Tag Archives: Kemnat

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Ristorante Campioni– tennis anyone?

Apologies in advance.  I forgot to bring my camera or my phone last night when we went out to dinner.  That’s too bad, because we enjoyed a very nice meal at Ristorante Campioni, an Italian restaurant maybe a couple of miles from our temporary apartment.  We went there because the two restaurants closest to us are closed for vacation and we wanted to try something new.  The lady who owns the apartment we’re in recommended Ristorante Campioni, which is a fine establishment right next to a tennis club.

Bill and I really should have made reservations.  When we walked into the place at around 7:00, it was humming with business.  I noticed many of the tables were reserved.  By the time we left at about 8:45 or so, the place was pretty much packed.  Most everyone was dressed casually and I saw several kids there apparently enjoying a nice dinner after playing tennis.

The menu is in Italian and German (an English menu is on their Web site) and offers everything from pizza and pasta to impressive fish, duck, and veal dishes.  There’s a wine list and a full bar.  And if you’re lucky, you can sit by a window that overlooks indoor tennis courts.

Although Bill and I like to splurge when the mood strikes, we ended up going simple last night.  I had a salami pizza and Bill had penne pasta with a spicy tomato and basil sauce.  We washed it down with a bottle of Primitivo, otherwise known as Zinfandel and San Pellegrino.  Both of our meals were under ten euros and neither of us could finish them.

My salami pizza was made with a perfect crust, a thin layer of sauce, a layer of cheese, and large slices of sliced salami.  I had heard from Samantha Brown on Passport to Europe that you shouldn’t take a knife and fork to Italian pizza, though I noticed that’s what the Germans around me were doing.  I gave up on eating pizza the American way when some lady gave me a dirty look.

Bill really enjoyed his pasta.  He said the sauce had a zing to it and tasted very fresh.  I didn’t try his pasta because I had pasta for lunch.  Still, it looked delicious and I probably would have liked it myself.

I noticed other people getting some impressive looking dishes.  One couple ordered a very impressive grilled fish.  My eyes got big when they brought it out on a sizzling platter.  I know I would not have been able to eat the whole thing.  I love fresh fish, especially the way the Italians prepare it.

We decided to have dessert.  Bill went with his usual tiramisu, which was a very good choice at Ristorante Campioni.  It was light, creamy, and really hit the spot after his spicy pasta dish.  I decided to be brave and ordered the Cassata Siciliana, which turned out to be an ice cream treat.  My dessert consisted of very rich chocolate and vanilla ice cream with what tasted like cherries and lemon rind impregnated within it.  It was garnished with strawberries, a persimmon, and chocolate syrup.

The bill came to 44 euros and, I think, was well worth the cost.  Service was friendly, competent, and attentive and the food was great.  If we go back, I will definitely try something more adventurous than pizza!  And we will definitely make reservations!  Ristorante Campioni is definitely a popular place with the locals!

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Super cheap eats in Kemnat…

Last night, Bill and I decided to eat dinner in town because he was super tired from his trip to Chad and we didn’t really have much in the apartment by the way of dinner fixings.  It appears that the two main restaurants, Hermes and Krone, were closed last night.  They probably went on vacation, as is very common for restaurant folks to do in Germany during August.  They just close up for two or three weeks and recharge.  Personally, I think that’s a great thing.  I’ve worked in restaurants and they can be pretty horrible if you want to have a life outside of work.  I think it’s very healthy that restaurant owners in Germany take a break.  Ultimately, it’s probably healthier for their patrons, too.

But given that we were in need of food last night, we had to find somewhere to dine.  We ended up at a little hole in the wall bar/bistro obviously owned by Greeks.  There were two rowdy tables of older folks there, holding court, drinking beer, and smoking.  And when we walked in, the proprietor very kindly greeted us as we chose a table toward the back (away from the smoke).

At first, it seemed a little awkward in there… almost like we were crashing a party.  But the regulars were actually very nice and eventually seemed kind of welcoming.  One said “Guten appetit!” on his way to the restroom.  And talk about cheap eats!  Everything on the menu was priced at 5.50.

No frills eats!

This is what we got when we ordered the gyros! 

 

I wasn’t able to eat all of this… and it was a little saltier than I like it.  On the other hand, for 5.50 euros, it was quite a bargain and it was pretty good considering how cheap it was!  We each enjoyed a couple of beers, which were also very reasonably priced.  I can see why the locals like this place so much.  I left there reeking of cigarette smoke, but I’d go back for the atmosphere.  There was a large TV on the wall behind us tuned to action movies with Greek subtitles.

On the way back, we stopped at Netto!, the local mini mart, to pick up some Viennetta.  I took a photo of the mural on the building opposite the store.

 

The mini mart was interesting.  They had a lot of beer, wine, frozen foods, and a small produce section.  One could also purchase hard liquor there.  And there was a lady ahead of us who was apparently determined to pay entirely in small change!

And this very pretty traditional building, that appears to be part of a church…

 

We came back to the apartment with our ice cream treat.  I always get a thrill in Germany when we find Viennetta.  It used to be available in the United States and was marketed by Breyer’s.  Now it’s marketed by Unilever.  One thing Europeans do right is ice cream.

Yum!

Bill is without a rental car right now, so I guess we’ll be holed up in the apartment again today.  Bummer.  But at least we now know where a good local dive is for super cheat eats!

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A review of Krone gasthaus in Kemnat, Germany…

We had a hell of a time getting dinner last night.  Zane and Arran (our beagles) were more wound up than usual and really needed to burn off some steam, owing to the rainy weather yesterday morning.  Consequently, when Bill and I decided we wanted to go out to eat, they pitched a royal fit.  It took about fifteen minutes to get them to quiet down enough for us to walk up the street to a local gasthaus called Krone.

Krone is in the Ostfildern area and is located maybe 200 meters from the apartment we’re temporarily staying in right now.  I was curious about it, since it looked like it had a lot of charm.  Last night, it was bustling with folks, many of whom appeared to be faithful regulars.  The staff was very cheery as people came and went and the place had a very friendly vibe.

Though Bill spoke German to the waiter who greeted us, it was apparently very obvious to him that we are English speakers and he quickly switched to excellent English as he invited us to choose a table.  The menu was only in German and the waiter apologized about this, though Bill and I have gotten relatively good at deciphering menus that aren’t in English.  In a way, I prefer having a German menu because I find that I try more interesting dishes that way.  That’s definitely what happened last night.  Not knowing everything that is in a dish and not wanting to ask makes me a little braver– though I did make sure there were no mushrooms in my selection.

There were a few items on the menu that were not available and at least one of the specials, a wild boar dish, was sold out by the time we were ready to order.  This restaurant features a lot of meat and game dishes and we were told that in some dishes, they use beef that comes from cows that are shot rather than slaughtered.  Shooting the cow is less stressful to them than slaughtering them, which supposedly results in meat that is more tender.

After an amuse of black olive and tuna tapenade, I started with a typical Schwabish soup called fladlesuppe, which consisted of clear beef broth, chives, and little strips of pancakes.  It was very comforting and tasty and didn’t fill me up for the main course.  I paired my meal with a pint of keller beer, which was of excellent quality, even if it wasn’t the most exciting brew I’ve ever had.

It kind of reminded me a little of won ton soup… only with pancakes instead of won tons…

Next came our main courses.  I had “ochsenbrust” and Bill had “rostbraten”.  Bill’s beef was the beef that came from a cow that was shot rather than slaughtered.  As far as I know, my beef came from a regularly slaughtered cow.

 

Bill’s beef, which came with pfifferlingen mushrooms, gravy, and croquettes…  This dish was 25 euros, which is a lot of money.  However, Bill did enjoy it very much.  I didn’t taste it because I think mushrooms are of the devil…  Apparently mushrooms are a big deal at Krone, particularly the type that Bill enjoyed last night.  I wish I liked them, but I just don’t.  

 

The ochsenbrust turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  The way the waiter described this dish, I was expecting it to be accompanied by regular radishes.  But actually, the sauce was made of horseradish, which made a very good accompaniment to the super tender beef.  It was accompanied by fried potatoes.  The horseradish sauce wasn’t too strong, though my sinuses did clear a couple of times when I got a stronger than usual dose of the stuff.  I was most impressed by the beef, which I could cut with a fork.  This was a very different meal for me and I enjoyed it very much.  It was priced at about 13 euros.

 

We were pretty full after dinner, but I was still wanting something sweet.  So when the waiter asked us about dessert, I found myself saying yes…

 

My dessert consisted of little pancakes served with fresh fruit, jam, and a little scoop of lavender ice cream.  It was absolutely delightful!  I was almost swayed by a dish of ice cream, but the waiter reminded me that I could get ice cream anywhere… and of course, he was right!  Despite being full, I managed to eat the whole thing.  Good thing I skipped lunch yesterday.

Bill had maple ice cream served with an egg liqueur.  He had never had egg liqueur and he said he liked it because it was “interesting”.  I have a feeling this liqueur was house made with raw egg yolks and booze, but I don’t know this for sure.  Both desserts were manageable and delicious, though I know I didn’t need the calories!

 

The total bill came to 62 euros, which was probably more than we needed to spend.  But I have to admit, it was a very good meal and I would not hesitate to go back for another meal there.  I especially enjoyed the creative presentation of the food, which took regular German gasthaus fare to a higher level.  I can see why the locals enjoy this place so much.

Krone also rents rooms, so if you’re too full or too drunk to drive home, you can probably arrange to spend the night!

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