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Fancy eating after beer brewing…

A few days ago, my ever considerate husband, Bill, asked me if I minded if he brewed beer Sunday.  I shrugged and said it was fine.  Beer brewing is one of Bill’s hobbies.  He’s gotten really good at it.  I’m the one who started him on the path of great brewing when, years ago, I bought him a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas.  Mr. Beer is a very primitive kit for very beginner beer brewers, but it does teach the basics of how the process is supposed to go.

When we moved to Georgia in 2009, we happened to live in a town that had a great store for beer brewers called Just Brew It!.  The guy who ran that store was very knowledgable, and gave Bill even more instruction.  We also toured Jailhouse Brewing Company in Hampton, Georgia, and got to know the founder of that company, who also learned the basics of the trade at Just Brew It!.  We loved Jailhouse beers, but then we had to move to North Carolina in 2011.  I see Jailhouse has really taken off in the ten years of its existence and I’m still following their success on Facebook.  In the years before we moved back to Germany, we made a point of picking up some of their beers whenever we were in Georgia or trading them with people who lived there.  I do miss the beer exchanges we used to be able to do when we were in the States.

Bill had asked me if I “minded” if he brewed because we usually try to do fun things together on Sundays.  But yesterday, it was a bit chilly and wet, and I knew he was itching to start a new project.  Besides, it’s important to both of us that he has this hobby, since having interests outside of providing for his family was something that his ex wife denied him.  And… I won’t lie.  I do enjoy drinking his brews.

Anyway… after Bill was finished brewing in the afternoon, he asked me what I wanted to do for dinner.  We had leftovers that could be heated up, or we could have soup.  Finally, I suggested using OpenTable to find us dinner.  It turned out Villa Im Tal, a beautiful restaurant we had tried for the first time in February, had plenty of open slots last night.  Remembering how good our February Sunday lunch had been, I booked us a table for 6:00pm.

Once again, a lovely sight to behold!  This restaurant is on the outskirts of Wiesbaden, in a forested area.  It’s also near a riding stable, which always gives me pangs of nostalgia.  

 

We arrived about ten minutes early for dinner.  A smiling young man named Dennis greeted us warmly in German.  He offered to take my jacket, which was actually part of my outfit; then he quickly discerned that we’re English speakers and spoke to us in fluent English as he led us to a very nice two top near the restaurants soaring windows.  He asked us where we are from.  Naturally, I said “America”, which made him laugh.  He wanted to know where in America.  I’m from Virginia and Bill is from Texas (sort of– it’s where he’s spent the most time).  Dennis offered us aperitifs.  I had the “house” drink, which is basically made with sparkling wine and juice… he didn’t really tell me.  Bill had alcohol free Sekt, which looked like pale ginger ale and tasted a little like Sprite.

I really enjoyed the house aperitif.  Bill went with an alcohol free Sekt because he wanted wine with dinner and would be driving.

Then Dennis poured water on the towels, which magically expanded so we could “wash” our hands.

 

Requisite Bill photo, taken after I said something to make him laugh.

 

The bread… three varieties served with a carrot curry butter and a garlicky herbal spread that seemed to be based on Frankfurter “green sauce“, which is in season right now.  Bill just learned how to make it, since this isn’t a “thing” in the Stuttgart area.

The last time we ate at Villa Im Tal, we stuck with land specialties.  I had duck and Bill had pork.  This time, we decided to have specialties from the sea.  We both had shrimp starters and I had sea bass (branzino) and Bill had red snapper.

But not before we enjoyed the “amuse”– a delectable red beet soup in a shot glass.  I don’t usually like beets much, but this was very comforting.  It had only a delicate essence of the earthy bitter flavors I usually detect in beets.  I liked it, and it sure looked festive on a spring evening.

 

Bill’s started was homemade raviolis stuffed with wild Brazilian prawns.  I have to admit, if I had noticed this on the menu, I probably would have chosen it myself.  I tasted it, and it was very good!

But then, so was my salad, which was three wild Brazilian prawns served with green apples, avocados, asparagus, and sun dried tomatoes, then doused with foam.  Although it was a bit pricey at about 19 euros, it was delicious and beautifully presented.  I think the foam on my salad and Bill’s pasta was the same.  Basically mild and complimentary to the shrimp.  The pop of color from the purple chips were a nice touch.

 

My sea bass.  Sea bass isn’t the same here as it is in the States.  The sea bass I’ve had in the States has been Black Sea Bass, which is rich, buttery, and fleshy.  The sea bass in Europe is branzino, a fish that is usually found in the Mediterranean or off the coast of North Africa.  I’ve come to enjoy it here, although I kind of miss U.S. style sea bass.  This one was served with cous cous, parsnip puree, mangoes, and pureed carrots, then garnished with figs.

Bill’s red snapper was also excellent.  It was served with barley risotto, spring vegetables, and curry froth.  I liked his dish as much as I did mine.

 

As we were making our way through dinner, more diners showed up.  Soon, the dining room was full of people enjoying a lovely Sunday supper in a stunning natural setting.  It was such a pleasure to be able to see the garden blooming with flowers outside, canopied by tall trees.  I’m sure, when the weather warms up, it’ll be even nicer to enjoy dining outdoors.

One thing Villa Im Tal does that I don’t like that much is that they pour your wine for you.  This is supposed to be a hallmark of good service, but the reality is that the wait staff gets busy and the wine ends up being held hostage.  Also, since Bill doesn’t want to drink a lot when he has to drive, it’s better if we can control our own wine pours.  But I can see why they prefer to do the wine pouring, too, since wine service takes up valuable space on the table.

We decided to be simple with dessert.  I had a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of sour cream mint ice cream.  The sour cream mint had an enchanting herbal flavor that reminded me of the smell of my grandmother’s house in Natural Bridge, Virginia.  There are two mountain creeks that run on the property and they give off a distinctively intoxicating aroma.  The only other place I’ve smelled it is in Scotland at the Benmore Botanical Gardens.  Well, the mint ice cream reminded me of that familiar smell from home.  The chocolate was kind of run of the mill, although it did have a few chips in it.  

Bill had a scoop of blackberry sorbet and a scoop of pineapple coriander sorbet.  He was considering the green apple sorbet, but Dennis told him the pineapple coriander was the best he’d ever had.  I think Bill enjoyed it very much.  Of course he liked the blackberry sorbet, mainly because he loves blackberries.

We were finished with dinner at about 8:30pm.  The total bill was just over 200 euros.  Bill paid with a card and slipped Dennis a little cash for a tip.

I think I liked our first meal at Villa Im Tal more than last night’s, although last night’s was also very good.  I think I’m just missing the ocean fish that I grew up on.  Around these parts, you tend to get fish that come from rivers or creeks or the Mediterranean Sea.  I do love most seafood, but I’m missing the seafood I know from home, if that makes any sense.  But in a few months, we’ll be in Scotland again, and I’ll be up to my ass in oysters and crawfish.

Pretty gardens on the way out.  The scenery is an added bonus to dining at Villa Im Tal.  It really is gorgeous.  Parking is also free and easy!  Dress is casual, although you won’t be out of place if you dress up for the occasion.  We saw as many people in jeans as we did people who wore suits and dresses.

On the way home, Bill and I were marveling at how lovely dinner was.  It’s a pleasure to be able to enjoy these places while we’re living in Germany.  We try not to take it for granted, which is why I always write about our experiences.  There was a time not so long ago that casually enjoying a meal like last night’s would have been out of the question.  We are very fortunate that we can do this, at least for now.  Needless to say, Villa Im Tal still gets my vote as a great place to eat near Wiesbaden.

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Staycationing in Stuttgart #2… the Wald Hotel and Finch Restaurant

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 was a day Bill and I had looked forward to for months.  On the 29th, we would both see Sting perform in concert at the Porsche Arena.  On the 28th, we’d have a lovely meal at a hotel restaurant called Finch.

Early that morning, Bill took our dogs, Zane and Arran, to Max at Dog Holiday.  In the afternoon, Bill came home early from work.  We packed our bags and headed toward Stuttgart.  As it turned out, we had appointments to get our teeth cleaned that day.  We made the appointments last fall, before we even knew Sting was coming to town.  When Bill found the appointment card in his coat pocket, he gave some thought to rescheduling.  But then I reminded him that we’d be in Stuttgart anyway and might as well kill two birds with one stone.  So our staycation began with getting our teeth cleaned.

After we visited Dr. Blair downtown, we headed to the Wald Hotel, which is located in a sports complex very close to the TV tower (Fernsehturm).  We were quickly and professionally checked in and given room 309.  The room was familiar, since it was much like the one we had last summer.

Comfortable bed with duvets rather than sheets and blankets.

A small sofa with a table and complementary beverages in the mini bar (beer, water, and apple schorle).

The view from our balcony.

And the balcony itself.

Fabulous rainfall shower.  Unfortunately, there is a window that faces into the room, so if someone showers early in the morning, the whole room ends up illuminated.

After we dropped off our bags and got cleaned up, we headed to the hotel’s bar. Wald Hotel has a very nice bar area manned by an Italian gentleman.  Bill recognized him from our last visit, after he made us excellent martinis.  This time, we asked for gin and tonics, which he made with Hendrick’s gin and garnished with cucumbers.  Refreshed by the cocktails, we decided to enjoy some dry red Italian wine while we waited for our reservation.

A very nice gin and tonic.

Bill enjoys a rare cocktail.  He usually drives, so he doesn’t often get cocktails in bars.

Yes, we killed this bottle of wine.

At 7:30, we went to Finch and were seated in a beautiful window booth that offered a lot of privacy.  The booth was big enough to seat six people, so we had plenty of room.  Our server was very professional.  When Bill spoke German, she responded in German.  And then she graciously asked if we’d like menus in English.  We took her up on the offer.

Really nice booth at Finch.

And this gorgeous window in our booth… it was all ours.

The amuse.  I think this was chicken with basil pesto.  It was very good.  We also had very fresh bread with salted butter and harissa spread that was supposedly a little spicy… by German standards, anyway.

I ordered the shrimp tempura as a starter.  This was a delightful beginning to the meal.  The shrimp were lightly coated in crispy tempura batter, served with a tiny salad with berries, mangos, and a delicious dressing.  However, I was especially excited with the male waiter who brought my dish used an old fashioned atomizer to spray port on the shrimp.  He beamed at me when I blurted out, “Oh, I love that!”  This dish was pricy at 19,50, but it was still very good.  I actually liked it more than my main course.

Bill had the game consomme, which consisted of oxtail cannelloni and sherry.  I didn’t taste it, but Bill said he liked it.  At just 10.50, it wasn’t as costly as my starter.

I had the beef tenderloin as my main course.  It came with Savoyarde potatoes, green asparagus, and Madeira.  I think they also sneaked in some mushrooms.  Fortunately, the wine we had before dinner dulled my senses enough that I wasn’t totally creeped out.  Bill tasted what I thought were mushrooms and said they tasted like bok choy.  I’ll take his word for it.  The beef was extremely tender and the asparagus and potatoes were excellent.  I just wish that other ingredient had been mentioned.

Bill had butter glazed venison loin, which came with hazelnut spaetzle and braised chicory.  I don’t usually eat venison, but I tried Bill’s dish and I think I think I preferred it to mine.  If we had eaten at Finch a second time, I might have gone for the venison.  It was very good.

We usually order a bottle of wine to go with our fancier meals…  ah hell, who am I kidding?  We order it whether our meals are fancy or not.  This time, we decided to have wines by the glass.  I had a glass of locally produced sekt.  Then Bill and I both had malbec to go with our main courses.

As you can see, Bill *hated* the venison…. NOT!  I always enjoy seeing him eat game.  He’s got Arkansan roots and likes things like deer, rabbit, and the wild boar.  My choices are usually more pedestrian.

 

For dessert, I had the white chocolate and mascarpone cheesecake, which came with cherry Jello and a cherry sorbet.  I’m not really sure what the “juice” was next to the sorbet.  It was good.

Bill loved his dessert, the Wald Hotel Classic baked French brioche, which came with apple compote and vanilla sauce.

Finch offers a fairly good selection of choices on its menu.  If I had wanted to, I could have had fish or a German styled delicacy like schnitzel.  There were also options for vegans and vegetarians, although I did not see a children’s menu.  But, to be honest, I don’t really think the Wald Hotel is really that suitable for kids, anyway.  It’s a very elegant hotel that seems more geared to business people and those who like peace and quiet.

I did think the prices at Finch were somewhat high, but that could be because I’ve gotten used to eating out here in the hinterlands.  Also, though the prices were high, portions were generous.  My filet was especially big for what it was.

If we stay at the Wald Hotel again, we wouldn’t mind another dinner at Finch.  On the other hand, the hotel is close to a few other places I’m still dying to try.  So we’ll see…  For now, I’ll offer my recommendation of Finch, especially if you’re staying in the hotel.  It doesn’t disappoint.

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A leisurely lunch at Cube in downtown Stuttgart!

Once again, I’d like to wish my readers a Happy New Year.  Bill and I have been chomping at the bit to get out and try a different restaurant.  We finally managed it today when we took advantage of the holiday and had lunch downtown.

Some time ago, I told Bill about Cube, a very nice restaurant at the top of the Stuttgart Art Museum.  For the past few weeks, he’s been trying to get a reservation.  He finally managed to get one for lunch today at noon.  We were the first patrons to arrive and the dining room was completely empty when we checked in.  Minutes after we sat down, people started filing in and I noticed that quite a few tables around us had “reserved” signs on them.  Cube is very popular at dinner time, but apparently it pays to make reservations for lunch, too.

A lovely Piedmont Barolo for lunch…  The bread was very fresh!

 

Our server spoke excellent English and offered us a menu in German or English.  I told her either was fine, so she gave us an English menu.  I noticed there were weekly specials available, a set menu, and a la carte items, as well as a very extensive wine list.  Bill and I both decided to order a la carte.

It had just started snowing when we sat down.  One of Cube’s biggest draws, besides the very creatively prepared food, is the tremendous view of the Schlossplatz in Stuttgart.

 

I was really enjoying the smooth jazz music piped into the airy dining room.  It might have been turned up a bit loud for some tastes, but they were playing some pretty good songs.  I even heard interesting jazz remakes of songs by New Order and Hall and Oates (which may date me a bit).

Bill checks out the wine list.  He selected a nice bottle from the Piedmont region of Italy.

And a good sniff…

 

I was intrigued by the spicy Thai soup which came with lemongrass, chicken, ginger, and snowpeas.  Unfortunately, the menu did not mention that it was garnished with mushrooms, which I cannot eat.  Bill had ordered the soup of the day, which was white bean.  We traded starters.  He ate the Thai soup, which he said was very good, but slightly hard to manage because of the large and very fresh snowpeas.  I enjoyed the creamy white bean soup, which was very velvety and smooth and appeared to be garnished with wilted violet petals.

This is the bean soup, priced at about 6 euros.  I thought I got a shot of the Thai soup, but I’m not finding it on my phone.  Pity, because it was almost ten euros.

Cube offers a lot of nice looking salads and we saw several pass us on the way to other diners.  Bill and I went for heartier fare.

My duck leg, served with red cabbage, potato pancakes, and bilberry sauce.  The bilberry sauce was interesting.  It was kind of like a cross between blueberries and cranberries.  I really liked the potato pancakes.  The duck was so tender it was falling off the bone, although it was a bit rich.

Bill had the beef stroganoff, which seemed to have a Swabian flair with spaetzle, pickles, and beet.  There was a dollop of cream on top.  The beef was very tender and expertly cooked.  I even tried some myself, since there were no mushrooms in it.  

The whole time we were dining, the server maintained control of our wine, keeping it at the bar behind us and attentively pouring it.  Toward the end of our lunch, she got busy and we had to remind her to let us finish!  I’ll say one thing for Cube.  It’s good to go there if you have plenty of time to enjoy your meal.  We spent well over 90 minutes having lunch, although we had three courses and wine.

I had wanted the chocolate creme brulee, but they were out of it.  So I settled for the “lukewarm chocolate cake with berries”.  Bill said, “I bet it’s a lava cake.”  He turned out to be pretty much correct.  It was a nice dessert, though.  Beautifully presented and tasty… even if I don’t love lava cakes.

Bill went with fig ice cream with plums.

 

Total damage for our lunch was 110 euros before the tip.  Cube offers free WiFi for smartphones and tablets, but they ask patrons not to use laptops in the restaurant.  All in all, we had a very nice lunch at Cube, although I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly intimate place to dine.  The dining room is very open.  I liked that the tables were not very close together, though.

I wouldn’t mind going back to Cube for dinner sometime.  The food is very good and the service is quite competent.  Now I want to try Cube’s sister restaurants, like Pier 51.  Word to the wise.  I have read that Cube is not air conditioned, so it may be best to plan you visit when the weather is cooler.

After lunch, we headed back to the parking garage by way of this awesome food store called Feinkost Böhm.  As God is my witness, I had never seen this place before, despite my many trips to downtown Stuttgart over the past year.

This place is a haven for upscale food shoppers and sushi lovers…

You could have a ball in here, as long as you bring plenty of cash.

They have mushroom butter and lemon butter…

And lots of milks…

Chocolate of all sorts…

And a very impressive (and expensive) wine selection, complete with someone there to help you pick something out. 

Got cheese?

And coffee, although they didn’t have my precious Peet’s…  😉

Lots of fish, though it appeared to be mostly stuff you can easily find in Germany.  There’s also a sushi bar.

And you can even get Pepperidge Farm cookies, although you will pay much more for them than you would at the commissary.

Nice looking meats…

Oils, vinegars, and olives…

And a generous produce section.

 

Although I was a little tempted to pick up a few things, we didn’t end up buying anything today.  However, I can see us bringing some bags and doing a shopping run at some point in the future when we feel especially indulgent.  I’d like to try the sushi bar at the very least.  It’s been ages since I’ve had any.

We had a very nice afternoon in Stuttgart and will need to have another lunch date again sometime when we have the chance.

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A heavenly meal at Gasthof Krone in Waldenbuch…

For some reason, last night I got a bee in my bonnet and decided I wanted to try a bunch of fine dining restaurants in the coming week.  I went on OpenTable.de and reserved tables at three different restaurants in the Stuttgart area.  Tonight’s pick was Gasthof Krone in lovely Waldenbuch.

Although we have heard a lot about Waldenbuch and even visited there last fall when we had breakfast at the Ritter Sport Cafe, this was only our second ever visit to the town.  We never went to Waldenbuch at all when we were here the first time (07-09), though we did know a family that moved there after we’d all spent several weeks living at the Vaihinger Hof.  I remember hearing about how much they liked Waldenbuch and that definitely made me want to visit.

To be honest, I picked Gasthof Krone because it got good ratings on OpenTable and it had plenty of availability for tonight.  I did not know when I booked that the restaurant has a Michelin Star, though I did notice that the menu is a bit pricey.  Nevertheless, Bill was game, so we enjoyed the scenic drive on an unfamiliar route from Jettingen through Herrenberg to Waldenbuch.

Parking was easy tonight.  We just parked outside a closed business.  I also noticed a bank across the street from the restaurant.  That was a significant observation.

The outside of the Gasthof Krone, close to the front door.

I actually wanted to get a shot of the unusual sculpture.  My German friend says it’s called “Der Geldscheisser“.  Some people may be more interested in the bank location…

Outside menu.

 

A kind lady greeted us when we arrived at the already bustling restaurant just before our 7:00pm reservation.  I could see the place is very popular with locals.  I highly recommend reservations, which are easy to arrange through OpenTable.de.  Every table was taken tonight and, though it was an expensive meal, it was worth every euro.  Our server started speaking German to us, but graciously switched to English after asking if we preferred it.  Her English was impeccable and she patiently told us what everything was as she served each course.

Bill checks out the menu while I try not to be too conspicuous with my camera.

 

The same waitress who greeted us offered an aperitif.  Though they had several sparkling wines and Champagnes by the glass, I decided to have a locally made sekt that turned out to be very good.  Bill had a refreshing sparkling apple cider.

The three kinds of bread were delicious.  It was served with a small dish of olive oil and a quark and horseradish spread that was surprisingly good, even for me.  I usually look sideways at stuff like quark.  I especially loved the bread, though.  I could tell it was going to be a good night by how good the bread was.

 

Bill ordered a delicious red wine from southern France, his favorite wine region.  It was the 2014 Petit Taurau.  I will have to look for it locally, because it was really lovely and would be the perfect antidote for a bad day.  It had a marvelous bouquet and bold, jammy, spicy flavors.

The amuse.  We had a small shot of a hot soup made with curry and seasonal fruits.  That was surprisingly tasty.  Then we had a sliver of salmon on a dollop of mayonnaise and topped with something pickled that reminded me a little of ginger, but wasn’t.  Finally, there was a cauliflower mousse with a mild soft cheese and plum jelly…  My favorite of the three, by far, was the soup.  I could have eaten a whole bowl and walked out happy.

My starter was fabulous!  It was very fresh tuna topped with a huge phyllo wrapped shrimp.  Little bits of sashimi surrounded it with dots of avocado and mango and bright green roe, which gave the dish a festive appeal.  This was very pricey at 18 euros, but it was definitely not an insubstantial dish.

Bill’s consomme, which was made with chicken stock, chicken, and bits of enoki mushrooms.  I didn’t try it because I think mushrooms suck.  Bill loved it, though.  The chicken stock was served in a tea kettle and poured over the chicken and mushrooms.

My main course was monkfish with risotto, green and white asparagus, and white garlic.  It was delicious and very fresh, but quite filling.  I especially loved the asparagus, which is in season now.  The risotto was absolutely perfect.

Bill had lambchops with a carrot, dumplings, and carrot puree.  I tried his lamb, which I don’t usually enjoy.  It was extremely tender and had a lovely flavor.  Not too gamey!

 

As we were eating, the last available table, which was right next to ours, was occupied.  I wouldn’t normally mention it, but the two guys who sat next to us appeared to be deaf.  They were using sign language throughout the meal.  I noticed that the wait staff seemed to know them and spoke slowly so they could read lips.

Naturally, all the water, wine and bubbly I had made me need to use the ladies room more than once.  I mention this for those who might want to book a table at Gasthof Krone.  There is a flight of stairs to climb in order to get to the bathrooms.  The stairs appear to be very old and may present a challenge for those who have mobility issues.  Also, the ladies room had a couple of unexpected steps that could trip up someone not paying attention.

For dessert, Bill enjoyed what I deemed the perfect sweet fix for a woman with PMS.  It was chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream.  Curiously, the dish also included two small red beet discs.  Bill isn’t a beet fan and said they didn’t do anything for the dish other than add to the color.  Other than that, his dessert was a real winner.

I had cheesecake with red currant sorbet, vanilla cream, and rhubarb.  I enjoyed my dessert very much, but I must admit I liked Bill’s better.  There were two other tempting desserts available, either of which I am sure I would have loved.  They also had sorbet.

 

Those who want to get really fancy can enjoy a tasting menu of up to six courses for 70+ euros a person.  I think that would have put me over the edge of comfort!  But we did notice several large groups enjoying a tasting menu.  There were also a couple of very young kids in the restaurant, though the menu is definitely NOT kid friendly.  They do have selections for vegetarians, though to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to the vegetarian menu.  😉

The service at Gasthof Krone was outstanding.  Never once did we have to pour our own wine or water and every piece of silverware was meticulously replaced with each course.  The servers worked hard, but were not stressed or rushed.  They seemed to take a lot of pride in making sure everything was just right.  I also noticed the waitress tasting wines before she served them, which is a very smart thing to do, if only because it helps avoid embarrassment and probably gets her through the more difficult evenings…

Candies that came with the bill…  On the bill, it said they only take EC debit cards or cash.  When Bill mentioned it to the waitress, she admitted they could handle credit cards, but clearly preferred not to.  Our bill was 182 euros before the tip.  Had we needed to, we probably could have found an ATM at the bank across the street.  Next time we go, we will bring plenty of cash.  And there probably WILL be a next time.  This was one very nice meal and while it was expensive, we’ve spent more money elsewhere in the Stuttgart area.

 

Gasthof Krone’s chef, Patrick Giboin, is leaving on June 30th.  His post will be assumed by Erik Metzger on July 1st.  The restaurant has a terrace that is open when the weather is nice. 

 

All in all, we had a wonderful dinner at Gasthof Krone.  The food is sophisticated and very creatively prepared and presented.  I would recommend it for a date night or a special occasion, but be sure to make reservations and carry plenty of cash if you don’t have an EC card.  You can use a credit card there, but I could see that they’d rather you didn’t.

Gasthof Krone looks like before it was a fancy eatery, there were probably many schnitzels served there.  The interior has the look of a small town gasthaus.  Though some people were wearing smart casual clothes, others were dressed in jeans.  However, the food and service are definitely many notches above what I’d expect at my neighborhood gasthaus.  It really is a first class place to have a meal.  Highly recommended!

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Repost of my review of Der Zauberlehrling in Stuttgart, Germany…

Bill and I dined at this restaurant last time we lived in Germany.  I’m reposting it for the curious and those looking for a nice place for dinner in the Stuttgart area.

Kitchen sorcery at Der Zauberlehrling Restaurant

Mar 24, 2008 (Updated Apr 9, 2008)
Review by   

Rated a Very Helpful Review

  • User Rating: Excellent

  • Food and Presentation:  
  • Ambiance and Decor: 
  • Quality of Service: 

Pros:Excellent food. OpenTable.com subscriber. Good service. TV in the men’s room.

Cons:A bit expensive.

The Bottom Line: If you have the means, Der Zauberlehrling can offer you a truly magical meal.

Since my husband Bill and I moved to Germany, we’ve really missed eating out at fine restaurants. It’s not because fine restaurants don’t exist in Germany; it’s just that we have a harder time finding them here than we did in the U.S. In the States, Bill and I used OpenTable.com to discover places to eat fine food. I was pretty sure I’d be giving up OpenTable.com once we moved to Europe.

What is OpenTable.com?

OpenTable.com is an online service that allows diners to reserve tables at restaurants that accept reservations. I discovered OpenTable.com in 2002, when I turned 30. I wanted to find a nice place to celebrate my birthday and searched on the Internet for restaurants in the Washington, DC area. OpenTable.com came up first on my search. I liked what I saw and have been faithfully using it ever since. OpenTable.com is still not available everywhere, but new restaurants are catching on to the service and it’s now expanding internationally.

I recently discovered that OpenTable.com is available on a limited basis in Germany. That’s what led me to try out Der Zauberlehrling, a wonderful fine restaurant in Stuttgart. At this writing, Der Zauberlehring is the lone restaurant in the Stuttgart area that is a member of OpenTable.

What is Der Zauberlehrling?

Der Zauberlehrling translates to “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and is a reference to an old ballad by the German writer, Goethe.  Der Zauberlehrling is also the name of a small boutique hotel and restaurant in central Stuttgart, Germany owned and operated by Karen and Axel Heldmann. Although we were tempted, Bill and I did not get a chance to stay at the hotel because we live fairly close to Stuttgart. Instead, we went to Der Zauberlehrling on Saturday, February 16, 2008, looking for good food and good times.

First impressions

The restaurant and hotel are located near the Charlottenplatz area of Stuttgart. Though parking is available nearby, we decided to park our car in a parking garage on the outskirts of Stuttgart and take the U-bahn to the restaurant so we could digest our meals and process our wine a bit before the drive home.

The hotel’s lobby is warm and welcoming, with a beautiful fireplace, a flat screen television, and a couple of modern looking couches. A pleasant young man named Brian greeted us and took our coats. It was 7:00pm and we were the first ones to arrive for dinner. We were seated in the restaurant’s one tiny dining room. As we sat down at our table, Bill and I noticed the very cool looking eternal flame next to one of the walls. Brian gave us menus, which were in German and English.

The food

Despite the German name Der Zauberlehrling, serves international fare. Both tasting and a la carte menus are available. I was slightly perplexed by the menu because it wasn’t obviously divided into sections. Luckily Brian, who spoke some English, was able to tell us about the four course daily special, which Bill and I both ended up ordering. I made one substitution, because the main course for the special was veal and I don’t like veal. I opted to substitute a skray (a type of cod fish) entree for the veal and was very happy with my choice. Bill also ordered a very fancy bottle of sparkling water and some Spanish red wine. While we waited for the first course, we nibbled on rolls garnished with very light olive oil.

Our meal began with a very small portion of octopus pepper salad and a tiny cup of soup made with Thai curry. The salad was about two forkfuls worth, with one little piece of octopus on top. The soup, which was absolutely delicious, was served in a demitasse sized cup. It looked like a cappuccino, complete with white foam on top and tasted slightly salty, with a wonderful zesty spice that was a great touch with the salad. Normally, I wouldn’t want to eat octopus, but this little amuse was suprisingly good.

We both enjoyed a delicious salad made of turbot, a buttery, flavorful fish. The fish was served with greens bundled by a very thin piece of crispy potato that had been shaped into a ring. The potato had the texture of a potato chip. The fish was drizzled with light orange and garnished with a heavenly basil/herb butter. I’m not usually much of a salad eater, but this was really delicious and beautifully presented.

Next came the main courses. Bill had veal set atop roasted vegetables. I had the skray, roasted with mustard and served with spicy white beans, black bean paste, and two topinambur stroudels. I’m not really sure what the stroudels were made of– at first, they looked like white asparagus stalks, but they were actually more like fried piroshkis. Bill and I enjoyed our dinners, even though it occurred to me that my entree alone, priced at 33 euros, cost about the equivalent of 50 US dollars!

Dessert was also excellent, consisting of a small plate of chocolate, white chocolate, and vanilla sweets. There was a tiny chocolate molten cake dusted with powdered sugar, a little sliver of flourless chocolate cake garnished with gold flecks, two mini pieces of vanilla ice cream, a small scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a tiny dollop of white chocolate mousse. I know the dessert sounds like it was a lot, but it was actually just enough to leave us full and contented.

Vegetarian selections are also available.

The other patrons

On the night we visited Der Zauberlehrling, Bill and I were the only Americans in the very small dining room. At 7:00, we were the only ones seated, but within the hour, the place was packed. Noting how many people showed up for dinner that night, I was glad I’d made reservations. As we were eating, a man dressed in a chef’s outfit (the owner, I presume), was schmoozing with everyone. He spoke English and was nice to Bill and me.

Although the food is very fine, Der Zauberlehrling doesn’t seem to have a dress code. Bill and I were dressed up, but we saw other people who were dressed in jeans. The restaurant’s emphasis appears to be on the food, not so much on the ambiance or being seen. We did not see any children or dogs in this restaurant, though I’m sure either would have been accommodated. I think this restaurant is suitable for a romantic evening, but keep in mind that the dining room is very small and it can get noisy when it’s packed. In any case, I noticed mostly couples eating dinner the night we were there.

TV in the men’s room?

The ladies room was clean, well lit, and well stocked. Bill also visited the men’s room, and when he came back, he was shaking his head in disbelief, explaining that there was a small flatscreen TV mounted over the urinals playing a black and white movie with the sound muted. I can only guess the owners decided to give the guys something to look at as they tended to business, though the ladies room did not have a TV in it.

The bill

Our two dinners cost about 180 euros, which is over $200 by today’s exchange rate. Admittedly, it wasn’t a cheap meal, but we did have wine and sparkling water that came to us in a fancy bottle. The water alone cost over $10. I noticed that we were the only ones who had water that looked like it was in a perfume bottle; everyone else had bottled water that came in plainer containers.  Der Zauberlehrling accepts credit cards, but we paid in cash.

Final impressions

Bill and I had a very nice time at Der Zauberlehrling and will probably visit again, especially since the restaurant offers cooking classes and special packages that include a night’s stay in the hotel. I’m a big fan of OpenTable.com and want to reward the owners for subscribing, especially since I’d like to see more restaurants in Germany jump on the OpenTable bandwagon. The food at Der Zauberlehrling is very expensive, but we thought it was worth the extra cost because it was among the best meals we’ve had since we moved to Germany. If you’re in Stuttgart and you like fine food, you might want to check out Der Zauberlehrling.

Der Zauberlehrling’s official Web site: http://www.zauberlehrling.de/


Recommend this product? Yes

Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Turbot salad, skray, dessert
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening
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Silo Elevated Cuisine… Alamo Heights

I recently purchased three new dresses.  Why I purchased them, I don’t really know.  I don’t really have a need for them, since Bill and I don’t go out on “dates” that often.  They are a little too sexy for a workplace, not that I plan to be in one anytime soon.  And if Bill doesn’t find a job, we will be too poor for dates anyway.  But anyway, we did decide to go out last night, so I wore my new navy blue dress.  I looked like this…

Yes, there was a little retouching on this photo.  Other than that, though, it’s all me.

 

We decided to try Silo Elevated Cuisine in Alamo Heights.  Silo also has a second location on 1604 Loop, a big road not far from where we live.  Alamo Heights is apparently the original location.  The other one on 1604 is in a rather upscale strip mall, while the Alamo Heights location is in kind of a yucky part of San Antonio, right before you get to the nicer, older neighborhoods.  One thing I immediately liked about Silo was that there was plenty of free parking.  Valet parking is also available behind the building.

We got a little turned around.  Silo is at the rear of the building, but there’s also a small plates restaurant called Nosh at the front that is probably owned by the same folks.  I actually liked the looks of Nosh and would happily try it one day.  They had lots of Belgian beer, which always impresses me.  We passed through Silo’s rather cool but mostly unattended bar area to get to the restaurant and met a pretty hostess who checked us in.  To get to Silo’s dining room, you have to take an elevator up one floor.  I guess that’s why they call it “elevated cuisine”.  Cute.

The dining room was a bit dimly lit and I could hear some cheesy music playing over the sound system.  I would have preferred something a little more avant garde or dynamic or even new age.  A man met us at the elevator and seated us at a two-top right next to a table for four.  I noticed Silo’s dining room is kind of small and there aren’t a lot of intimate places to sit.  Booths are in short supply.  No matter.  Bill and I wouldn’t be doing anything naughty anyway.  I got a view of the open kitchen and the wait staff, while Bill got to watch people coming on and off the elevator.

Our waiter’s name was Barney and he was obviously practiced at his craft.  He delivered his specials perfectly from memory.  I was silently applauding him, since I used to struggle with that when I waited tables.  Bill ordered a bottle of wine and I asked for a glass of champagne while we perused the menu.  At around this time, the lights kept going up and down.  I told Bill that at the restaurant where I once worked, when the lights went down, the prices went up about 50%.

I love getting a little bottle of champagne…

This was the wine Bill selected.  It was okay, though not particularly exciting.

 

Silo has a prix fixed menu that offers two courses for $29.  You can get a third course with a $3 supplement.  It’s a pretty good deal, since several of the dishes on the a la carte menu are available.  Bill and I decided to skip the prix fixe menu, though, and try something more adventurous.

I started with a spinach salad.  It had a sherry vinaigrette, raspberries, dried apricots, and applewood smoked bacon.  It was garnished with “crispy brie”, which was really just a fancy name for a cheese stick.  I really enjoyed the brie, though I wasn’t all that impressed by the way the salad was presented.  It was like a pile of leaves with layers of stuff under them.  It tasted good, though, and is keeping me regular.

Bill had the soup of the day, which was a white bean with bacon and Swiss chard.  It was very good, though it reminded me a little of Bean with Bacon soup.  Note the bread, which was outstanding.  There was wheat and some kind of cheese bread in there.  Yum!

For dinner, I had a pork shank with green chile “mac n’ cheese”, spinach, and some kind of creme fraiche.  This was way too much for me to finish, but I was impressed with how it fell off the bone.  It was garnished with a tasty cherry sauce which complemented the meat very well.  I look forward to enjoying the leftovers later.

 

About halfway through our meal, three ladies sat at the four top next to our table.  I could see they were eyeing our entrees.

Bill had the special, which was lamb.  It came with mashed Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, and spinach.  I don’t like lamb much, but I tasted his and it was very tender, smokey, and flavorful.  If not for the slightly gamey taste all lamb seems to have, I might have preferred his dish to mine.

For dessert, I had vanilla bean cheesecake.  It was absolutely delicious… not too heavy or dense.

Bill had the signature “toasted coconut pie”, which had a crust made of Belgian chocolate painted macadamia nuts.  It was really yummy, though I think I liked the cheesecake better.  It wasn’t as sweet as the coconut pie was.  Bill said Barney “didn’t oversell it”.

As the ladies sat at the table next to ours, a couple at a four top on the other side of us were telling their waiter what they did and didn’t like.  The lady sounded as critical as I am.  😉

Outside of the restaurant.

We spent about $185 before the tip.  Barney gave us outstanding service, so Bill tipped him accordingly.  I thought Silo was worth the money and would definitely go back.  It was great to get out last night.  I hope we can do it again soon.

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