Tag Archives: Patrick’s Stop

Germany, restaurant reviews

Six favorite ethnic restaurants near Stuttgart…

I know many people follow my travel blog because I write a lot of restaurant reviews.  Bill and I really like trying new places and I enjoy writing about them, if only to stay out of trouble and keep busy.  However, if I’m honest, sometimes the food in and around Stuttgart can seem a little… canned.  I don’t mean that the food is literally canned.  I mean sometimes it seems like there are only a few kinds of restaurants and they all serve the same things.  A person can enjoy only so many schnitzels before it’s just not fun anymore.

Let’s be real.  If you want German, Italian, or Greek food, you will have no problem finding it.  You will also not have a problem getting your hands on doner kebab, pizza, burgers (of middling quality) or Chinese food, although the Chinese food here may not be like what you’re used to in the States.

What if you want something different?

Stuttgart and its environs actually do have a pretty good range of ethnic cuisine.  It’s just that it seems like finding those different cuisines can seem challenging.  Today’s post is yet another one of my ever popular aggregate write ups based on prior experiences.  It’s not intended to be a list of all of the great ethnic restaurants in the area.  Here are just a few to whet your appetite… and I’ll save the rest for the next time I’m inspired and/or bored.

As usual, these are not ranked in any particular order.  Search the blog if you want to read more or see pictures.  The first link in each description leads to the official Facebook page or Web site for each establishment.

Patrick’s Stop Jamaican Imbiss & Take Away–  Jamaican food

Spicy Jamaican Jerk chicken served with rice and peas, fried plantains, and kraut.  This is a treat if you’re a fan of zing in your food.  Patrick’s has daily specials that change… everything from curried goat to ox tail!  They also have a vegetarian selection.

Special thanks to my soon to be departing friend, Rick, who encouraged me to try Patrick’s Stop a couple of years ago.  At that time, Patrick’s Stop was located in Böblingen.  Patrick’s Stop has since moved to Hechinger Strasse 14 in Stuttgart.  I have not been by since the move, but I did visit twice before the restaurant left Böblingen.  I was left with a great impression of the food, which is not like anything else I’ve had in these parts.  The owner is from Jamaica, so the food is very authentic.  I particularly loved their version of fried chicken, while Bill liked their Jamaican Jerk chicken.  Although the fried chicken is offered daily, other specialties aren’t.  You should consult their Facebook page to see what’s being offered as well as when they will be open.  I believe they’re on vacation right now until April 9th.

Grüner Baum– French food

Charcuterie appetizer.  

 

We live just a few miles from Tailfingen, which is a little hamlet south of Herrenberg.  There isn’t much to Tailfingen, except a really cool French inspired restaurant called Grüner Baum.  I don’t think I have ever seen this place not busy.  It’s a very popular restaurant, for good reason.  The food is fresh, delicious, and delightfully different.  They have crepes made with both sweet and savory fillings, as well as killer chocolate mousse.  There’s also a nice outdoor area for when the weather is good which also has a sandbox for kids to play in.  We’re long overdue for another visit to this restaurant, but because it can get crowded and parking can be scarce, it’s a good idea to call ahead first.

El Mero Mexicano– Mexican food

Above is the delicious Pozole Rojo, served with a tortilla chip and fresh guacamole.  Below are the spicy enchiladas with green sauce!  This was a hit with Bill, who considers himself a Texan.  He had a big smile on his face after this meal.

I’ve heard it said that there is no decent Mexican food in Stuttgart.  I will agree that it can be very difficult to satisfy your cravings for Tex Mex food in particular.  However, if you’re willing to drive to Fellbach (or are lucky enough to live near there), you can get a pretty good Mexican fix at El Mero Mexicano.  The owners of this restaurant are actually from Mexico, so they know what they’re doing. You won’t find any weird German style Mexican flavors here.  Nope… they serve guacamole that doesn’t look like green slime and tastes of fresh avocados, lime juice, and garlic.  I am not an expert on Mexican food, but this is the best I’ve had in these parts.  I just wish we lived closer so we can enjoy it more often.

Tshito-Gwrito– Georgian food

Shashlik– basically marinated, grilled pork and vegetables.  This was delicious!

Khachapouri– pastry filled with mild cheese, hot from the oven.  Next to it is a spinach dip made with walnuts and pomegranates.

This next entry is admittedly of a place I’ve just recently experienced for the first time.  Bill and I went to Tshito-Gwrito last weekend on a tip that was shared in the Stuttgart food and wine lovers Facebook group.  I used to live in the Republic of Armenia, which is just south of the Republic of Georgia, so the food served at this charming eatery was familiar to me.  Let me just say, it was such a treat to enjoy something so different last weekend.  The food at Tshito-Gwrito is very fresh, beautifully presented, and tastes amazing.  We didn’t have a single thing we didn’t love.  Best of all, it was not like any other meal we’ve had in Stuttgart.  If you love wine, I especially encourage you to visit.  Georgian wine is fantastic, but it’s not always easy to find around these parts.  You can try a glass or a bottle at Tshito-Gwrito.  This restaurant is located in downtown Stuttgart, but isn’t too convenient to public transportation.

Samowar– Russian

This beautiful shrimp salad was being offered as a special on the day we visited.  Bill went with a more traditionally Russian choice of stuffed peppers.

We found Samowar last summer, again on a tip from Stuttgart food and wine lovers.  This little Russian gem is located in Weil der Stadt and serves up delicious Russian treats.  They have Russian beers, Georgian wine, Armenian brandy, and very cute Russian decor.  I was so impressed by the love and care that went into everything that came out of the kitchen.  Once again… we’re due for another visit.

Afrika Bar und Restaurant– Ethiopian

Doro Wat– basically chicken stew.  This was served with injeera bread, which is kind of a soft, moist, sour bread used for picking up and eating East African food.  Bill enjoyed ostrich when we visited, which he declared excellent.  Afterwards, we had Ethiopian coffee.

 

On the outskirts of Tübingen, there’s an excellent Ethiopian restaurant called Afrika Bar, which offers authentic food.  The Stuttgart area actually does boast a few good African restaurants.  We also like Jambo in Ludwigsburg, but it’s a little bit easier for us to get to Afrika Bar in Tübingen because it’s closer to us.  Also, when we visited Afrika Bar, we noticed that everything on the menu was available, which isn’t always the case at Jambo.  If you are a coffee drinker and have time, I highly recommend trying the Ethiopian style coffee.  It’s a real treat on many levels!

Alright then… this list of six should be a good start for newcomers to the Stuttgart area.  I will probably be writing a sequel, since I’ve already found a couple of other places I’m ready to try.  Someday, I will make it to an Indian restaurant in these parts, just so I can branch out a bit.  I’ve also recently discovered another Russian restaurant I want to try, plus there are a few places that could have made this list and were left off because of space considerations.  In any case, I hope this post is helpful for anyone who’s a little sick of the usual spread.  You may have to travel a bit to get to these places, but I can speak from personal experience that none on this list have ever disappointed us so far.

Happy eating!

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My second stop at Patrick’s Stop! Great Jamaican food!

A few months ago, I met with several local Facebook friends at Patrick’s Stop, an excellent Jamaican restaurant near Böblingen.  We all enjoyed fabulous Jamaican Jerk Chicken, with the exception of one person, who had fried chicken.  To be honest, I prefer my food less spicy, so I was envious of my fried chicken eating friend.  I knew that Bill, on the other hand, would love the jerk chicken because he loves food with a kick.

Ever since that first experience in April, I’ve been trying to find an opportunity to get Bill to Patrick’s Stop.  We did visit one Saturday a couple of months ago, but the restaurant was inexplicably closed for some reason.  I later read on Facebook that they’d had some kind of plumbing problem that day.

This afternoon, we were on our way to the Ludwigsburg area to return oodles of spent beer bottles.  It was getting a little late for lunch and I was feeling hungry.  As we approached the big exit for Böblingen, I asked Bill if he wanted to try to visit Patrick’s Stop again.   He was game, so off we went.  For those who aren’t aware, there are a bunch of road projects going on in Böblingen right now.  We had to negotiate several detours before we finally reached our destination, but we were happy to find the place wide open for business.

Patrick’s Stop is located near a shooting club, so there’s plenty of parking.  There’s also a lot of noise from people firing weapons.  I was surprised Bill didn’t comment on that.  Ever since his time in Iraq, he’s been more sensitive to the sound of gunfire and other sharp noises.

Obligatory shot of bearded Bill waiting for beer.

Anyway, we walked into the restaurant and it was mostly empty, though there was great reggae music blaring from the sound system.  We sat down at a table and an adorable waiter came over to take our order.  Bill ordered an export and I had my usual hefeweizen.  Since today is Saturday, they had Jerk Chicken on the menu (they offer a couple of dishes every day and a special each day– Saturday is Jerk Chicken day).  Bill got the Jerk Chicken and I had the fried chicken.  Our waiter came back with two hefeweizens.  Bill is easy to please, so he just went with it.  If he’d wanted to, he could have had a Red Stripe like a couple of other gentlemen who appeared to be regulars.

My fried chicken.  This was soooooo good!  It came with a side of mild sauce that reminded me of barbecue sauce– or maybe the jerk sauce without the spicy kick.  I actually liked the chicken fine without the sauce.  I’m glad I tried it, though, and the sauce was on the side.  It was delicious!

I thought Bill was going to love the jerk chicken and he really did.  It was very smokey and the sauce had a nice kick to it.  Actually, it was a little too spicy for my taste (I’m a wimp), but Bill said it was rather mild.  Both dishes came with coconut rice and beans, plantains, and a tasty slaw.

 

It’s hard to believe there is a dearth of decent Mexican restaurants in the Stuttgart area, yet we have the fabulous Patrick’s Stop for Jamaican food.  Bill was still licking his lips as he finished his lunch and said, “That was outstanding!”  I have a feeling he’s going to want to go back on a different night– maybe we’ll come one night when they’re serving curried goat.  Lunch was reasonably priced at about 26 euros for both of us before the tip.

We went on to Heinrich’s to dump our bottles and pick up a few more.  We bought less beer than usual today, though I did pick up a few bottles of wine– two from Washington State and two from Italy.  I also noticed, as we were checking out, that Heinrich’s has genuine ginger beer.  They do have the alcohol free soda kind, but they also have the alcoholic kind used in Moscow Mules and enjoyed by Brits.  They also had some interesting liquors produced by Rogue Dead Guy (the beer company)– flavored gins and vodkas.  I was shocked to see Tito Vodka from Austin, Texas also for sale.  Alas, Bill has tasked me with doing some online liquor shopping from Master of Malt, so that’s what I’m going to do right now.

Check out the ginger beer on the shelf!  Should have bought some.

Spotted in the toilet…  Good to know Heinrich’s has one.

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Jerking around with friends at Patrick’s Stop: Jamaican Eat In and Take Away

This afternoon, I took a rare trip to a restaurant without Bill.  The local Vents Facebook group decided to meet for lunch at Patrick’s Stop Jamaican Eat In and Take Away.  I had heard about Patrick’s Stop a few times and everyone universally said they had great food.  Moreover, they just moved to a new location in Böblingen.  I don’t know if the new location is an improvement, but I will say that they have a nice big parking lot, which is definitely a plus.

There’s a nice biergarten area outside for when the weather is warmer, too.

I still had to be cajoled into braving the trip up A81, but was finally talked into it.  Those of you who were happy to see me today have Bill to thank.  He set me up for success by giving me plenty of Euros, hooking up the GPS, and reminding me that I could write a new restaurant review!  Yes, I know I sound ridiculous and I didn’t used to have this problem of not wanting to go out and about in my car.  Driving in heavy traffic makes me a little mental, though.

I got to Patrick’s Stop about fifteen minutes early.  There was an “open” sign on the door, but the door was locked.  A gentleman who arrived at the same time I did said they opened at noon.  It was 11:45, so I just hung around and checked Facebook.  Patrick, I presume, finally poked his head out the door and told me to just come on in out of the cold.  I appreciated that, since it’s a bit chilly today.  I chose a big table in the corner and ended up moving to the “Stammtisch” table, since we were anticipating a fairly big group.  Sadly, a few weren’t able to make it.

A shot of the dining room before anyone else arrived.

The first thing I noticed besides the very generous parking lot is the way the place smelled.  There was a delightful aroma of smoked, grilled meat.  From what I gather, Patrick has one daily special available, as well as a few dishes that are available every day.  Today’s special was curried goat.  I had been planning to have fried chicken, which they offer everyday.  However, because there were a bunch of us coming, they also had Jamaican Jerk chicken.

Since the chef had made it available especially for us, Jamaican Jerk chicken is what I decided to order.  Let me just say, if you’ve been missing spicy food since coming to Germany, you may want to pay Patrick’s Stop a visit.  A few of us had our sinuses cleared with this dish!  I need to bring Bill there because I know he’d love it.  I am less of a spice fan, so next time, I might try the fried chicken.  All meals come with coconut rice and beans, plantains, and Caribbean style vegetables.  They also offer small portions, a children’s menu, and a dish for vegetarians.  Click here to see a photo of the menu.  If you like Red Stripe beer, you are in luck.  It’s available in bottles, as I would expect it to be in a Jamaican restaurant.

It was our waitress’s second day, which explained a bit why she seemed confused by the menu.  We also learned that she’s not originally from Germany, so she no doubt hasn’t yet tried the Jamaican Jerk chicken.

Although I asked for dark meat, I was given white… It was very good.  I tend to like dark meat because white meat can be a little dry for my taste, but this wasn’t too dry at all.  And it was plenty spicy!  I paired this with sparkling water, but later ended up getting a beer to help flush away the spice!

 

Most everyone else had the Jamaican Jerk chicken, with the exception of one Venter who shall remain nameless.  I appreciated that I got to see what the fried chicken looked like, thanks to him.  One Venter also tried a dessert that had a special name that escapes me right now.   My bill came to 19,80.  That included two large glasses of mineral water with gas, one beer, and Jerk chicken.

A good time was had by all.  I probably ought to break out of the house more often during the week, hang out with people,  and try new things.  In any case, I will definitely be going back for more of Patrick’s Jamaican cuisine.  It was a refreshing change of pace, even if I did have to brave scary traffic through Böblingen to experience it!  Five stars from me!

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