gino’s expecting pizza.  He does not serve pizza.  Don’t go to Gino’s looking for a quiet, romantic ambience.  It’s unlikely you’ll get it.  Do go there hungry and ready to try new things.  Above all, relax, have fun, and let Gino do what he does best.  I don’t think you’ll be sorry!

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Graduate level eating (and spending) at the Alte Post in Nagold…

Bill and I currently live just five kilometers from an adorable town called Nagold.  These days, we spend a fair amount of time there, the same way we used to spend a lot of time in Tübingen when we lived in Germany the first time.  I used to think Tübingen was the bomb!  I still do, but in some ways, I like Nagold better.  It’s smaller, less crowded, less expensive to visit on weekends (on account of cheap or free parking), and there are some wonderful restaurants there.

Last weekend, we visited Luz Bistro, which is a casual but very nice restaurant in the old Alte Post hotel in the middle of town.  There is also a more formal restaurant called the Alte Post in the building.  The Luz Bistro and Bar is open every day for lunch and dinner, while the Alte Post restaurant is only open from Wednesday to Saturday from 6:30pm.  Edited to add: The Alte Post is now closed.

Although we’ve been eating at the Luz Bistro for a couple of years now, I hadn’t actually noticed the more formal restaurant until I started reading the Web site for Nagold’s charming hotel landmark (which, I gather, is no longer a hotel).  When I read about the more formal dining option, I decided Bill and I needed to pay a visit.  Last night, we went… and we had a glorious five course meal!  And we also spent lots of euros!  Fortunately, credit cards are allowed at the Alte Post.  Otherwise, we might have had to wash dishes!

Bill approaches the impressive front door.  Last night’s menu was posted outside, but it’s also posted online.  The Alte Post restaurant offers tasting menus, which means that diners are all offered the same thing.  For that reason, I recommend checking out the menu before you book a reservation to make sure you’ll like what is being offered on a given night.

I love this old building and its ornate decorations.

We reserved a table for 7:00pm, but we were about twenty minutes early.  It was not a problem.  The proprietor, who is ever present whenever we’ve visited, led us to a large table set for two.  Looking around the dining room, I could see that there were only a few tables set up for five different parties.  Besides us, there were two other couples.  There was also a group of three and another, larger group in the next room.  This is the kind of restaurant where you really should book ahead to avoid disappointment.  I would go as far as saying that reservations are a must.

A first glance at the dining room.  The vibe is different upstairs than it is in the downstairs bistro.

Last night’s menu…  They do have menus in English, for which I was grateful.  I still ate calf’s brains, though.  

Patrons can choose between three and seven courses and portions are sized accordingly.  A three course menu was 68 euros per person.  The whole seven course menu was 128 euros.  We also opted for the wine pairing, which added another 40 euros per person, but was well worth doing.  If you opt for only a few courses, you don’t get to choose which ones you get.  At the bottom of the menu, there is an explanation of which courses come with the 3, 4, 5, or 6 course meals.  Bill and I went for five courses because we thought it would be enough… and also, there were a couple of courses that I had a feeling I wouldn’t enjoy.

We started with glasses of locally produced sekt and some very interesting Spanish almonds that appeared to have been fried in some type of Parmesan.  I had to restrain myself from eating too many of those, especially when I saw the amuse.

This was the very elaborate amuse.  I admit to simply nibbling the foie gras to say I’d tried it.  It was surprisingly tasty, but I have a bit of an aversion to foie gras.  

 

We had a small panoply of little treats.  A lime rind was stuffed with ricotta cheese and tuna and topped with roe.  There was a spoon full of foie gras, which tasted curiously like chocolate pudding and cherry ice cream and was topped with a piece of popcorn.  A shrimp chip, the same kind you might find in a bar, was topped with a shrimp.  There was also a piece of  sushi and an eggshell full of red carrot soup.  The bread you see pictured above was absolutely heavenly.  It was a potato bread, lightly salted on top and served hot with butter.  Oh, it was sooo good.  In fact, I think the bread might have been my favorite part of the meal, but I love bread.

Our first course was raw lamb marinated in tomatoes, garlic, and basil.  Bill loved it and I thought it tasted really good.  The meat was very fresh.  Bill is more adventurous than I am, so he enjoyed this course very much.  I appreciated it, but like my meats more well done.  We drank a locally produced white wine with this course.

 

Had we ordered all seven courses, the next selection would have been lobster with ox tail and truffle. Bill loves truffles, but I don’t care for them at all.  And judging by the fact that I could smell them all the way across the room, it was probably a good thing we skipped the lobster.  Had Bill been dining with a truffle fan, it would have been a big hit.

Next came turbot with Jerusalem artichoke, onion, and kalbskopf…  Kalbskopf is calf’s brain.  Believe it or not, it was actually very good.  I was temporarily entertained by the sperm like decorations on the plate.  A chardonnay, heavy on the butter and sour apples, paired quite nicely with the turbot.

Next came salmon with chickpeas, eggplant, and miso.  I loved this course for its simplicity and the crispy little wasabi flavored bits on top of the fish.  This course came with an impressive Riesling made exclusively for the Alte Post.

Course number four was veal, which was served with broccoli, delicious smoked fish, and barley.  The barley reminded me a bit of polenta.  It was very good.  I don’t usually eat veal, but I will say the little bit we had last night was beautifully prepared and could have been cut with a spoon.  This was paired with a delightful rioja, heavy on the cherries.

 

We skipped the next course, which was dove served with olive, cranberry, and vegetable sauce.  I might have been open to trying dove.  Maybe some other time I’ll get the chance, now that I’ve tasted calf’s brains.

Ahhh… dessert!  My favorite course!  This was chocolate and passionfruit with a bit of banana sorbet and topped with little crunchy cookies.  Delicious!  And there was nothing too foreign about it, either.  This was paired with a lovely sweet sauternes.  

And finally, another little amuse… this one full of sweets!  There was a lemon rind full of cardamom and curry scented cream (which is a lot better than it might sound), apricot with cream, and Turkish delight.  We also had espresso.

Just before the bill came, the proprietor offered us a digestive of locally produced Mirabelle, which is a brandy from Alsace made of plums.  It was delightfully smooth.  I think she told us it was also made specifically for her restaurant.

The wines went beautifully with each course, although the pairing did add a significant amount to the final bill, which totaled over 300 euros before the tip.  We also had sekt and two bottles of water, which added to the bill.  Needless to say, partly due to the cost, this is not an experience we will enjoy often, but I do think the Alte Post restaurant would make for an excellent splurge or special occasion place.  The Alte Post also has special dinners regularly that feature wines or are in celebration of certain holidays.  I could certainly see us coming back again for any of those! I am especially intrigued by their wine dinners, which are usually advertised on their Web site.

Overall, we had a lovely dinner and we both ventured a bit outside our culinary comfort zones.  Everything I tasted, even the stuff I wouldn’t normally choose on a menu, I enjoyed to some extent.  I generally hate the taste of foie gras, but last night, I would not have known I was eating foie gras if no one had told me.  Ditto for the calf’s brains!  I may have to add the Alte Post to my list of great date night restaurants, although I also really enjoy the Luz Bistro downstairs, which offers less expensive and somewhat less exotic choices.

This was us before we left.  No one makes me smile the way Bill does.  

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An awesome find for French food in Tailfingen!

Hey you!  Are you tired of eating Swabian food?  Have you had your fill of Italian, Greek, and even Asian dishes?  Have you been longing for something a little different?  Well… have I got the place for you!

Earlier today, I was on TripAdvisor.com looking up a pizzeria that is very close to our house.  I have been curious about it for a long time, but we haven’t stopped there yet, even though it’s just minutes away from where we live.  I noticed that the pizzeria was ranked number one of two restaurants in the area.  The restaurant with the #2 ranking was a place I had seen many times and was very curious about.  We had never stopped because we always had other plans.

The pizzeria got excellent reviews, but wasn’t supposed to open until later today.  Grüner Baum, by contrast, was scheduled to open at 11:00am this morning and was to stay open until midnight.  I noticed the reviews, all written in German, were universally positive.  Then I looked at the menu and realized that this was a French restaurant.

I told Bill to get on the horn and make a reservation.  He called up and scheduled us for 1:00pm.  When we arrived on time, after struggling a little to find a parking spot, I could see that it made sense to reserve a table.  The restaurant is obviously a local favorite.  Most everyone was sitting outside, although there is also a very attractive indoor dining room that was empty today because the weather was so gorgeous.

Bill checks out the menu…

We were seated in the “smoking” section.  Note the cigarette in the background.  I have a feeling it lights up at night!  I got a kick out of it.  If you make reservations and want to sit in the non smoking section, be sure to mention it.  Unfortunately, there were a few smokers in our midst and it was a bit of a problem at first.  They cleared out and we soon had the area to ourselves.

We ordered a lovely wine from the Languedoc region in France.  This was a very nice white.  I was introduced to the Picpoul grapes from a winery in Texas.  The grapes are good closer to home, too.  

As I was enjoying my first glass of wine, I noticed that there were “cigarette lamps” hanging from a string above us!  

 

Our server spoke impeccable English.  Bill spoke German and when we didn’t understand something, she slipped into perfectly accented American English.  That was very helpful.  Aside from that, and the fact that the menu is entirely in German, this is a very French place.  It’s also very laid back.  People came dressed very casually.  It’s also very kid friendly!  They even have a sandbox for kids to play in!

We ordered today’s menu, which consisted of four courses.  We had choices for three out of the four courses, with a few of the main courses requiring a small supplement.  The base price for four courses was 24,90 per person.  We could also order a la carte.  Next time we go, we will probably go the a la carte route.

I started with a delightful charcuterie course… It came with fresh, hot bread and the rather assertive French mustard you see in the bottle above.

Bill enjoyed a delicious potato soup.  It was rich and hearty, with fresh made croutons.

After some time, we moved on to our main courses.  What I had was billed as a fish soup…  Fortunately, the lady who brought it to us– also someone with excellent English skills– explained how to eat it…

 

I was to take one of the pieces of hard toasted bread pictured above, rub it with a garlic clove, smear a little red pepper paste over the garlic rubbed bread, and top it with the Gruyere cheese.  Then, I was to take a ladle of the delicious fish bisque (it smelled of lobsters and shrimp) and cover the pepper and cheese topped toast with it.  It was delicious, but I swear this particular portion was enough for three people!

Bill went with a crepe.  This restaurant has lots of crepes, both of the savory and sweet varieties.  His crepe had mushrooms, cheese, a heavenly sauce, and an egg…  He brought about half of it home with him.  I didn’t try to take home my soup.  

Bill takes a breather before the cheese course.  We had moved to another table to escape some of the smoke.

The cheese course.  Bill ate most of this because I don’t really like cheese that much and some of these were a little too much for me.  Bill LOVES cheese and he really enjoyed this course.  

Bill reacts after tasting a particularly pungent cheese.  I got him on video after I took this photo.

 
 

About two hours into our lunch, it was time for dessert.  This was, of course, my favorite course.  I am a sucker for a really good dessert.  Bill and I both picked good ones.  I had also ordered a really nice white/rose wine blend after we finished our wine and water.

I had some delicious chocolate mousse!  This came with unsweetened whipped cream and segments of mandarin orange.  The mousse was awesome!  Not too sweet and not too much!

Bill had a compote of a mixture of dark red fruits and topped with coconut ice cream.  As much as I loved my mousse, I must admit that Bill’s dessert was just as good.  Those fruits were very intense and delightful!  The coconut ice cream was a good match for the deep flavors of the berries and cherries.

 

All told, our four courses for two, along with a bottle of wine, a bottle of sparkling water, and an extra glass for yours truly, came to about 72 euros.  Bill topped up to 80 euros.  We definitely could have gotten away for a lot less than that because it was a lot of food!  But it was also a sumptuous two and a half hour lunch that was purely decadent.  I think it was money well spent.

 

Grüner Baum appears to be a popular name for restaurants in these parts.  I have seen a few places with the same name.  This particular Grüner Baum is located in the small town of Tailfingen, not too far from Nagold, Herrenberg, or Tuebingen.  It’s not even a fifteen minute drive from our home in Unterjettingen, which is why I’m really sad that we’re just now discovering it.  We will definitely be back for more.  Sunday is a good day to visit, though next time we will come a little later and dress down.  We might even bring Zane and Arran with us!  Bring your kids and a hearty appetite!  And if you’re coming on a weekend, you might want to call ahead and reserve a non smoking spot if you require one!

The front of the awesome garten area.  The inside of the restaurant is equally inviting, though no one was really sitting in there today.  I wouldn’t have minded.  It smells wonderful in there!

On the way in…

 
 
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A “two dog night” in Riquewihr, France… part two

After we walked around Riquewihr in the afternoon heat, I told Bill I was hungry.  It was too early to check into the hotel, so I suggested that we get some lunch.  Our hotel was located right next to a quiet looking place called L’Originel (now closed).  At first, I was a little hesitant to venture inside, since we had Zane and Arran and it appeared to be an upscale eatery.  Also even though it was almost one o’clock, the restaurant was empty.  But they welcomed us and the dogs, so we sat out on their balcony and proceeded to have a beautiful midday repast.  It was way beyond what I’d hoped for at lunchtime.

Obligatory shot of Bill checking the menu.  We started with sparkling water and glasses of Cremant, a lovely sparkling wine made in the Alsace region.

The boys were accommodated with water.

The amuse.  It was a challenge for both of us.  I don’t like white truffles or anything else obviously fungal.  Bill is not a fan of soft or, as in this case, raw eggs!  Actually, we were presented with the yolk served with horseradish and a cracker.  It was surprisingly good, though I let Bill have the truffle.

We both ordered the set menu, which was priced at 23 euros and came with a starter, entree, and a dessert.  Yesterday, the starter was shrimp salad with fresh greens, melon balls, and colorful cauliflower florets.  It was just the right size and not too heavy.  We sipped a nice local Riesling.  Since moving back to Germany, we have become fans of Rieslings, which are much drier here than in the States.  This course came with very fresh white bread.

The shrimp salad was followed by this lovely dorade filet with potatoes, peppers, asparagus, celery, and carrot.  It was topped off with a reduction of white wine and broth from the fish.  Again, not too heavy and beautifully presented.  This dish came with a grain bread that replaced the lovely white from the previous course.

Dessert was a refreshing dish of raspberry and strawberry sorbet, served with wild berries and nuts.  The little white dollops are meringues.

And this sweet little ending– a lemon pudding with berries– came with the check to help soften the blow.

A picture of the business card for future travelers who want to dine there.

 

Before the tip, this lunch came to 92 euros.  It was worth it.  And I was so proud of the boys, who handled themselves so well, even when a few other diners showed up.  I couldn’t help but ask Bill why the hell we hadn’t done a one night trip sooner.  I think we will definitely do more of them for as long as we live here in Europe.

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Talblick Gourmetrestaurant– A lovely date night possibility in Wildberg…

I don’t remember who suggested it to me, but last year, somehow I got wind of the presence of a really great restaurant in Wildberg.  Bill and I happen to live about 7 kilometers from Wildberg and we love good food.  I went searching and finally found it, surprised to find out Talblick Gourmetrestaurant is part of a gasthof.  On further exploration, I discovered that besides being a small hotel, Talblick has two restaurants.  There is a traditional restaurant offering typical local cuisine and a “gourmetrestaurant”, where diners get a very special tasting menu.  Naturally, Bill and I were interested in the gourmet menu.  So, sometime last fall, I asked him to get reservations.  I thought it would be an easy task.

“Sorry, no can do.” they said.  It was October, and party season was cranking up for the holidays. Both restaurants were booked solid.

Bill tried again in November and got the same answer.  And again in December, they were booked and advised Bill to try again in January, because apparently, they book out two or three months in advance.  Finally, June comes around and it’s time for my birthday.  Bill tried again and was told they were booked on my birthday (Monday of this week).  However, they did have room in the gourmet restaurant last night.  Bill took the reservation and we finally got to try Talblick’s Gourmetrestaurant.  Now I get to dish!

It’s such a pretty drive from Jettingen to Wildberg.  I was reminded that we really need to get up that way more often.  In fact, the town of Wildberg itself is really cute and begs to be explored.  Gasthof Talblick is situated at the top of a rather steep hill that overlooks the picturesque surroundings.  Any of my local readers who have ever driven their dogs to the Hunde Hotel Haase might understand when I write that I was reminded of the town where that doggie hotel is located, although Wildberg is a less rural area.

Bill pulled into a parking lot that looked like it was part of an apartment complex.  He was afraid he couldn’t park there legally, so he dropped me off and parked at the bottom of the hill in a spot designated for hotel guests.  He didn’t have to do that.  We saw other patrons parking near the apartment building with no problem.  It was no big deal, though, because we had a pleasant stroll back down the hill after dinner.

Here’s a shot of the hotel and restaurant from the parking lot across the street.  They also have some parking on the property itself and we also saw a few folks drive to the top of the hill and park.

The view of the hill going down.

 

It was rather warm last night.  Bill and I had dressed nicely.  I noticed quite a few other patrons who had dressed up, though many people were wearing casual clothes.  I wondered what we were in for as we walked into the hotel.  We were greeted by a friendly and quirky looking waitress with ink.  She was very pleasant, but busy!  When we told her who we were, she led us to a beautiful dining room.  A very large table was set up, clearly for a family or maybe a business dinner (though I did see a couple of kid seats).  We were seated at a table intended for six people.  I noticed our table was the only one that had been fully prepared with menus and wine glasses.  I wondered if we were destined to be the only guests in the gourmet restaurant.  It soon became clear that we were.

Bill looks at the wine list.  We would both be having the same menu… 7 courses of bliss!

I was seated right next to a very impressive dry bar full of exotic libations.

 

When dinner started, it was 7:00 and the sun was still shining bright.  The dining room was a bit warm, but I was excited about what we were about to experience.  I also looked nervously at the menu, hoping I wouldn’t run into something that I couldn’t eat.  I tend to be a lot less adventurous when it comes to really exotic stuff, though Bill loves to try everything put before him.  Must be those many years of Army life at work!

Seven courses!  The tasting menu is priced at 85 euros a person and everybody gets the same thing.  We paired it with two splits of wine and two bottles of mineral water with gas, which added to the bill.  The splits of wine were great because we got a red and a white which complemented the courses beautifully.  We were under the impression that the tasting menu changes monthly.  Be sure to mention any allergies or extreme food aversions before dinner gets started.

Bill started with a non-alcoholic fruit cocktail aperitif.  It tasted very strongly of tangerines to me, though it was probably something else.  It was very good and beautifully presented.

I had sekt.

The waitress brought out bread and we had the luxury of slathering it with plain butter, olive oil, or a flavored butter.  The bread was outstanding.  I ate two pieces, which I later regretted.  Let’s just say, I may look like I can eat seven courses in one sitting, but it was a challenge last night.

 

Our waitress did not speak English at all.  Fortunately, Bill is somewhat proficient in German (for an American, anyway).  I have gotten to the point at which I understand a lot of what is said to me and can sometimes respond, especially if I’m in a restaurant “speaking food”.  Anyway, our waitress brought out the amuse… and how amusing it was!

This was not on the menu.  It was our amuse, and it was absolutely delicious!  It was quail with lentils, foam, a small fried quail egg, beautifully presented, and what tasted like a really interesting pepper flavor that made my tastebuds explode.  The little dots on either side of the bowl are red and green beets turned into a gel.  They were a little like candy!

Next came the artistically presented first course.  Cobia fish with fruits of the sea– a scallop, langostine, shrimp, and a nest of phyllo with wasabi creme and algae salad.  Again, so creatively conceived and presented!  I really enjoyed this course.

 

I was nervous about the second course.  The menu mentioned “Pfifferlingvariation”, which I thought might mean there were mushrooms in it.  I was once unpleasantly surprised back in 2008 when I ordered something at a restaurant in Tuebingen that included Pfifferlingen (a type of mushroom).  Fortunately, the next course was devoid of fungus.

Pfifferlingvariation mit Allerei von der Ente…  Basically, this was a duck and asparagus treat.  There was asparagus foam in a little cone shaped glass on a metal platform, a piece of breaded and fried white asparagus, a small glass of heavenly asparagus cream soup, and very creamy cheese that reminded me of butter.  The rest was duck in different forms, including a very fresh duck inspired ravioli.  Again, a very enjoyable course.

I have to admit, by the time we got to the third course, I was starting to slow down.  However, I am always up for fish and we enjoyed Seesaibling (Arctic char) with more asparagus, Hollandaise sauce, and beautifully cut mango, snap peas, and carrots.  The little breaded thing on top of the fish is an egg yolk.  When I broke into it with my fork, a small geyser of yolk spurted up, making me gasp in surprise.  Thankfully, I didn’t get any on me!  

 

The waitress was concerned that I only managed half of the fish course.  I assured her it was only because I was getting full and wanted to make sure I could try everything.  Next came the sorbet palate cleanser, which I figured would be somewhat light.  I was expecting a simple scoop of sorbet.  I should have known it was going to be a lot fancier than that!

The sorbet course consisted of a small cone shaped glass of aloe vera juice, a scoop of cactus flavored sorbet (don’t worry, no thorns), and little tequila flavored gum drops.  The spoon was full of what those of us who came along in the 70s know as Pop Rocks.  😉  This was a refreshing course and I did manage to finish it…

 

And then it was time for the meat course.  I will admit, I wasn’t that excited about it because it was lamb and I am not a lamb fan.  Also, there was the issue of less room in my stomach!

But this course was very good.  The lamb was beautifully prepared, set atop fava beans, cooked to perfection, and tasted very clean.  There was no gamey flavor to it, which is what usually turns me off when I try to eat lamb.  As you can see, this course came on two plates.  I ate maybe a third of it and they wrapped up the rest for us.  Bill will enjoy his lunch today!  

Some baby corn and what tasted like a garlic inspired fritter…

 

Finally, after over two hours of dining, it was time for dessert.  You might have expected just one dessert after such a fine meal, but at Talblick, you get two (three if you count the sorbet).  I did manage to make room for most of these two sweet delights…

The first dessert was strawberry inspired, with a scoop of strawberry sorbet, sliced strawberries, strawberry mousse, a piece of strawberry candy, and what tasted like two creams surrounded by strawberry gelatin.  It was a very tasty and refreshing course.  I really enjoyed it.

And then, we had the last course, inspired by lemon and bergamot.  The candle looking thing on the wooden plank tasted like a citrus juice.  Next to it is a cone of chocolate creme topped with a milk and white chocolate twig.  The lollipop was basically straight chocolate ganache formed into a succulent ball.  Then we had a dish of refreshing sorbets and another type of mousse that I couldn’t identify but enjoyed.  

 

It was about 10:30 when we finally finished eating and were presented the bill for 228 euros.  Bill paid by using his brand new USAA Visa card.  We’re happy to report that it worked perfectly.  😉

 

We really enjoyed our meal at Talblick’s Gourmetrestaurant.  The service was impeccable, except that we were left hanging for a bit while the two hard working servers tended to the many people in the regular restaurant.  If there had been others in the gourmet dining room, I doubt that would have been as much of an issue because they might have had another server working.  Because this was such a large, sumptuous meal, we didn’t mind the wait too much, though I can see why we were finally able to snag a table in June.  It gets warm in the dining room in the summer.

The Talblick restaurant does not have air conditioning.  I watched the butter for the bread soften throughout the evening.  At about halfway through dinner, they opened a window and raised the shades, which gave us some much appreciated air.  I would imagine that the dining room gets very uncomfortable in July and August, though we did see some folks really enjoying the biergarten just outside.  I’m not sure if it’s possible for gourmet patrons to eat outside, though it’s probably worth asking.

Each course was universally perfect in its presentation and every item served was absolutely delicious.  In terms of the food, I think the meal we had last night was one of the best I’ve ever eaten.  It’s hard to believe a little gasthaus has such incredible food.  Just be warned that dinner in the gourmet restaurant is a leisurely experience.  Don’t go there expecting to get in and out in two hours.  It takes time to enjoy such a grand experience.  We were there for three and a half hours.  Also, make sure you’re hungry when you get there and don’t load up on the fantastic bread!

We were impressed by how laid back yet professional the service was.  Even though she had to tolerate our halting German skills, the waitress was very friendly, kind, and accommodating.  As Bill and I left, she and her colleague bid us a cheery farewell and I got the sense they appreciated our visit.  On the way home, I realized that it hadn’t taken long for us to get to and from the restaurant, which means that if we ever manage to get another reservation there, we’ll likely be back again!  I definitely want to go and try their regular menu.

Overall, I can highly recommend Talblick’s exquisite Gourmetrestaurant.  Reservations are a must and you should dress accordingly if you plan to dine inside during the summer months.  The gourmet restaurant is probably not kid friendly (unless your kid is unusually patient and adventurous), though the main restaurant likely is fit for youngsters.  Credit cards are accepted and there’s plenty of free parking.  Come on out to Wildberg for a wonderful gourmet meal!

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A four hour birthday meal and new friends at Osteria da Gino in Nagold…

Yesterday was my birthday.  As is our custom on my birthday, Bill and I went out to eat.  Originally, we planned to dine in Stuttgart because I had to go to the dental lab.  I’m in the process of getting a dental implant and we’re now in the end stages.  We went to the dental lab so they could determine what color the new tooth should be and get photos of my mouth.  I thought maybe when we were done, we could find a place in Stuttgart to celebrate birthday #44.

I took a photo of the female form on display at the dental lab…  I guess they don’t just do teeth there.  😉

Bill decided against the Stuttgart plan and booked us a table at Osteria da Gino in Nagold.  I have written about this restaurant several times and continue to write about it because every time we go, we have a great experience.  Gino is a wonderful host who is very friendly and engaging.  He serves fantastic food.  Bill knew he wouldn’t disappoint me on my birthday.  Besides that, the restaurant is very close to where we live and getting to and from there lacks the logistical hassles that can come from dining in Stuttgart.

One of my favorite beers, Prairie Bomb!  This is an American craft beer from Oklahoma that I ordered from Saveur Biere.  I enjoyed this before we went to Nagold for dinner. 

So off we went last night, arriving just in time for our 7:00pm reservation.  We were warmly greeted by Gino, who was sporting a conspicuous bandage on his right hand and thumb.  He somehow managed to cut it.  I was relieved to see that he still had all his digits!  Last night, Gino was offering seating inside and outside.  It was the first time we’d ever been to his restaurant and had a choice of venues.  We ate inside because it looked like it was going to rain.  He and his wife showed us to our table, a six top that we knew we’d end up sharing.

A blurry obligatory shot of Bill.  I must have taken this in a hurry!

The concept of table sharing at a restaurant can be strange for Americans.  We’re used to having our own space.  Here in Europe, where space can be a premium, it can be awkward to share a table with strangers.  Fortunately, last night, we were seated with people who ended up making my birthday more special and memorable.

A few minutes after we sat down, another couple were seated at our table.  I was confused at first, since they started speaking German with Gino, then switched to French.  Then, once they realized we were Americans, they spoke English.  It turned out the husband was French and the wife was German and hails from the Black Forest.  She and her husband had come from Paris to visit her family and were staying in Nagold.  Last night was their first visit to Gino’s after having found it favorably reviewed on Trip Advisor.  I think after last night’s meal, they’ll be back.

Birthday bubbly!

After bringing us a round of prosecco, Gino brought out the usual antipasti, which immediately impressed our new friends from France.  We got to talking after Gino scolded me for not knowing any languages except English.  I corrected him by telling him I speak Armenian (which isn’t so useful outside of the country or areas where Armenians are concentrated).  I also speak some Spanish, though lately when I try to speak it, it comes out Armenian.  It turned out the male half of the couple dining with us had been to Armenia and we were talking about how well the French and Armenians get along.  That segued into an evening of stimulating conversation!

Huge antipasti… Grilled vegetables, cheese, salami, orange and fennel salad, olives… and bread, of course!

I had to take a special photo of the tuna carpaccio…  This stuff is absolutely sinful.

We explained to the other couple that we’d been to Gino’s restaurant several times.  He’s never once brought us a menu, although I have seen one posted on the wall outside and in the dining room itself.  We are always content to let Gino bring us whatever’s available.  Although you can order as many or few courses as you want, we always end up eating four courses when we visit Gino because it’s that good!  Don’t go there looking for pizza.  Gino doesn’t make pizza, but he does have a small deli where you can purchase food to go or a bottle of wine.

Bill enjoyed truffles and angel hair pasta…  He loved it, though I lead a truffle free lifestyle.

I had spaghetti.  This was delicious!  The sauce was so fresh and perfectly seasoned that it almost defies description.  

This is the second time Bill and I have gone to Gino’s and wound up making new friends.  Because his indoor dining room has limited seating, it’s very common to have to share a table if you’re dining inside.  The last time we were there, we ended up dining with fellow Americans who had read my blog and decided to try Gino’s hospitality.  Last night, Gino had many French people in attendance.  Another large group of French speakers joined us about an hour after we sat down.  Gino handled it all with his usual aplomb.  I really don’t know if he speaks French, but he was charming everyone equally.  In fact, because he was so friendly and charming, there was a very long pause between the pasta course and the second course.

Our new friends skipped the pasta.  I enjoyed watching them enjoy the second course.  He had osso bucco and she had the fish, John Dory filet.  It was really fun to see them reacting the same way our American friends Sarah and Mike did when they ate with us at Gino’s back in December.  It was a good thing that we were getting along so well with the other couple at our table.  The conversation made waiting for the main course a lot more enjoyable.  We talked about everything from travel in Africa to American politics.  Amazing, considering we had only known each other a couple of hours!

Bill and I both had the fish last night, served with very fresh white asparagus and a shrimp.

 

It was getting close to 11:00pm when Bill and I finally shared dessert…

A panoply of Italian sweets!  Strawberries, panna cotta, chocolate cake, and ice cream!  The total damage for four courses for two was about 179 euros.  Gino will take credit cards, though we paid in cash.

 

It was finally time to call it a night and we exchanged cards with our newfound friends.  If we ever make it to Versailles, they have promised to show us the sights!  I love living in Europe.  You never know what will happen or who you’ll meet.  That being said, I have a tendency to get carried away sometimes.  I hope our new friends didn’t think I was too much of a chatterbox!

On Thursday of this week, Bill and I will venture to Talblick, a hotel and restaurant in Wildberg.  We have been trying to get reservations at their gourmet restaurant for months, so I am excited to finally get to try it out.  Stay tuned for a review!

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Ljubljana on Saturday… Hare Krishnas, male bonding, wine, craft beers, and boat rides…

Bill and I decided to go to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, on Saturday.  We correctly surmised that there would be many day trippers coming to Lake Bled on Saturday and it would probably be a madhouse.  As we left Bled Saturday morning and observed the long string of cars coming into the town, we could see our hunch was right.  Making matters more complicated was the road construction going on.  Bled has a two lane road going through it that is currently being worked on, probably in time for what promises to be a busy summer season.

Ljubljana is only about an hour from Bled, so we got there at about noon.  Bill found expensive parking in a garage at a galleria.  There was a Spar grocery store there, which we made plans to visit on the way out.  We’re always looking for interesting wines and beers.  After we parked, we made our way into the main drag in the old town.  It was very festive this past Saturday.  There was a market going on where people could buy all manner of fresh produce, gifts, arts, and crafts.  Lots of musicians were busking on busy corners and most of them were skilled.  The air smelled of cheeses, meats, and fruits.

One of the first things we happened upon was a bunch of Hare Krishnas dancing to a young woman’s surprisingly lovely vocals.  Bill and I stood and watched; it was happening right where the boat tours start and some woman asked me if we wanted to take one.  I declined at that time, since we’d only just arrived.  Really, what I wanted was lunch.  As we rounded the corner, we were delighted by the sight of bubbles everywhere.  Some guy was blowing them by the dozen and kids were chasing them in the sunshine.  It made for quite the whimsical scene.

Raw footage of the Hare Krishnas and the boat tour we took in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

One thing I always do when I check out new cities is look down alleyways and in alcoves.  I try to get out of the tourist drags, especially when I’m looking for a meal.  I find that a lot of the better restaurants aren’t necessarily in the thick of the action.  Not only do the out of the way restaurants tend to have better food and service, they also tend to have more reasonable prices.

We rounded a corner, where I heard the majestic sounds of a flute, a violin, and a harp.  Three young ladies were playing beautifully as we passed and I noticed a tiny wine shop that I made a mental note to visit later.  We got to a corner of a cafe that promised food, beverages, and speedy sewing jobs (it seemed to be paying homage to Singer sewing machines).  Then I spotted an open door, wine bottles, and corks.  I headed across the street, well away from the tourist action, and spotted where we’d be having a leisurely lunch.

I see that according to TripAdvisor, Spajza is ranked ninth out of 407 restaurants in the city.  Having chanced upon it Saturday, I can agree that the food at Spajza is indeed excellent.  So is the service.  When we arrived, we were among the first there for lunch.  We were ushered to a two top in the restaurant’s charming terrace area.  I could see several large tables set up and knew that the peace and quiet wouldn’t last.  Clearly, there were going to be a couple of big groups joining us.

Spajza has a number of dishes that might seem exotic to the average American.  They serve “young horse” there, which I would never eat for many reasons.  At a less American friendly Slovenian restaurant, I saw the “young horse” billed as “foal”, which is even creepier to me.  I didn’t see any bear on the menu as I did in other Slovenian restaurants, but there was also rabbit as well as a host of seafood dishes.  I wasn’t feeling too adventurous and the beef dishes mostly included mushrooms, which I don’t eat.  I ended up having a couple of starters and Bill had a shrimp salad.  Bill and I started with three scallops au gratin, which were served in the shell.  Then I had a shrimp and asparagus risotto.  We also enjoyed the awesome rolls and fish paste amuse that came with our meal, which we washed down with two bottles of local wine and sparkling water.

We might not have stayed as long as we did, but I got a kick out of one of the groups.  It was a large group of guys who were obviously bonding over good food, beer, wine, and cigars.  They were fun to watch.  I think the waiter was surprised when we ordered more wine… and maybe even more surprised that I didn’t fall out of the chair.

After we enjoyed lunch, we stopped at the tiny wine shop– seriously no larger than a closet– and bought a couple of bottles from a guy with excellent taste in music.  He was blaring Dire Straits and every time I hear certain Dire Straits songs, I’m reminded of a wonderful long weekend Bill and I enjoyed in Barcelona back in April 2009.

Further into the tourist district, I saw a sign that read “Beer”.  Not being able to resist such an advertisement, I followed the sign into a little craft beer shop.  The very friendly and enthusiastic lady who was running the store chatted with us about beer and nodded approvingly when I picked up a few Belgians I haven’t yet tried.  Next, we picked up some Slovenian honey at the farmer’s market.

We pressed on to the parking garage and entered the grocery store, where we found a few more bottles of wine and a bottle of chocolate liqueur.  Then, something funny happened.  A couple of weeks ago, an acquaintance introduced me to a hideous disco song called “Lady Bump”…

Penny McLean, who was a member of the Euro disco group Silver Convention, sings “Lady Bump”.  Turns out she’s from Klagenfurt, Austria, which we passed through on our way back to Germany.

 

I happen to be a serious music nerd and I especially enjoy crappy music from the 70s and 80s.  But I had never heard of “Lady Bump” until my friend introduced it to me.  Sure enough, while we were wine shopping at the grocery store, that song came on!  It was kind of surreal.  After we bought the wine, we dropped it off in the car and went back to the boat tour dock.  Bill needed some time to sober up and it was a really gorgeous late afternoon.

The lady who sold us the tour was trying to chat us up and coming off as a bit disingenuous, especially when her machine malfunctioned and she had to handwrite us tickets.  But we got on the boat and enjoyed a lovely little cruise, especially when we ran into a regatta!  A bunch of kids, no doubt learning how to sail, were having a race on our route.  You can see the footage in the first video I posted.  They were pretty awesome.

Ljubljana is a great town and I’m glad we visited.  I’m actually glad we stayed in Bled instead of the capital city, since I have a feeling parking can be a challenge there.  However, if you want to go shopping or eating, I think Ljubljana is a great bet.  I hope we can visit again, if only because I want to find more awesome restaurants and visit the castle.  We spotted it as we drove into the city, as well as the handy funicular that takes people up the hill.  Had we arrived a bit earlier, maybe we would have toured the castle, although we were both a bit tired of tour groups by Saturday and we knew the castle would probably be teeming with them.

Farmer’s market!

Hare Krishnas

Bubbles!

This is why I always check alleys…  really cool art here.

A church near where we had lunch. 

Food and sewing…

Graffiti.

Our spot for lunch!

Bill’s tiger shrimp salad with delicious wasabi dressing…

My risotto with shrimp and asparagus…

Scallops and mild cheese.

Awesome bread and amuse.

Our first bottle of wine…

The terrace before things got busy!

A good spot for beer!

Our boat cruise.

I snapped this shot of the mural on the building.  It must have taken forever to do that…

 

On the way back into Bled, we saw yet another stream of cars.  They were headed in the opposite direction.  Yep, day trippers!  I recommend for those wanting to visit Bled, go somewhere else on Saturday.  Take a trip to the city to avoid the crowds!  Saturday is fun in Ljubljana!

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