Baden-Württemberg, German lifestyle, short breaks

A winter break in Waiblingen… Dinner at Untere Apotheke (part seven)

As I’ve mentioned a few times so far, Waiblingen has several good restaurants. We didn’t get to try them all, but if we ever manage to go back there, we’ll have to make a point of visiting a couple of the others. One place I wish we’d had a chance to visit is Brunnenstuben. It gets high marks, and looks like it offers great Swabian cuisine.

As it was, though, we did manage a visit to Michelin Guide mentioned Untere Apotheke (Lower Pharmacy), which is located just behind Bachofer. Because Bill didn’t take any classes on Saturday, we made a reservation for 7:00 PM. It’s a good thing we did that, because the restaurant is rather small, and it filled up completely while we were there.

From their Web site:

From Monday to Thursday, we serve our full à la carte selection and all set menus in the evenings as usual – flexibly and entirely according to your taste.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, we kindly ask our guests to choose a set menu of three or more courses. You can customize your menu from our selection – even spontaneously on-site.

We were warmly welcomed when we arrived for our reservation. A couple of young guys offered to take our coats, although there was a little bit of bumbling as they determined what to do with them. I got the sense that they were a bit inexperienced and new to the job, which is fine. We all have to start somewhere.

Bill and I sat at a two top in a corner, on a long banquette that ran along the back wall. As we were looking at the menu, the proprietor came over to say hello and get a drink order. He said he’d seen us at Mamma Roma, the Italian place next door. He was the guy who was sitting at the table behind Bill, talking on the phone, while were having lunch there. I don’t know for certain, but I wonder if the restaurants are owned by the same people. Both offered really good food.

I was surprised that the proprietor had noticed us at Mamma Roma’s, let alone remembered us! Maybe it’s my hair… and the fact that we’re obviously Americans in a town that probably doesn’t get many American visitors. He apologized that they didn’t have a menu in English, but we said it was fine, since we live in Germany and understand “restaurant German” pretty well.

The proprietor suggested a Negroni, which delighted Bill, because it’s one of his favorite cocktails. I thought I might have a conventional aperitif, like sparkling wine, but ended up having a Negroni, too. That was mainly because I’d never had one before. The proprietor did say he could make a cocktail that was like a Negroni, but “lighter”, but I decided to go for the real thing. Now that I’ve had a Negroni, I think I’d opt for the lighter cocktail at a future visit.

The kitchen sent out a lovely “amuse bouche”, which turned out to be a very comforting cauliflower based soup. I don’t usually like cauliflower much, because it tastes like farts to me. I would make an exception for this soup, which didn’t have that flavor at all. It had a slight essence of vanilla.

There were several options available for dinner. We decided to go for the five course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was mostly a good choice, although the wait staff did not seem to know much about serving or drinking wines.

At one point, a waiter brought a wine to us that he couldn’t even identify. He said he was new on the job. I can understand that. I used to wait tables myself, and wasn’t a wine drinker at that time. But, for a Michelin mentioned restaurant, it did seem odd that the waiter couldn’t even tell me what kind of wine I was drinking that was chosen to pair with my food. Like, he had to go ask what type of wine it was– not the specific label, but the actual grape. I think it was a Pinot Grigio.

Anyway… below are some photos from our dinner at Untere Apotheke. I enjoyed every course.

We started with a smoked trout with a horseradish sauce. I took the second photo because it looked like the sauce had turned into a work of art after I had enjoyed the fish!

Next was a “hirsch” (venison) carpaccio, which was absolutely divine. I haven’t eaten much venison in my lifetime, but this was really good. I did give a couple of extra bites to Bill, though.

The third course was sturgeon with cabbage and potatoes espuma. I’d never had sturgeon before, and only had heard was a very expensive fish. It was pretty dense and mild. The sturgeon tasted good, although I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to have it again.

The sturgeon was followed by a ragout of “Ochsenschwanz” (oxtail) with pears and red cabbage. I don’t think I had ever had oxtail before. I know Bill has had it. I enjoyed it, but again, maybe I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it.

We had a palate cleanser of sorbet, followed by dessert, which was Swabian apple cake with caramelized vanilla ice cream. Naturally, I enjoyed the dessert, especially since it didn’t look like a mushroom! It came with a very nice dessert wine that went well.

I did really enjoy the food and wine at Untere Apotheke. The service was very friendly, although the wait staff was a bit “green”. They mostly appeared to be young guys who are just learning about how to wait tables. Again, I totally sympathize. I have been there, myself. And their friendliness definitely made up for slightly bumbling service. I have no doubt they’ll get the hang of things soon, especially given how many people were dining on Saturday night.

The tables in Untere Apotheke are a bit close together. We sat next to a male couple who kept sneaking glances at us, probably wondering why we were in Waiblingen, intruding with our “Americanness”. I may be a bit sensitive, given what’s been going on in our government, lately. But I think they soon figured out that I’m definitely not a follower of the regime. 😉

I would certainly be happy to dine at Untere Apotheke again. It was a fine place to enjoy our last evening in Waiblingen.

One more post to go before this series is finished!

Hessen

New friends and fantastic food at Pizarro Fine Dining!

A few weeks ago, Bill and I were still staring down the prospect of him spending three solid weeks in Bavaria on business. I was depressed about the idea of being alone for that long, since I tend to be kind of a recluse. I don’t enjoy cooking for myself anymore, especially in Germany, where we have small kitchens and everything is in Celsius (🤭).

It had been about seven months since our last visit to Pizarro Fine Dining in Groß-Gerau, so I asked Bill if he’d like to go there for dinner. If you’ve been reading this blog, you might remember that we discovered Pizarro Fine Dining in the spring of 2024. I was so blown away by our first experience there that we went back again in late May of last year. Then in February, we decided we’d better go again, because we weren’t sure what was going to happen with Donald Trump re-entering the White House. Pizarro Fine Dining is the kind of place where you don’t forget the food, and if we were going to have to move back to the USA or suffered a loss of income, I didn’t want to miss having another opportunity to dine there. Plus, I wanted to drown my sorrows.

Since we discovered Pizarro Fine Dining last year, we’ve noticed that it seems to have gotten more popular. The Web site has been revamped, and prices are slightly higher. Last night, it looked like there were fewer tables. Bill counted fourteen people, and every seat was taken. And it books up fast now– you have to secure your spot with a credit card!

Well… after last night’s glorious repast, I can see why things have changed. Once again, I left that restaurant shaking my head at some of the incredible flavors I encountered in Chef Julio Pizarro’s cuisine. Bill and I have been fortunate enough to dine in some really wonderful restaurants. The food we’ve had at Pizarro Fine Dining ranks as some of the best of the best.

I love the unique concept of this restaurant. You basically buy a ticket. At this writing, it’s 150 euros for the menu without any extras. The door is locked, so there aren’t any walk ins. It’s relaxed and casual, and feels like a house party, with good music, subdued lighting, and excellent wine pairings to go with extremely fresh Japanese-Peruvian fusion dishes, mostly featuring fish.

Last night, we sat at the “chef’s table”, which is a four top. Another couple joined us. We didn’t know them when we sat down, but by the end of our five hour meal, we felt like we’d made new friends. The couple we had dinner with live in Darmstadt and work for a company that tracks the weather. He’s Italian; she’s German, but she lived in Spain, The Netherlands, and France until she was 12. He speaks five languages. She speaks six! They met Julio at a party, and their friends told them they should book at table at his restaurant. It was their first time dining there, but I doubt it will be their last!

Bill and I pretty much went all out last night. We had the meat course, which wasn’t Wagyu beef last night, but another type of beef from Spain. The name of it escapes me now. It was leaner than Wagyu, but very delicious, and I opted to have a glass of wonderful Barolo wine to go with it. Edited to add: my German friend thinks it might have been Txogitxu, and now that I’ve looked it up, I think she’s right. It came from the north of Spain, and is described as the “world’s best steak.”

We also had the caviar, which we usually skip. It was definitely worth having it last night. I had the alcoholic wine pairing, while Bill had the “drink” pairing, which was non-alcoholic. Some of his drinks were fruit juices, but others were non-alcoholic wines. All were excellent.

And then there was the menu itself, which was titled “The Fire In Me”. Every course was beautifully prepared and delicious, but a couple of the courses were mindblowingly exceptional. I had to actually sit there dumbstruck for a few minutes to register how marvelous the flavors were, even when I wondered if I was going to be offended by something. There are certain foods I don’t care for, but some chefs can work magic and they have a completely different taste. Now– I still won’t eat mushrooms or truffles, so I had to skip those in the meat course– but I did enjoy beet root, daikon, radishes, and a few other items that normally I might not have wanted to try. Everything was exquisite!

After dinner, we had a round of espresso to perk Bill up for the drive home. The couple sitting with us, who had been talking up the train all night, looked crestfallen when they discovered that the train was canceled last night. They had to take a bus. Or maybe they called a taxi. I do think maybe we should take a cab to the restaurant so Bill can enjoy the wines more, but I like that he has the non-alcoholic beverages so we can try everything.

As usual, service was excellent, yet relaxed. The food was astonishing, and the company was a lot of fun. It was a really lucky thing that we hit it off with Susanne and G.G. as well as we did! Sometimes, people don’t mesh.

Anyway… the bill came close to 700 euros, which is a whole lot of money to spend on dinner. But we have a lot of things to celebrate this month. Next week is our 23rd wedding anniversary. Tomorrow, it’s likely that Bill will have a new granddaughter. And his next business trip, slated to begin November 17th, was supposed to be in Bavaria, but has now been changed to…

ISTANBUL!!!!!

And, with any luck, I will get to go with him. I can’t buy a plane ticket until he gets approved and booked on a flight. But, once that happens, I’ll hopefully be shopping for a seat on the same flight, and we’ll spend next week in a truly fascinating city in the Republic of Türkiye! I have been there, but it was in 1996. I am older and more established now, and since Bill will be with me, I probably won’t get hit on by the local men. 😉

So stay tuned… Hopefully, I will be setting this up tomorrow!

holidays, Luxury

A little Swiss serenity: Three Michelin Stars at Cheval Blanc… part four

After we had our breakfast at Bachmann Confiserie, Bill and I decided to take a walk around the Rathaus area of Basel. I got some photos of the local scene, including the Saturday market, and the very cool courtyard in the Rathaus. I got videos of people who were busking, although they weren’t all that exciting. I think I was too focused on our 12:45 PM lunch reservation at Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl, the Michelin three star restaurant at our hotel, Les Trois Rois. We went for lunch, because dinner was fully booked. It turned out to be a good thing we had lunch instead of dinner, given how long the lunch took to enjoy.

Below are some photos I took on Saturday morning. It was sunny, but cold and windy. I was really glad I bought more merino wool turtleneck sweaters from Celtic & Co. They really came in handy.

*I loved the inner courtyard of the Rathaus, which was beautifully painted.*

We ended up walking near the Basel Historical Museum, which was once a church. I took a few photos, and then on Sunday, we paid a visit, which I will write about in the next post. For now, here are some more photos…

*I will write about our visit here tomorrow…*

We went back to the hotel and got changed. We were advised that we should dress “smartly”, with no athletic wear, polo shirts, tennis shoes, or jeans. I noticed that this request wasn’t strictly enforced, although of the nine tables at Cheval Blanc, most people had dressed appropriately. I was originally planning to wear a dress, but decided it was too chilly. I wore pants and a sweater, accented with jewelry and a pretty wrap from Novica. Bill wore what you see in the below video…

When we sat down, the Maitre d’ immediately mentioned that he had gotten a note about my aversion to fungus. He offered substitutions that were suitable. We were surprised that he mentioned it from the start. The entire wait staff was so polished, friendly, and professional. It was extremely impressive! And just today, I have read about some of the staff members who found themselves becoming gastronomy experts because Chef Peter Knogl recognized their talent and promoted them!

We really enjoyed this experience, even though it was VERY expensive. I love watching Bill’s face when he eats something that blows his mind. That happens a lot when he eats cheese…

This lunch went on for about four hours, and it was course after course of exquisitely and immaculately prepared food. There were a couple of courses I didn’t want, because I don’t eat truffles or mushrooms, but I don’t think mushrooms were on the menu. We both substituted another course that featured foie gras. Bill had the course with truffles, while I had a hamachi course. And since I don’t eat much cheese, I had two desserts, while Bill enjoyed an array of cheeses. The service was absolutely impeccable, and the Maitre d’ was very charming. He reminded me a little of Justin Timberlake… or maybe Rick Astley.

Every time the staff put down a dish, it was delivered at exactly the same time. The staff members were always paying close attention to each other and coordinated everything seamlessly. Everything was marvelous, right down to the dishes used, which my German friend says was Limoges porcelain. We have been to several Michelin one star restaurants. This was our first three star experience. We did notice a difference, especially in the number of people dining at one time. Cheval Blanc only seats 30 people.

The whole “shebang” cost 320 Swiss Francs per person, just for the food. A slightly smaller experience was available for 285 Francs, but what’s the point of that? As long as you’re spending the money, you might as well go for the whole thing. We also had two bottles of water, a round of champagne, a bottle of wine, and armagnac. Check the photos for the eye-watering bill! It was totally worth it, though.

I think the Maitre d’ might have feared that I was going to be overly picky. He asked me if I had a problem with oysters. Since I grew up near the beach, I am a big oyster fan! I just can’t do earthy flavors.

By the time lunch was finished, we were both pretty tired, and in need of some time to rest and digest. It was starting to get dark outside. Dinner at Cheval Blanc starts at 7:00 PM, so I guess the wait staff was enjoying a break before the next meal. I was pretty glad we did lunch instead of dinner. Bill and I tend to want to stay in more at night, these days.

We went to the room and changed clothes again. Bill went out to find some wine and snacks. I took a few more photos of the Rhein/Rhine… We stayed in the rest of the night, absolutely shocked by how delightful lunch was. We missed turn down, and the housekeeping staff left us a note saying they were respecting our privacy and to call them if we wanted them to come back and turn down the room.

*An Italian restaurant that bordered our balcony.*

Yes, we really spent about $1000 on lunch. That is the most we have ever spent on a meal. I never thought we would ever drop that much money on a meal, especially a lunch. However, we don’t regret doing it, because the food was truly earth shattering. I mean, there were so many flavors and they just burst in the mouth.

Service was flawless and meticulously coordinated; I heard the staff easily speaking German, English, and French. It was one of those incredible culinary experiences that most people just don’t have often… or at all. I feel extremely fortunate that we were able to dine at Cheval Blanc. We also met Chef Peter Knogl, who came around and spoke to everyone at the nine tables in the restaurant. I didn’t know he originally came from Germany. He really impressed us! I can see why he’s earned his stars.

Now, I want to book another stay at the Bareiss in Baiersbronn… They have a three star Michelin restaurant, too! We’ll have to see what the future holds. For now, I’m just so happy we’ve been able to have these experiences at all. And if you have the time and the means, and you like “haute cuisine”, I would absolutely recommend visiting Cheval Blanc. Just make sure you save up your Swiss Francs. Don’t think of it as eating a meal. Think of it as investment in your life experiences!

Hessen

Yet another great lunch at Landhaus Diedert!

Last night, while Bill and I were processing the afternoon spent with our neighbors, drinking beer at our little Oktoberfest, we decided we’d like to go out to lunch today. Bill went looking for appropriate lunch venues, and finally decided it was time for us to go to one of our favorite places, Landhaus Diedert. We’ve been to this restaurant numerous times. It’s always a pleasure, as the food and service are top notch, and the restaurant itself feels like someone’s beautiful home. It is, indeed, also a hotel, although it doesn’t feel like a hotel. It was originally a Kloster.

It wasn’t very busy at the restaurant today. Some people ahead of us pulled into the parking lot and we parked next to them. And then we were seated at the table next to theirs on one side, and another couple with an adorable terrier on the other side. The people we parked next to had main courses and left rather quickly, but the other couple shut down lunch service with us. Bill and I had a very sumptuous two hour feast. I doubt I’ll need anything else until tomorrow morning.

We started with aperitifs– a non alcoholic rose for Bill, which tasted like Christmas punch. I had a prosecco based cocktail that smelled of fresh oranges. We enjoyed fresh bread with the drinks as we decided on what we would have for lunch.

One of the soups wasn’t ready to serve yet, which was no big deal. I had my eye on the Wachtel (quail), while Bill had a salad with Pfefferlingen mushrooms and bacon. For our main courses, I had salmon with ricotta filled tortellinis, while Bill had deer saltimbocca… I really enjoyed both of my dishes, but Bill’s deer was so tender and delicious. I don’t usually eat venison myself, but I think I would have enjoyed what he had, with its chestnut puree. Have a look!

*I had quail with a salad… This was delicious, and a bit pricey!*

I couldn’t finish my salmon, so I asked for it to be packed. I wanted dessert. While we were waiting for it, we struck up a conversation with the couple next to us. They had an adorable, well-behaved little dog. It turned out their dog, a four year old named Archie, was very friendly and cute. We showed them pictures of Charlie and Noyzi while we waited for dessert. Chocolate ganache with sour cream ice cream and berries for me, and flambeed pineapple with coconut ice cream, watermelon, and mango puree for Bill… All the while, we bonded with the couple next to us. I love how dogs are such great ice breakers in Germany.

*The chocolate ganache is off the chain!* *I say that, even though it was a lava cake.*

As usual, the food, service, and ambiance at Landhaus Diedert were outstanding. We have yet to have a bad time there, or a disappointing meal. It’s such a pleasure and a treat to get to spend time with my favorite person in a place with such great food.

Naturally, I highly recommend Landhaus Diedert. And you can see more of their excellent dishes in this blog, if you do a search. If you’re in Wiesbaden or its surroundings, you should stop by for a fabulous meal.

Rhein

Another amazing eating experience at Pizarro Fine Dining…

Some readers may recall that on March 16 of this year, Bill and I discovered Pizarro Fine Dining in Groß-Gerau, a nice town kind of near Darmstadt. On St. Patrick’s Day, I wrote about our “five hours of foodie decadence.” We had such a good time in March, we decided to go back to Pizarro Fine Dining again last night, as we were being smoked out of our table at the weekly market.

*We stopped for a selfie… it’s a nice one, if I do say so myself!*

We arrived in Groß-Gerau a bit early, so we decided to take a short walk around the town. The weather was beautiful, and lots of people were out enjoying the sun, pleasant temperatures, and bustling restaurants. We noticed the city is replacing its main drag with an attractive looking roadway. I’m not sure if Groß-Gerau is a tourist destination, but it looked like the powers that be are working to make the town more attractive to visitors and residents. Below are a few photos from our pre-dinner walk.

Last night’s experience at Pizarro’s was just as excellent as the first time. The main difference, besides a mostly different menu, was that there were fewer fellow diners, and the staff recognized us as we approached at 6:45 PM. There was one lone man dining, and a table of four– two German couples– already seated. We were offered a table next to the chef’s table, so it was easy for us to watch him work.

Once again, we had the choice between alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine pairings or choosing a beverage. We chose to do the wine pairing with most of the courses. Since Bill was driving, he went with the non-alcoholic pairing. I choose the alcoholic version. I noticed the other tables ordered bottles of wine. Once again, the emphasis of last night’s meal was very fresh seafood, with Peruvian-Asian fusion flavors. Below are photos of the menus. One has the alcoholic wine pairing, and the other has the non-alcoholic pairing.

Besides the excellent, fresh, inventive small plates we had last night, I was also enjoying the music. I found myself repeatedly Shazaming the Chef Pizarro’s playlist. He had a very eclectic variety of songs playing– everything from Latin to classic R&B. Meanwhile, he brought out course after course… and because there were only three tables, the pace was a little bit faster than it was the first time we visited. Below are photos from last night’s delightful repast.

*The very first snack– smoked trout with a sweet jelly and sprinkled with hibiscus. It looks like a shortbread cookie sandwich, but actually it was soft bread.*

*Snow crab with pike caviar and polleria… The flowers are blooms from garlic. They really intensified the flavor.*

Once again, we had the optional Wagyu beef for 25 euros a person. Once again, it was incredible! However, the first time we visited, back in March, we had a different cut that wasn’t quite as tender as last night’s was. Chef Pizarro told us the beef last night was from a filet, while last time we had a piece of loin. The difference was noticeable. I could have easily cut last night’s beef with a spoon. It was exquisitely marbled and practically melted in the mouth. I had mine without the truffles– just some of the sauce with a sprinkling of crispy Jerusalem artichokes, which were very tasty.

Chef Pizarro said he includes the Hamachi every time because he loves it. I have to confess, I love it, too. It’s served with chopsticks and special spoons from Peru, and I believe the herbs even have healing qualities.

By the end of dinner, we were very satisfied, but not stuffed. I also wasn’t drunk, as dinner took about four hours. But it was not a boring time, as everyone seemed to be enjoying everything at a relaxed pace.

I really like the unique style at Pizarro Fine Dining. Everyone gets the same thing, and there’s just one seating. You have to reserve ahead of time, and when you do that, you get a reminder of how much it will cost. Last night’s dinner was 125 euros per person, without any of the extras. As long as you can accept what is on the menu and let the chef drive, you’re in for quite an experience. It’s definitely for fish lovers, which I am!

I asked last night if they ever had trouble with people trying to come in, and asking for a table without a reservation. The waiter showed us that the door is kept locked from the outside. I noticed a few people passing by, watching through the window at what the chef was doing. I wonder if they are curious about this place, which doesn’t really operate like most restaurants, but is definitely a great experience for the adventurous.

I also explained to the chef why Americans are so big on tipping, after he complained about US food prices and the demand for 20 percent tips. I told him about how, in many states, wait staff only gets a couple of bucks an hour. They rely on tips. Unfortunately, that emphasis on tipping has kind of ruined dining out in America… at least in my opinion. I used to wait tables myself, so I understand why tipping is so emphasized in the United States. But that practice has made servers very fixated on money and turning tables, rather than letting people enjoy their meals at a relaxed pace. Apparently, the chef didn’t know this about the USA. It was my experience when I waited tables in Williamsburg, Virginia, that a lot of Europeans didn’t understand the US tipping culture. I don’t think a lot of Americans necessarily do, either. I didn’t know how little wait staff is paid until I, too, did that work.

Chef Pizarro told us that he went to college in Michigan, but he’s from Peru. He later married a German woman. That’s why we’re lucky to have him in Germany.

All of my experiences dining out in Germany came in handy last night. At one point, the waiter was telling us about Steinbutt, which he thought was maybe like halibut. The chef corrected him that it wasn’t halibut, but from the same family. I said, “Turbot?” That turned out to be correct! I know some German restaurant language, after all!

As we were leaving last night, we thanked the chef and his assistant for the wonderful meal… and we assured him we’ll be back, if he’ll have us again! I think I’d really like to try one of the other experiences he offers, like the Champagne Matinee, which is a brunch served monthly. Or maybe we’ll try one of his themed kitchen parties! Yes, it was a bit spendy– last night we paid close to 500 euros. But the experience is so unique and personal, and I swear, it was some of the freshest fish I’ve ever had here.

Bill and I have been so very fortunate to get to try so many wonderful restaurants in Europe. We are truly blessed to be here… Last night’s experience at Chef Pizarro’s table was yet another reminder of that.

Sundays

Our second visit to Landhaus Diedert in Wiesbaden…

Yesterday, Bill asked me if I might like to go out for lunch today, since, because of the weather, we didn’t go anywhere special on Saturday. I suggested Landhaus Diedert, an upscale eatery in Wiesbaden that we discovered almost exactly a year ago. On April 3, 2022, we visited this hotel/restaurant for the very first time and had an impressive Sunday lunch. It wasn’t planned in advance that we’d visit again on April 2, 2023. I simply remembered really enjoying our first visit, and thinking it would offer a pleasant midday repast. Also, Apple keeps showing me pictures from last year’s visit, and that reminded me we were overdue for another trip.

Bill booked our table through his trusty OpenTable.de app, and we showed up promptly for our 1:00 reservation. I think Bill was especially excited about the menu, which he studied before we arrived. Landhaus Diedert, which is located in an old Kloster, changes its menus regularly, and Bill noticed they had some rather exotic (for us) offerings. Today, they had rabbit, ox, halibut, and turbot, as well as Iberico pork steak with truffles. Bill is a more adventurous eater than I am, so he had a lot of choices.

The waitress brought out white and wheat breads, with butter and hummus. We also had aperitifs– Champagne for me, and a sparkling non-alcoholic sour cherry juice for Bill. I loved the cherry juice and would probably opt for that next time, should I have the opportunity. It was not too sweet, but light and refreshing.

As we were deciding on lunch, Bill ordered a bottle of local dry red wine, as well as a bottle of sparkling water. After a perfectly done wine service, our wine was “held hostage” on a nearby table full of liqueurs and digestives. I actually dislike this practice of wait staff insisting on pouring wine for clients, because sometimes they get super “weeded” (busy) and forget this part of service. You sit there waiting for them to notice you need a refill. And if you try to rectify it yourself, they get upset. Fortunately, this wasn’t too much of a problem at Landhaus Diedert today, as our servers were very attentive. I guess I should amend my comment. I don’t mind my wine being held hostage, as long as the wait staff doesn’t leave me wanting for long. 😉

For my starter, I ended up choosing an essence of tomato soup with basil oil, while Bill had the wonderful wild garlic soup with goat cheese. I was tempted by the wild garlic soup myself, but scared off by the goat cheese, which I worried would be too strong for me. I did taste the wild garlic soup and found it to be excellent, and not too strong. However, I’m glad I got the tomato soup, because it was lighter, and because it was different from the other soups we’ve been eating lately.

For our main courses, I had the fried halibut with flamed leeks and celery, chickpea foam, rhubarb, and tarragon. Bill went with the braised ox cheeks with Vichy carrots, pearl barley risotto, parsley root cream, and port wine shallots. Both dishes were beautifully presented and delicious, as well as filling. There are vegan and vegetarian options for those who would prefer to skip the meat. They also have a “healthy menu”, which offers lighter fare.

I noticed the restaurant was well attended today, with several couples and a couple of family groups. I always enjoy watching German families dining out. It makes me miss home a bit.

After we finished our main courses, we had dessert. I had Cocos Rocher with mango passion fruit seeds lychee espuma, and guava sorbet. Bill had an apple and walnut tart, with pistachio ice cream and mascarpone espuma. We were offered coffee and espresso, but we had to finish the wine!

All told, we spent about 185 euros for today’s marvelous lunch. It was worth every euro cent. And, as I looked at the Biergarten under the trees out front, it occurred to me that we really need to visit when the weather is good. Or, really, just more often altogether. I have some favorite local restaurants, but I think there’s easily room for Landhaus Diedert. Parking, by the way, is free– but the hotel kind of runs into a neighborhood, so it can be tricky to access.

Below are some photos from today’s excursion!

I’m really glad we decided to go out today. I think our Sunday lunch habit is about to resume!

Hessen

A Christmas treat at Villa Im Tal…

I know I have at least one reader out there in Internet Land who likes it when Bill and I go out to eat. There was a time not so long ago when that was a pretty regular occurrence for us. Unfortunately, COVID-19 and Arran’s sudden regression to puppy adolescent behavior have curtailed our fun in recent weeks. He’s been breaking into the basement, getting into anything remotely resembling food. It got so bad that I ordered a new baby gate last week and it arrived the other day. It’s about four feet tall, I think.

Bill installed the new gate and beagle proofed as much as he could today, as we had a 1:00 appointment to visit one of our favorite restaurants, Villa Im Tal, a beautiful restaurant in a wooded area on the outskirts of Wiesbaden. We’ve been there many times, but I think our most recent visit was last spring. When I saw that they had a special Christmas menu available, I decided to ask Bill if he was up for it. Naturally, he was.

The special menu was four courses. Everybody got the same thing, except for the main course. There was one vegetarian selection, or a choice of roast beef, sea bass, or roasted duck. The duck was the most interesting for me, while Bill went with the roast beef. We ordered and paid for the food a few days ahead of time, to help out the chefs in their planning. However, once we got to the restaurant, we still had to tell our waitress what we wanted.

The food and service were, as usual, superb. We started with two glasses of white champagne, fresh bread with Spundekäs (a local mild cheese spread), then a beautiful sashimi salmon salad, with watercress, pomegranate seeds, turnips, and a honey mustard vinaigrette. Next came my favorite course, a delightful langoustine soup, with chili peppers, ginger, tomatoes, and croutons. That soup was so delicious! I would have gone there just for that course! It was a very comforting bisque that practically burst with flavor.

Next came our main dishes– Bill’s roast beef came with mushrooms and a barley risotto, and my duck included a potato knodel and spiced cranberries and red cabbage. Bill said the roast beef was excellent. I didn’t try it, because of the mushrooms. I did really enjoy the duck, though, which came with a savory gravy. We paired the entrees with a lovely Spatburgunder from Rheinland-Pfalz. Finally, for dessert, we had a Blood Orange Papaya Salad with mandarin sorbet, and white chocolate.

There were a lot of people in the restaurant, as well as a well behaved poodle who charmed a toddler girl. She put on quite a show as she came over to pet the friendly black dog. While we were enjoying our meal, I started telling Bill about how, the first time I visited Florence in 1997, I was with friends and ordered a steak. The waiter neglected to charge me for it. I called it to his attention, and he seemed ready to defend the prices. He was definitely surprised and very relieved when I let him know that he forgot to charge me for my dinner.

The same thing happened to Bill and I one time when we were dining at The Occidental in Washington, DC, years ago. The waiter was very grateful that we pointed out the mistake, commenting that we saved him a lot of paperwork. Wouldn’t you know it, the same thing happened tonight! The waitress forgot to charge us for our bottle of red wine! She was pretty happy when Bill reminded her that we’d had it.

Villa Im Tal is a nice restaurant, but it’s also child friendly. This dinner offered a kids’ menu, and I’m pretty sure they have one on their regular menu, too. But although it’s family ready, it’s also a very nice place to eat. The food and service are always outstanding. I always appreciate the friendly and professional staff members, many of whom speak English, and the beautiful woodsy setting, near a large riding facility that makes me miss owning a horse.

We prepaid for the food, which was 88 euros per person. I think the bill for the wine and sparkling water was another 100 euros, plus Bill threw in some euro cash as a tip. It was worth every euro cent, as Villa Im Tal is always a pleasure. Below are some photos from our delightful date…

When we got home, at about 3:45pm, Arran and Noyzi were very excited. And we were excited to find that the only casualty from our absence was some newspaper that Arran shredded. I threw it in the fireplace, possibly for a fire tonight. I know we’ll be back to Villa Im Tal. It’s definitely a favorite.

Schwarzwald

Ten things I learned in Bareiss style Baiersbronn…

Now that my latest blog series about Hotel Bareiss is complete, here’s my usual “ten things I learned” post. I find that these top ten lists tend to get read more than my “blow by blow” posts. Let’s face it! People don’t necessarily care about the minutiae of someone else’s vacation. On the other hand, sometimes including the small details is useful for some readers, or even just to myself, as I get older and duller. 😉

Anyway, here’s my list, even though we’ve done Baiersbronn before. I see that I didn’t do a ten things I learned list for our first Baiersbronn trip, so maybe it’s good to do one now. Here goes!

10. The Hotel Bareiss experience reminds me a little of being on a cruise ship.

The first time we visited Baiersbronn for more than a couple of hours, we stayed at Hotel Engel Obertal, which is a perfectly nice hotel that offers half board. But that hotel didn’t seem to be nearly as structured as Hotel Bareiss is. Yes, lunch was included in the daily rate there, but we didn’t feel like we HAD to eat lunch there. Although we didn’t HAVE to eat dinner at Hotel Bareiss either, the very heavy service component and knowing that we were paying for the food, anyway, made us feel obligated to eat there. And while it wasn’t a bad thing at all to dine at Hotel Bareiss, that aspect made me feel a little like I was on a cruise ship. The resort offers a lot of activities, too, like a cruise ship does.

9. Hotel Bareiss is very expensive, but offers an extremely high quality product.

When I compare Hotel Bareiss to Hotel Engel Obertal, I see some obvious similarities. However, Hotel Bareiss is an institution in Baiersbronn, and people come from all over to experience it. Service is mostly top notch, and they put a lot of effort into presenting a very pleasant experience for guests. That experience will cost you, of course! But if you have the means, and you just want to relax without worrying about anything, Hotel Bareiss might be just the place to go.

8. I wouldn’t call Hotel Bareiss a very “romantic” place for couples…

Although this is a five star resort hotel with a three star Michelin restaurant, it’s also a very family friendly place. There are lots of activities available for children, and they aren’t specifically prohibited from going into places. That means you might see them in the bar, or even in the sauna area. However, I did notice that visiting in late September/early October meant that most kids were in school, so their population was at a minimum during our stay. I would not book Bareiss in the summer if I was wanting to avoid running into families with children, though.

7. Baiersbronn and the Black Forest offer a lot to do outdoors. But maybe there are not as many things to do inside. Planning for the weather is a good idea.

We suffered some rain during our visit, which made us not really want to venture out so much. A lot of the things I was thinking I’d like to do were strictly outside activities. There are some museums and other indoor activities for the resourceful, and the hotel offers excursions to nearby places like Strasbourg, France or Baden-Baden. The hotel also offers classes sometimes. For instance, they have culinary and wine courses that can be booked. I didn’t mind the rain so much, since we had such a hot, dry summer. Next time, maybe I’ll look for more inside opportunities, in case of inclement weather. Or, at the very least, I would bring clothes and shoes for wet weather. Baiersbronn is kind of a sleepy town, but there are other areas nearby that are well worth a visit.

6. Bring an extra bathing suit!

Hotel Bareiss has an AWESOME pool area, and it’s usable all year. If you like to swim or relax in the water, you may want to bring an extra bathing suit. They also have a dryer in the locker room that will wring most of the the water out in eight seconds.

5. You can bring your dog!

Although I tend to relax more when I travel without our dogs, I did miss them while we were at the Hotel Bareiss. I think Noyzi, in particular, would have loved the hotel. So many people brought their beautiful pooches with them, and there were a lot of amenities for them, including dog sitting! But bear in mind, if you do bring your dog, there are steep extra charges involved and not every room will be available to you.

4. Pack a nice outfit or two.

The Hotel Bareiss requests that guests dress nicely for dinner. That doesn’t necessarily mean putting on a dress or a suit, nor does it even mean they’ll turn you away at the door. But if you happen to be at the hotel on gala night, you will want to be dressy, as most people do put on their gladrags for the occasion. If you wear jeans and a sweatshirt, you might feel quite underdressed.

3. Don’t be afraid to try other area restaurants.

Baiersbronn is home to quite a few excellent restaurants besides the ones at Hotel Bareiss. Most are affiliated with other hotels, to include the ones at Hotel Traube Tonbach, another highly regarded hotel in the area. We ate at Traube Tonbach last year and had a very nice experience. We also tried the Meierei, which has a Michelin Plate, and liked that even more than the Michelin starred restaurant at the Traube Tonbach. But even if you aren’t into gourmet food, you can find really good eating in Baiersbronn. Especially if you like fresh trout, like I do!

2. You don’t have to spend a mint to stay in Baiersbronn…

It’s true that we dropped a load of euros at Hotel Bareiss. This year’s visit was about twice as expensive as last year’s, although we also stayed a day longer and in fancier digs. But if we’d wanted to, we could have easily bunked comfortably in less extravagant lodging and had a great time. In fact, in some ways, I think I might have preferred a less “structured” holiday. I don’t think I’m that into resorts and half board plans. I like having the freedom to try different places and do my own thing. Maybe next time we go to the Black Forest, we’ll try to find a self catering apartment in a different area.

1. On the other hand, I would NOT turn down another visit to Hotel Bareiss…

It really is a lovely hotel, with friendly and mostly professional staff, and magical surroundings. We absolutely did enjoy ourselves, and would heartily recommend that others visit. Just remember that when you book Hotel Bareiss, you’re likely to be committed to going. You may wish to purchase travel insurance, in case you need to cancel. In our situation, I was worried about Arran being sick with lymphoma and needing us to come home to take care of him. However, he has now shown us that he is clearly not ready to leave us yet… so I’m glad we didn’t cancel! In fact, as I write this, he’s visiting the vet. I have a feeling she might be pleasantly surprised by how he’s doing today.

Well, that about does it for this year’s visit to the Schwarzwald. I hope this series has been entertaining, informative, and inspirational. If you’re living in Germany, I highly recommend taking the opportunity to visit The Black Forest. We completely missed it the first time we lived here. I’m so glad we came back and rectified that tragedy! And if you are into good food, especially fine dining, you may want to make a point of visiting Baiersbronn. As I mentioned in 2018, when we first heard of Baiersbronn, there are lots of (Michelin) “stars” in them there hills!

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Take out from Villa Im Tal…

Bill and I love a good fine dining experience. Alas, the coronavirus is cramping our style. Restaurants are opening up in Germany, but there are still a lot of restrictions and some risks involving with eating in restaurants. We decided to order take out from our favorite fine dining restaurant in the Wiesbaden area yesterday, just to see how feasible it would be.

Villa Im Tal has a special take out menu. I had wanted to order from it for Mother’s Day, but we were too late. This time, Bill emailed our order a day ahead of time. I’m not sure that was a requirement, but it worked out well. He got a confirmation and a time to pick it up– 1:30pm. He ordered us both “surf and turfs”, which were three courses for 48 euros each. The restaurant offers other choices besides this special, but Bill decided to get this because it’s a deal and because he figured I’d like it. Also, delivery service is available at 10 euros for 10km or 20 euros for 20km. If your order is more than 120 euros, delivery is free. I’m not sure if we’re in their delivery area. We’re probably not.

We decided to do our lunch the right way, with music, Georgian wine, and the good china. The only thing we didn’t do, besides dress up a bit, was light the candles. Here are some pictures of what the food looked like when Bill brought it home.

I didn’t have any of the vegetables, because they were loaded with mushrooms, which I don’t eat. However, everything else was pretty good. I have had the soup when I’ve visited the restaurant for dining in, and it was just as good at home. I’ve often told Bill I’d love to have a recipe for this soup, which I think would be good when I’m sick. It’s very comforting, yet has a lot of flavor. Tangy lemongrass, mango, and curry makes for a rich, delicious soup. This was paired with curry flavored chips.

I probably would have liked to have had a side with the surf and turf… maybe we could have requested a mushroom free version. Next time we order take out from Villa Im Tal, we’ll have to remember that. The dessert was delightful! The chocolate mousse went beautifully with the marinated red berry compote– currants and strawberries are a great match to chocolate. I loved the way they made the dessert pretty in the take out container. It was so pretty we didn’t even plate it ourselves.

I’m glad we finally had a reason to use the teapot.

Of course I would have rather enjoyed this in the restaurant, but I can’t deny that this wasn’t a bad way to have a fine meal. We could listen to music; Arran could sit with us; and I didn’t have to wear a bra. It also cost significantly less, since we weren’t having aperitifs, ordering wine in house, or tipping on service… although Bill probably did tip the lady who brought him the food. We might brave the restaurant itself soon, since they have a really lovely outdoor area and even when there is no pandemic, there are plenty of widely spaced tables. It’s also just a really lovely place to enjoy a meal. The venue itself is in the woods, where it’s quiet and peaceful… just what we need to escape the stresses of contagion.

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Dining out with a former lab dog named Tony!

Last night, Bill and I took his mother, Parker, out to Villa Im Tal, a fine dining Austrian restaurant on the outskirts of Wiesbaden. It was Bill’s and my third time dining there, and we were sure Parker would enjoy it as much as we have. It’s set in the woods in a beautiful timbered building surrounded by a spring and lots of trees. Even at night, it’s gorgeous. Best of all, parking is a breeze and costs nothing! This restaurant is also easily booked on OpenTable.de.

We had a 7:30 reservation, but arrived a little bit early. We were seated at a corner table for four. At first, I was a little perturbed by where we were sitting, mainly because the lighting was so dim and it was hard to see the menu (they kindly provided English versions for us). But then, maybe twenty minutes after we sat down, a couple came in with an adorable beagle. They sat near us.

Ordering dinner was easy. The waiter spoke perfect English. Parker and I started with champagne. I had a rose and she had a brut. Bill had Campari and soda, then ordered a lovely local white wine that tasted of honey, yet was dry on the palate. We each had the special seafood menu, which consisted of five courses. Below are some photos of the grand culinary event that was last night’s dinner.

*Fresh bread, with an herbal fresh cheese spread.*

I enjoyed all of the courses, although my favorites were the scallops, which were perfectly grilled and very tender and went beautifully with the gnocchi, and the lobster cappuccino. Honestly, I was worried that the flavor would be too earthy for me, as the initial aroma smelled slightly of truffles, which is a turn off for me. What can I say? I am one of those weird people who thinks truffles are gross.

But when I tasted it, I was amazed by how delicious it was. The soup had the very essence of lobster finished with a little sherry. The single ravioli was just enough. And we paced the meal so that it wasn’t too much. All three of us loved the seafood menu and would order it again. It was priced at about 68 euros each.

So… about Tony, the adorable beagle…

I got up to use the ladies room, and when I came back, Tony came over to say hello. He was so sweet and friendly. His owners told me that he was born in a lab and participated in experiments until he was about sixteen weeks old. They adopted him when he was still a puppy, and he’s now 12.

We noticed that his people, who both also enjoyed the seafood menu, were very friendly with the waiter. He had brought out a bowl of water for Tony, and they spent several minutes talking and laughing. I got the sense that they were regulars. Eventually, I told the couple that we have beagles, too… Right now we just have Arran since we lost Zane to lymphoma a few months ago, but we usually have two beagles at a time. We hope to find Arran a playmate soon, whether or not he wants one.

I was very surprised Tony was that old. He didn’t look or act like he was twelve years old. In fact, at one point, he got on his hind legs and put his paws on me. Then, when my voice went into “baby mode”, (as it always does with dogs), he pricked his ears up and gave me a look of pure delight. I wished I’d had my camera so I could capture it for this post. It reminded me of our late dog, MacGregor, who was very shy around people he didn’t know, but loved to be on camera.

Tony’s people were very friendly and spoke English beautifully. I told them about how we’d had five beagle rescues so far and showed them a picture with Arran, living the high life snuggled up next to my mother-in-law. They laughed in recognition, because apparently Tony is a couch snuggler too. And we shared a laugh about how much beagles love to eat, don’t obey commands very well, and sniff everything while they bay. I told them about how the first time we lived in Germany, we had a couple of different beagles and they would bay in our quiet neighborhood, prompting many dirty looks from the locals. Back then, the dogs were referred to as “Jagdhunden” (hunting dogs). Now, it seems that beagles have become a lot more popular. We’ve seen many more of them during this stint.

The couple seemed surprised when I told them I hoped to get another dog. They cited their love for travel as to why they just have Tony. I didn’t want to tell them that sometimes our dogs go to the Hundepension… in fact, Arran is going to the Tierpension Birkenhof today, because we’re taking Bill’s mom to Ribeauville, and hoping to visit some places we missed on previous trips. It’s easier to visit places when we don’t have to worry about taking care of the dog, and we have found excellent caregivers in Stuttgart and Darmstadt. But Arran has been to Ribeauville a few times… we have a very pet friendly source of lodging in that town. That’s one of the many things I love about living in Europe. Dogs are allowed in a lot of places here, especially when they are as well mannered as Tony was.

I think having dogs has really helped us break the ice in so many situations in Germany. We’ve met some cool folks that way, because everyone loves to talk about their dogs. Up here in Wiesbaden, people are a lot friendlier, too. When I told the couple that we’d lived in Stuttgart, they kind of laughed and said Stuttgart is a “very special part of Germany”. Yeah… I’d have to agree… although it will always have a special place in my heart. I figure if we can make it there, we can make it anywhere in Germany. And it has the distinction of being the place Bill and I have spent the most time living since we were married.

Anyway, dinner was a success, if not rather pricey. I think Bill paid about 380 euros for the three seafood menu meals, two bottles of San Pellegrino, our round of aperitifs, and a bottle of wine. It was well worth the cost, though, because I have a feeling we’ll be talking about last night’s dinner for years to come… and today, we’ll start making even more memories in France!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: fine dining

A winter break in Waiblingen… Dinner at Untere Apotheke (part seven)

New friends and fantastic food at Pizarro Fine Dining!

A little Swiss serenity: Three Michelin Stars at Cheval Blanc… part four

Yet another great lunch at Landhaus Diedert!

Another amazing eating experience at Pizarro Fine Dining…

Our second visit to Landhaus Diedert in Wiesbaden…

A Christmas treat at Villa Im Tal…

Ten things I learned in Bareiss style Baiersbronn…

Take out from Villa Im Tal…

Dining out with a former lab dog named Tony!