Tag Archives: Nagold

Baden-Württemberg, Nagold

Denn’s Biomarkt… where have you been all my life?

I know, I know…  I’ve been living in Germany for awhile now and Denn’s Biomarkt is a chain with locations all over the place.  I kept meaning to stop at one, but never got around to it.  Today, Bill and I decided to go to Nagold to shop for groceries.  We usually go to the Real or Aldi in Jettingen, but I felt like a change.

Although we were planning to hit the very nice Edeka in Nagold, I spotted a Denn’s Biomarkt location.  It had a huge parking lot that allowed free parking for up to 90 minutes.  Plenty of spots were open, so we pulled in and had a look.

I was immediately impressed by how quiet the place was…

There was lots of fresh produce and the lighting was very pleasant.  It was much nicer than the harsh, depressing lighting at the Real.

I was intrigued by this product for kids, although I didn’t pick any up.

They had a cheese counter, as well as this case of nice cheeses from around Europe.

And there was also plenty of wine from around Europe, including some enticing ones from Spain and Italy.

The wine of the month!

Fresh eggs!  

And, if the need arises, you can even buy socks, t-shirts, and underwear made of organic cotton.  They had a nice cosmetics area with a lot of natural products, as well as a small selection of organic pet foods and treats.

They even had fair trade chocolate eggs with toys in them.  I got one and will have to see what the prize is.  Hopefully, I won’t choke on it.  😉

And there’s a bulletin board advertising everything from rental properties to pets looking for homes.

I really enjoyed shopping at Denn’s Biomarkt today.  They offer some very nice products.  I noticed the store was particularly vegan friendly, which may be useful for some readers.  I also liked the fact that the store wasn’t too big or chaotic the way the Real is sometimes.

Unfortunately, we still ended up visiting the Real when Bill decided he wanted to make some hummus for lunch.  We also had a rack of empty water bottles to offload.  Many people who read this blog live in Germany and no doubt already know what is involved with returning racks of bottles at a German grocery store.  For those who don’t, I took a couple of pictures.

You put the rank in the bottom part.  It gets read.  A receipt for the “pfand” is printed…

You take the receipt and hand it in to the cashier when you check out.  The money you paid for the pfand is refunded.

I thought this dinosaur was funny.  Reminded me of a reverse Barney.  Of course, I always hated Barney…  Baby Bop perhaps?  

I must admit, I got a little sad walking through the store in Nagold, thinking about how much I enjoy that town and realizing that I may have to move again soon.  Or, maybe not…  I suspect I will mourn the missed opportunity of moving to Italy, too, if it turns out we stay here.  What a ridiculous problem to have.

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A beautiful day in the neighborhood…

We have beautiful weather in southwestern Germany today.  Since the sun was shining, Bill and I decided to head to Nagold for lunch.  Today we ate at Luz Bistro, which has become one of our favorite local restaurants over the past few years.  We sat outside and were immediately presented with the latest specials.  Right now on the weekends, Luz Bistro is offering a grill menu and an asparagus menu.  Although I wasn’t thinking of having steak when we sat down, I noticed the grill set up outside by the terrace.  We’ve always had good experiences with grilled dishes at Luz Bistro, so Bill and I decided to go for it.  I had the rib eye and Bill had a filet.  They also had roast beef and wurst.

 

Bill enjoys the sunshine and a hefeweizen.

Both steaks came with green salads, complete with potato salad underneath.  The dressing was light, creamy, and garlicky.

Bill’s filet was 180 grams and cooked to a perfect medium temperature.  The steak came with baked potato covered with sour cream and herb butter.

My 250 gram rib eye was absolutely delicious.  In fact, I think it may have been the best steak I’ve had in Germany yet, even better than at Christophorus.  I don’t like sour cream, so they kindly put it on the side for me.  I think that steak was cooked over charcoal.  It was outstanding.

My dish was priced at 40 euros while Bill’s was 37 euros.  However, for that money, we got a lot of food that we weren’t able to finish!  Total bill for our lunches and beers was about 85 euros before the tip.  While we were eating, we got to watch a lot of kids and dogs playing in one of Nagold’s many fountains.

The fountain in this picture is where lots of kids and dogs play.

Whenever someone in the Pups of Stuttgart Facebook group asks about where to take their water loving dogs, I always suggest Nagold.  Not only do dogs get to play in the fountains, they also play in the river pictured below.  At the end of this post, I will include a short movie I took last summer of a guy who brought his three dogs to play there.

Today, I didn’t see dogs in the river, but I did see lots of people soaking their feet in the water.

 

More dogs in fountains!

After you’re finished letting your dog swim, you can stop by the Longwy bar for a drink… or maybe take a hookah break.

This was the line to get into Nagold’s awesome pool.  It was packed!

 

No hookahs allowed.

I’m dying to try that slide, but on a day when it’s not so busy!

 

I have really come to love Nagold since we’ve lived in Jettingen.  If we end up moving to Italy this summer, I am sure I’m going to miss Nagold and the rest of Germany.  The thought of moving fills me with dread, even though I do love the idea of living in Italy.  We’ll see what happens.  For now, I think we’ll just enjoy what we have here.

If your dog is a swimmer, you might want to visit Nagold.

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Food orgy at Osteria da Gino in Nagold…

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

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

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

Bill prepares for a wonderful meal.

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

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

 

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

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

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

Octopus, served warm with super fresh lemon…

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

Bill takes a break as we wait for dessert.

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

 

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

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

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

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Baden-Württemberg, Nagold

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

Unfortunately, the Alte Post is now closed.

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

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

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

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

I love this old building and its ornate decorations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Nagold

Another lunch at Luz Bistro and a trip to Media Markt…

ETA in 2025: Luz Bistro is now closed.

Our microwave gave up the ghost a few days ago.  We have no idea how old it is; we bought it from the people who lived in our house before us.  It was a basic model though, probably readily accessible at AAFES.  I use the microwave a lot during the week when I heat up leftovers for lunch, so it was a real bummer that the thing died on us.

Fortunately, we recently discovered that the nearby town of Nagold has a Media Markt.  Media Markt is basically like a European version of Best Buy.  Rather than trying to fix our used microwave, we decided to buy a new one.  An added bonus is that Nagold is one of our favorite little towns and boasts some nice restaurants, including Luz Bistro at the Alte Post.

I have blogged about Luz Bistro several times.  We’ve been there probably half a dozen times and we’ve never been disappointed with the food or the service.  I also like it because it’s rarely crowded, probably because the food isn’t cheap.  Although Luz Bistro doesn’t offer cheap eats, I have never felt we paid more than we should have.

Nagold was busy today because the market was going on.  I was a little sorry we didn’t make time to pick up some fresh goodies.  Maybe next weekend we’ll go.

We arrived at Luz at a little bit past noon.  A very charming and delightful waitress greeted us and invited us to sit where we wanted.  We selected a two top near the window, which seems to be where we always end up sitting when we’re not outside on the terrace.  When the waitress discovered we were English speakers, she offered us menus in English.  We told her German menus were fine.  The truth is, I probably ought to take the English menus more often!  However, I did manage to pick a great lunch today, despite having to clarify that I was ordering fish and not something I wouldn’t like.

Bill and I decided to have beer today instead of our usual wine…  

My lunch was delicious!  It was skrei, which is a lovely mild white fish from Norway.  It reminds me a bit of turbot or flounder.  The chef paired it with sinfully buttery mashed potatoes, foam, and topped with greens and scallions.  I really enjoyed it, although I had to cry uncle on the mashed potatoes.  They were so good, but a bit rich. 

Bill went with bratwurst and potato salad, accompanied by mustard.  He liked his lunch, too.  He said it reminded him of the wurst he enjoyed in Bavaria during his first Germany tour in the 1980s (before my time, obviously).  He couldn’t finish the potato salad.

For dessert, Bill had espresso.

I had “a bowl full of chocolate”.  Seriously, that’s what it was called in the menu.  It was basically very cold chocolate mousse and whipped cream served in what looked like a mixing bowl.  The whipped cream dollops had little madeleines on them.  The dessert was very light, which I appreciated.

 

After we finished lunch, we made reservations to eat at the Alte Post’s formal restaurant for next weekend.  As nice as Luz Bistro is, the Alte Post also has a more formal eatery which offers up to seven courses.  I look forward to returning and reporting after we try it.  It will be our first time.

Then, after we made reservations for next week’s Saturday dinner, we went to the Bauhaus/Media Markt in Nagold.  We lived here for over a year before we knew it existed!  But this shopping area actually has a lot of stores, including an Aldi, Deichmann’s, and a Kaufland, as well as a McDonald’s.

After searching briefly, we found the microwaves and ended up coming home with one that is a combination convection oven and grill.  I’m hoping I like it.  It’s bound to be a step up from our basic microwave that just bit the dust.  Bill is also going to try out his new toy, the Anova Precision Cooker.  I got it for him for Christmas, but it only just arrived.  And tomorrow, he will be brewing beer for the first time since we left Texas.  Should be a happy time!

This place was a madhouse today!

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A Schlachtfest! And lunch in Nagold at Luz Bistro Bar…

A flyer about our local Schachtfest.  It was held at Willy-Dieterle Halle, here in Jettingen.

Here in Jettingen, we get a weekly newspaper that tells us what’s going on.  I have only recently started paying attention to it.  I noticed a few days ago that the local evangelical church was having a Schlachtfest today after church services.  I was curious about it, but when I mentioned the prospect of going to the festival to Bill, he was a bit skeptical.  Bill has had a rather distressing history with organized religion and was worried about being proselytized.

I asked my local German friend, Susanne, what I could expect if we went to the Schlachtfest.  She posted a link to a newspaper article about last year’s fest.  She said it was strictly to raise money and there wouldn’t be any pressure to get religious.  She said the cakes would be made by the Landfrauenverein (country women’s club) and would probably be amazing.

A Schlachtfest, for those who don’t know, is basically a festival dedicated to meat.  Historically, it involves the ceremonial slaughter of a pig.  The meat from the pig is then used to make schnitzel, sausages, and other meaty dishes.  At the one hosted in our town, there was a two hour lunch followed by coffee and cake and a concert put on by the local music club.

I pressured Bill about going to the fest, but we were a little slow on the draw.  We didn’t get to the Schlachtfest until it was well underway.  The parking lot was very full and things were in heavy swing.  I took a few photos, but was a little overwhelmed by the crowds.

Check out those cakes!  They looked awesome!  I probably should have gotten a piece to go.  We noticed they had a waffle station, too.

Most of the seats were taken.  There were a couple of tables with religious literature on them, but other than that, it looked like a regular fest, complete with wine and beer and a couple of crosses on the stage.  No one tried to help us find Jesus.

The menu on the wall.  It looked like you’d pay, get a ticket, and then present the ticket to the ladies who were dishing out the food.  It smelled really good in there and I was tempted to partake, but it was after 1:00pm and the scene was a bit chaotic.  There were hundreds of people there having a good lunch.  I felt a little like I was in a school cafeteria.  So I told Bill I wanted to go to Nagold.

The parking lot was loaded.  Next time, we’ll come earlier.  They had games for kids in the lobby as well as a big coat rack.  I love how civilized things are in Germany.

 

We went to Nagold and had lunch at Luz Bistro Bar/Alte Post.  We’ve eaten at this restaurant a few times and have never been disappointed.  Today’s lunch was especially lovely.

Bill checks out the flyer on the table about Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, as well as wine dinners regularly hosted in Alte Post’s classy upstairs dining room.

We split a nice bottle of Barbera from the Piedmont region of Italy.

I had the Metzgerspiesse– basically pieces of pork on a skewer with barbecue sauce, lots of bacon, and sauteed onions.  A potato with sour cream completed the dish.

Bill had Schweinebackchen– basically braised pork with pureed potatoes and corn served in a copper pot.  I really liked my dish, but Bill’s was even better.  That pork was so tender and flavorful!  Bill was hesitant to order it at first, but he really enjoyed it.  Next time, I’ll probably go for this dish myself if they still have it!

We finished with a round of espresso.

And I had to take note of the unisex bathroom.  Don’t worry.  There are two rooms with stalls, but everyone washes their hands in the same place.  

 

Our bill for today’s sumptuous lunch was almost 80 euros.  It was well worth the price.  We definitely need to get to the Alte Post for a formal dinner.  I’ve enjoyed every meal I’ve had there and the service is always welcoming and professional.  If you are ever in Nagold, I highly recommend stopping in for a meal.

A nice shot of a Nagold church…

On the way back to the car, we passed Osteria da Gino’s, which is probably our favorite Nagold restaurant.  We always end up getting the degustation menu, so we never know what he has or the prices.  I took a picture of the menu posted outside (we are usually there after dark).  We haven’t been to see Gino since my birthday in June and are long overdue for a visit.

 

All in all, we had a nice afternoon.  Now we’re enjoying quiet time with another nice red.  Hope your Sunday is just as peaceful.  On another note, isn’t Schlachtfest a great word?  It ranks right up there with Stau and Schmutz in descriptiveness!

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Drinking at a fake German beach and eating at a real German restaurant…

Several months ago, Bill and I were in the charming city of Nagold when I noticed what looked like a fake German beach.  It had sand, beach chairs, umbrellas, tables, and a large bar area.  Summer was coming and obviously this was meant to resemble a beach bar for landlocked beach loving southern Germans.  At the time I noticed it, I made a mental note to come back and try the fake beach bar.  We finally made it to Anker Beach yesterday afternoon.  It happened to be Anker Beach’s last day of operation.  From what I could tell on their Facebook page, though Anker Beach has been in Nagold for four summers, it will not be back next year.

Before we visited the “beach”, I used the ladies room at the nearby Edeka and noticed that the soap dispenser has handy instructions on how a person might properly wash his or her hands.  I wonder how many people have actually paid attention to these directions helpfully laid out in diagrams. 

 

It was kind of an overcast afternoon and the temperatures were a bit cooler than they have been recently.  Bill and I took a seat on cushionless outdoor couches and started enjoying the last day of the Anker Beach Bar in Nagold…

As you can see, it wasn’t flooded with people right away…

There were lots of dirty ashtrays, too.

But we still enjoyed ourselves.

 

This was the drink menu.  I don’t think they had everything available.  You could order whole bottles of vodka or gin if you wanted, albeit at steep prices.

After some time, more people started showing up.

I finally tried an Aperol spritz.  It reminded me of fizzy orange Kool-Aid.

This next drink was very good… and very, very potent.  I’m pretty sure the bartender was unloading the last of his booze.  

All in all, though, the strandbar was a bit sad yesterday.  

We finally left as the sun was starting to sink.

 

Apparently, “beach bars” are a thing in Germany during the summer.  There’s also one in Sindelfingen at Breuningerland.

We thought about having dinner at our old friend Gino’s restaurant, but Gino wasn’t open last night.  So we went to a different restaurant instead, one we hadn’t tried before.  It was called Burg.  The food turned out to be very good.

Bill checks out the menu…  He had salmon and I had trout.

My trout came with this salad, which was very fresh and delicious.  Bill and I shared it.

This trout was sinfully delicious.  It tasted like it had come straight from the river and was cooked in butter.  The potatoes were also excellent.  I couldn’t finish all of this, but I wanted to.  I love fresh fish!

Bill was happy with his Scottish salmon, though I think he liked my trout better.  The salmon came with rice and simply prepared vegetables…

And naturally, we paired our fish with a lovely Pinot Grigio from the wine list.

This was dessert…  It was a digestive that tasted of earth after a good spring rain.  However, I probably should have had plain water.  Yesterday was a very boozy day for me.

And this was Bill’s dessert, the creamy sabayon of the house.  Sabayon is a light Italian mousse/custard.   It was delicious.

The menu outside.

I could see they had a nice looking biergarten, though it wasn’t open yesterday.

Nagold is such a pretty town, even at night.

The lady who waited on us was very friendly and offered excellent service.  We felt very welcome at Burg and would happily go back, especially now that the weather is cooling down.  The food at Burg is traditionally German, so it will stick to your ribs.  I also liked the charming interior of Burg.  There are lots of adorable eckbank groups in there.

Perhaps today, I will enjoy the rain and bum around as the weather turns into fall.

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Baden-Württemberg

Luz Bistro Bar vs. The Alte Post… (both are now closed)

So Bill and I recently noticed that the restaurant at the Alte Post seems to have changed names.  What we thought was the Alte Post restaurant is called the Luz Bistro Bar.  I looked at their Web site and it appeared that the Alte Post is a more formal restaurant, while Luz Bistro Bar is more casual.  They are run by the same people.

After our quick trip to Switzerland on Sunday, we were in no mood to cook.  So Bill and I went to Nagold and had a lovely dinner outside at the Luz Bistro Bar.  The weather was perfect for sitting outside.  We have actually eaten at this place at least three times and have enjoyed it each time.   But now I see we may have to go back and try what appears to be their nicer restaurant.

As for Sunday’s dinner, this is what we had…

Bill had a sauvignon blanc and I had a riesling…

Then he had a lovely grilled skewer with beef, onion, bacon, and a baked potato.  

I went with a beautifully prepared rib eye and pommes.  The steak was outstanding, though the pommes were rather ordinary.  

 

A lot of people were enjoying a pasta dish with truffles, which I could easily smell from several tables away.  I was tempted by the dorade, though I eat fish all the time.  Service was relaxed but professional.  English menus are available.

As we were leaving, I caught sight of the Vodaphone hot air balloon flying overhead.

 

I love living near Nagold.  I’m so glad we got to come back to the Stuttgart area and get to know more about what this part of Germany offers.  It’s great to be here.  I hope we can stay awhile longer.  And now that I know there’s more to the Alte Post, I will have to make a point of visiting so I can write a proper review.  It appears the Alte Post is only open Thursday through Saturday nights.  Luz Bistro Bar is open daily.  We’ll have to make plans!

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Sundays

Dogs, kids, brews, and ice cream in Nagold…

Bill and I gave serious thought to taking the train to Stuttgart this afternoon and catching the Hamburger Fischmarket and Africa Festival.  But we went to both events last year and were wary of big crowds.  I really didn’t feel like taking the train to the big city, nor did Bill feel like driving.  So we decided to go to Nagold for a couple of hours.  Turns out that was a good choice.  Nagold is a nice, laid back little town that offers pretty much all we need, anyway.

It looked they they were either setting up or tearing down a “beach” area.  No one was there today.  It was funny we passed this because earlier, I was talking about wanting to go to the beach.  ETA: My German friend Susanne says it’s the Anker Beach.  Guess we’ll be heading there soon!

Bill gives me a sly look as we wait for our lunch.

We shared a Greek Alsatian pizza.  I’m not usually too hot on these, but I wasn’t very hungry and didn’t want a big meal.  Sharing this was about right for us.

Although there was a kids’ football game we could have watched, I really just wanted to sit by the river and drink some beer.  Because it was so hot and sunny this afternoon, most of the good tables by the river were taken at Longwy, the little bar/cafe/restaurant where we usually go when we want to drink beer on Sunday.  But we did manage to find a spot with some shade and we had a round of beer and split a Greek flammkuechen.  I didn’t want to stick around for too long, though, because we were surrounded by smokers.  Besides, some guy had brought his three sleek, well-trained, water loving, dogs with him.  I wanted to watch them for awhile.  I did, and got some video footage.

The dogs were having a blast!

We walked past a very small festival where a band had been playing the French national anthem, some small kids were singing, and it looked like they were selling food in an attempt to raise funds for a music club.  They even had a bouncy house.

Then we passed the Nagold pool, which was extremely crowded today.  I didn’t see a single bare spot of grass.  As we headed back into the old town, we stopped for gelato.  I had strawberry and peppermint chocolate chip.  Bill had chocolate and walnut.  We stopped and watched the kids playing football, having a lot of fun.  I observed several small kids throwing water balloons at each other, completely and joyfully unsupervised.  It was a very refreshing sight to see these little children having fun with no adult helicoptering nearby.  I was reminded of the good old days in the 70s, when I was a little kid given total freedom to roam the neighborhood all day if I wanted.  I love this about Germany.

Kids playing football…

We could have sat and watched over pizza or pasta.

Ice cream hit the spot.  Strawberry and mint is a good combination!

I really love spending time in Nagold.  It’s a cute little town just minutes from where we live, yet totally different to look at.  I could hang out there all day.

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dental

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Birthday bubbly!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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