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Argentinian steak in downtown Wiesbaden…

Our good luck with the weather continued today, so Bill and I decided to go to Wiesbaden for lunch.  I had noticed an Argentinian steak house when we had lunch downtown a couple of weeks ago, so that’s where we headed.  Lots was going on in Wiesbaden today, including an Easter market and a craft fair.  I didn’t inherit my mom’s gifts for needlework or crafting, so we just cruised through there. I also got a few pictures of the beautiful Evangelical church downtown.  We didn’t enter, because services were going on.

German churches put most American ones to shame.

I was surprised by how crowded this market was.  Lots of people were looking for bargains on sewing materials and fabrics.

Bill got a kick out the sign warning against pickpockets– “Langfinger” (long finger).  I guess that’s one way to describe petty thieves.

They had rides…

 

Lots of kids and dogs were out and about, enjoying the sunny weather.

 

You could even get a balloon animal if you wanted one.  A lot of shops were open, as today was a Sunday when businesses could operate.  It was a beautiful day for retail shopping and plenty of people were taking advantage.

And they were also selling/demonstrating cars.  We are about to be in the market for a new set of wheels, but none like the ones on display today.  Incidentally, we did notice that there were Fords for sale.  I remember Trump claimed that Germans don’t sell American cars.  Not true… but a lot of what he says isn’t true.

Casa del Sabor Argentinian Steakhouse is located in sort of a restaurant row.  As I mentioned before, I noticed it when we ate at La Cantinetta a couple of weeks ago.  I wouldn’t have minded having lunch at La Cantinetta again, but I wanted to try someplace new.  Besides, I had a feeling we’d be easily sucked into a big, long meal.  I love long lunches, but we had other things to do today.

Although the sun was shining, we decided to eat inside, because neither of us wore sunscreen or brought sunglasses, and the sun was very intense today.  We had a nice view of Scotch and Soda, a rather popular bar.  We’re going to have to try them next.

Bill decides on lunch.  We both had beer today.

The waiter, who spoke excellent English, brought out very fresh bread and garlic aioli.  Bill loves garlic, so this was a hit with him, especially.  I also enjoyed it, but had to be disciplined about eating too much of it before lunch arrived.  

Bill had grilled chicken with a mango sauce.  It came with rosemary potatoes and onions.  He enjoyed his dish very much…

But I was especially happy with my 200 gram rib eye, which was Argentinian beef.  It was cooked to medium and was excellent.  It’s not often I get steak in Germany, unless I know where the beef comes from.  German beef tends to leave a lot to be desired.  This steak was the real deal from Argentina, and it was outstanding.  

I also got a baked potato with sour cream and garlic.  I don’t usually like sour cream very much, but I did enjoy it today.  I think the garlic helped.

Besides steak and chicken, you can also get burgers, fajitas, and even a couple of vegetarian dishes, as well as fish.  I noticed they had fresh fruit juices, too, and a variety of exotic cocktails and shots.  We were too full to consider having dessert, especially since the place was filling up as we were finishing lunch.  We’d definitely go back.  Next time, I’ll try the fajitas.

Need a haircut?  Wiesbaden’s AVEDA has English speaking stylists and they even take VAT forms!

A Feinkost in downtown Wiesbaden we are going to have to check out.

 

After lunch, we went by post and bought some gardening supplies, skin cream, and eyeliner.  Then we gassed up and hit the commissary for our monthly stockup on American stuff we can’t live without.  Actually, we buy most of our groceries on the economy, but sometimes we need Cheetos and stuff…

On post, they were warning about DUIs… This car was apparently wrecked while someone was driving drunk.

 

I almost opted out of the commissary run, but I need to get out more.  I’ve been such a hermit these past few weeks, and it’s time for us to start exploring again like we did last year.

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“Looking for trouble” on President’s Day weekend in Robert-Espagne, France… part three

We decided to venture into nearby St. Dizier to see if we could find a nice place for lunch.  St. Dizier is a small commune with about 26,000 residents, located not far from where we were staying.  It has sort of a grimy look to it and, if I’m honest, isn’t a very exciting place.  However, we did manage to find a great lunch spot.  We were lucky we got there right at noon, too, since almost every table in the place was reserved!

The restaurant we chose was called Le Gourmet du Jard.  Besides traditional French dishes, it offers pizzas and “plats du jour”.  I was glad to find it, because we had looked at a menu at another place and I said, “That looks too French for me.”  The menu was loaded with fois gras, escargots, mushrooms, and andouillette.  Bill had a bad experience with andouillette in Burgundy, although I know many people love to eat it.  Le Gourmet du Jard had more things on the menu that I recognized and knew I’d want to eat.

Outside of the restaurant.

 

We shared our table with a French couple.  Yes, we were the only Americans in the place, and no one spoke English.  Still, I managed to order a lovely salmon and cod en croute.  Bill had a salad with shrimp, smoked salmon, hearts of palm, and artichoke hearts, among other things.

We shared a half bottle of red wine…

The place is obviously still decorated for Valentine’s Day.

 

I had a lovely salmon and cod dish, enrobed en croute (in pastry), with mixed vegetables, rice, a potato, and a savory sauce.  It was very good, and I was relieved that there was nothing originating from intestines on my plate.

Bill had a Salad Pacifique, which was quite a production with shrimp, smoked salmon, and a variety of fresh vegetables.  He said it didn’t really stay with him, although it tasted great.  We got bread and a snack mix made of crackers and peanuts, too.  This salad also was part of a three course meal that was available for a reasonable price.  This restaurant had a number of such three and four course deals going.  I didn’t want that much food, but if I had been hungrier and more daring, I might have tried one.

 

For dessert, I had a huge cup of chocolate mousse!

Bill had the tart of the day, which was cherry.  It was excellent!

 

Le Gourmet du Jard was staffed by a group of hardworking teenagers.  The dining room was small, but busy.  They did a great job of making sure everyone was happy.  Service was friendly and professional.  We’d go back.

After lunch, we walked around the town and I took a few photos, before we had to head out to take care of a special errand for my sister.  Here are a few photos of St. Dizier, in all its glory.

I liked this statue, too.

The cathedral was kind of interesting.  It looked sort of “mod”.

This ad with the piglet caught my eye…  especially since it mentions Vegas.

Yeah, there isn’t a whole lot to this town.  It was sort of sleepy.  But the weather was so pretty that if we’d wanted to, we could have gotten a table on the square and people watched for awhile.

We decided to leave and hit the grocery store.  My sister, Becky, had asked me to find her French laundry detergent called Mir.  That chore actually took some time, since the first store we went to was closed and the second one, a Lidl, didn’t have what we needed.

No Mir in the laundry aisle…

But we did find booze.  Actually, the Lidl was stocked with all kinds of weird stuff.  They had things like gifts, tights, clothing items, and toys, but the selection of things like food or detergent was pretty slim…

And worst of all, they had no public restroom.

Yes, there was beer and we brought some back with us.

This abbey– Abbaye Trois Fontaines— is very close to where our rental house was.

Bill eventually dropped me off and went to a larger store, where he did manage to find the Mir for Becky.  It will get mailed to her at some point.

I PM’d this photo to my sister and she was very happy.  I may have to try it myself, to see why it excites her so much…  Interestingly enough, it looks like it’s made by a German company.

 
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Our local haunt… the Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen

This place is within stumbling distance of our house.

 

SADLY, THIS ESTABLISHMENT HAS CLOSED. 

In both of our old stomping grounds near Stuttgart, we weren’t that close to places to eat.  In Unterjettingen, we had Tommi’s Bistro, which was a great steak place with limited hours, and Zum Schiff, which was a Swabian place, also with rather limited hours and menu choices.  In Pfäffingen, we had a really campy American place called Buffalo Bill’s that served scary versions of American food.  It closed sometime during our five year hiatus from Germany, and is now a casino.

One of the things I like about our new home is that it’s very close to a really cute German restaurant.  The Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen is not even a three minute walk from our house, and it’s super cute and charming.  Because we’d heard that it gets crowded on Friday nights, we made reservations at 7:00pm.  It’s a good thing we did, because they were busy last night and the restaurant is pretty small.  I loved the cozy bar area, though, and could see myself tipping a few beers there.  They also have an outdoor area that will be nice when the weather is better.

Last night’s specials presented on a chalk board.

We went with menu choices, which mostly consisted of German staples like schnitzels, steaks, and sausages.

The people sitting at the table next to ours seemed rather curious about us.  I caught the man staring a couple of times as Bill and I chose our schnitzels, both of which came with the salad pictured below.

We were seated in a sunken area with just a few tables.  I took the opportunity to get a shot of the bar, which looked really inviting.

Bill had a schnitzel with green peppercorn sauce.  It was pretty good.  I usually don’t get sauces on my schnitzels because I never finish them as it is, but I might make an exception for this one.  I also liked the “homefries” that came with his dish.

I went with a plain old Wiener Schnitzel, complete with crinkled fries.  It was good, although I have yet to run into a place with a bad schnitzel.  It seems to be the kind of thing that is hard to mess up… if you’re German, anyway.  I’ve never tried to make one myself.

 

I caught the couple sitting next to us staring again, so I smiled and said, “Hallo!”, which seemed to take them off guard.  Sometimes, I can be a little forward, especially when I’ve been drinking.

Service was very friendly and professional and the wait staff graciously boxed up our leftovers for us.  I don’t know how parking is for this particular restaurant, since we can easily walk to it.  There is street parking on our side of the street, but it’s usually fairly full.  On the other side of the block is the main drag through our little town.  I noticed a couple of parking spots on that side.  Free WiFi is offered to guests and Tuesday is their Ruhetag.  Otherwise, they’re open from 5:00pm until midnight every day.

And here’s a picture of the little church whose steeple so often shows up in pictures I take from one of our balconies.

I definitely see us becoming regulars at the Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen.  It seems to be a local gem.  I’m not sure what we’re doing today, although I’m sure it will involve spending money.

Maybe we’ll have pretty skies here, too.

The little restaurant near our house certainly does make us feel welcome!

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Good eats! Wiesbaden area restaurant guide…

Attention 2024 readers:  I have noticed this post getting a lot of recent attention.  I stopped updating it during the pandemic and decided not to resume adding restaurants, because so many were closing at that time.  So, if this list seems out of date or lacking, just know that it doesn’t get updated anymore.  

Just one of many nice dishes I’ve had since we moved to Wiesbaden…

Those of you who found me when we were living in Stuttgart may know that back in October 2015, I made a restaurant guide for the Stuttgart area.  I provided a list to all of the reviews I wrote of restaurants in and around Stuttgart.  Since I’m now in Wiesbaden and the Stuttgart guide went over so well, I’ve decided to make one for up here.

And because I remember how long it took me to make the first list, I’m going to start one now.  That way, it won’t take all day!  As usual, each listing will contain a link to my first review and a very brief impression of the place.  Some places will be reviewed more than once.  You can find additional reviews by clicking the tags.  I will try to update if and when I become aware of a closing, but I can’t promise to always catch them.  You should always double check official Web sites before you make the trek to a place.

Downtown Wiesbaden

Casa del Sabor- Argentinian Steakhouse

Delicious beef from Argentina, as well as other grilled specialties, cocktails, and fruit juices.  Great location, good service, and they even have fajitas and burgers.

Chillers- American/Californian sports bar

Convenient to the train station, Chillers offers German style American food and mixed drinks.  It’s not bad– I liked the music.  Service was slow and my food was lukewarm, but there were extenuating circumstances.  I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to go back.

Chookdee- Thai

Beautifully decorated Thai restaurant, very close to Karim’s and the Town Hotel in downtown Wiesbaden.  Dog friendly, with one outside table.  Excellent food that will fill you up.

Due Amici– Italian Crossover Kitchen

Nice crossover Italian restaurant on “restaurant row” in Wiesbaden.  They have some Italian dishes, as well as a few that aren’t Italian, like salmon burgers with Asian accents and Australian beef.  Service is friendly, professional, and warm.

Ente- Fine dining

Wiesbaden’s only Michelin starred restaurant.  Specializes in duck, but offers tasting menus and an exquisite and extensive wine list.  Bring your euros or a credit card with a high limit.  Very expensive, but excellent food quality and impeccable service.  Good place for a celebration or to impress.

Five Guys– American burger chain

Wiesbaden just got its very own Five Guys outlet downtown.  We have tried it– in fact, on its third day of operation– and it was just like what you’d expect in the United States.  No need to go to Frankfurt for a burger fix now!

Hiro Sushi- Sushi

Nice sushi place in downtown Wiesbaden, very close to the Radisson hotel  Pleasant service, good food, and beautiful presentation.  Prices are also reasonable.  A good bet for a Saturday afternoon.

Karim’s- Moroccan/Mediterranean

Really excellent Moroccan cuisine in downtown Wiesbaden.  Offers a nice outside terrace, a full bar, and a good range of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern delights.  Reasonable prices and good service.  Dog friendly.

Kavos– Greek

Modern styled Greek cuisine near Wiesbaden’s “restaurant alley/row”.  Reasonably sized portions.  Waitress speaks English.  Good food, but can get crowded inside.  Takes reservations and has a children’s menu.  No gyros on the menu, but they offer fresh fish.  Ask what they’re serving on the day you visit.

La Cantinetta- Italian

Very elegant restaurant in downtown Wiesbaden.  Waiters are rather assertive, but the food is wonderful and beautifully presented.  Indoor and outdoor seating is available.  It’s also a wine bar.

Lambertus- German/International

Beautifully decorated restaurant near Wiesbaden’s famous casino and in the Kurhaus.  Traditional menu with a few international surprises thrown in.  Good service and lots of atmosphere, but a bit pricey.

Le Petit Belge- Belgian/beer

Cute little cafe/beer shop right on the main square by the big red church downtown.  They offer a simple menu with waffles, crepes, frites, and desserts, as well as a vast array of Belgian beers.  You can also buy some to take home.  (NOW under new ownership)

Little Italy Cucina Italiana- Italian

I have a feeling this little Italian eatery is going to become a favorite.  Located downtown, with outside tables and a very small dining room.  Lovingly prepared Italian food.  Credit cards and reservations accepted.  English spoken.

Martino Kitchen- International

Wonderful restaurant affiliated with the Truffel Hotel.  Very fresh and imaginative cuisine, with special pricing for 3 to 6 courses.  You can sit at a normal table or at the chef’s table, where you can watch the chefs working.  Really excellent food and professional service.

Phaisto’s- Greek

Family friendly Greek restaurant near the Klarenthal area of Wiesbaden, not far from Villa im Tal.  Has a kids’ play area, free parking, and generous lunch hours on weekends.  Good service by kind people and good food at fair prices.

Ratskeller- German

Kind of a traditional Bavarian beer hall kind of place, located right by the Rathaus.  Good service and filling food.  Good selection of beers.  Might be a fine place to take people who want an authentic German experience.

Scotch N’ Soda– Irish pub

Fun Irish pub near “restaurant row” in downtown Wiesbaden.  There are televisions for watching sports and they also play music on the sound system.  Impressive array of whiskies and beers, as well as your usual Irish pub food.  They have some interesting names for some of their burgers, some of which are decidedly strange.

Vapiano- Italian chain

Ubiquitous Italian chain restaurant.  Decent food, but kind of noisy and crowded.  Will probably please your kids and you can drink wine.

Villa im Tal- Austrian/International

Wonderful restaurant just beyond the Wiesbaden city limits.  It’s in a rustic location in the woods, near a riding school.  The food and service are impeccable; parking is free; and they take credit cards.  Well worth a stop, especially if you’re celebrating.

Breckenheim-Wiesbaden

Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen- German/Gasthaus fare

Super cute little restaurant just a three minute walk from my house.  Has good, hearty food, mostly Schnitzels, sausages, steaks, and salads.  Reservations are recommended on weekends, since it’s a small place and popular with locals.  Outdoor seating available in warmer weather. (CLOSED AS OF JUNE 2020)

La Fonte– Italian

Local family run Italian restaurant in Breckenheim’s sportsplatz.  Great service and food, large outdoor area that is covered and heated in cold weather.  Plenty of free parking.  Dog friendly.  I think we’ll be regulars.

Tam’s Kitchen– Asian/sushi/delivery

Super fresh sushi!  Absolutely delicious.  Available only via take out or delivery, since the place is actually a catering operation.

Delkenheim-Wiesbaden

Akropolis– Greek

Full service Greek restaurant in Delkenheim.  Offers standard Greek fare and takeout.

Nordenstadt-Wiesbaden

Hotel zum Wiesengrund- German

Excellent family run restaurant connected to a small hotel. We stayed a night in the hotel and had dinner in the restaurant.  I was pleased to try fried fish and they also offered homemade apple most and roasted goose.  It’s a popular place with the locals, so reservations may be advisable.

Rambach-Wiesbaden

Castello Romano- Italian

Pleasant family run Italian restaurant.  Accepts reservations and offers well-prepared fish dishes and other traditional Italian delights.

Cem Klein Mediterranean Grill- Mediterranean

Really good food, freshly prepared.  Excellent service.  Innovative cuisine.  Make reservations!

Eppstein

Ristorante Kaisertempel- Italian

Beautiful views overlooking Eppstein.  Good Italian food and reasonable prices.  Free parking.  Reservations may be advisable.

St. Georgen Brau- German and Italian

Hotel restaurant right next to the Eppstein Burg.  Good fish, salads, and pasta dishes.

Erbenheim

Der Grieche- Greek

Very nice Greek restaurant a block from the Rathaus, where you might find parking (parking is a bitch in this area).  Friendly service and delicious Greek food.  Biergarten is also available and they brought us chocolate mousse on the house on our first visit.  Chocolate wins me over every time!  Open all day on Sunday, and very close to Clay Kaserne!

Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden- International/Gourmet

We had a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal at this restaurant, situated in a business park in Erbenheim. The menu is upscale and priced accordingly, but the food is excellent.  Franks is not open on Saturdays or Sundays, but does have lunch and dinner on weekdays.  There’s also a “smokers bar” and plenty of free parking.  Reservations are available on OpenTable and if you have an issue with the menu, be sure to speak to the chef.  He was very accommodating on Valentine’s Day with my aversion to mushrooms and lamb.

Bad Soden

Rocco’s Italian Grill & Bar– Italian/steak/ribs/Italo-American-Mexican

Great Italo-American restaurant offering ribs, steaks, pizza, pasta, and pulled pork, as well as a lively bar area.  Bad Soden is a cute spa town and this is clearly a popular place for pleasure seekers.  Good service and really great food… a lovely change of pace from the usual stuff.  The beef ribs were especially impressive!

Bierstadt

Jit’s Thai Kitchen– Asian food/Thai food/delivery

Decent Asian food that is available for delivery.  Has a nice dining room that we didn’t experience due to the COVID-19 crisis.  They offer a dish that is similar to a pu pu platter, which I haven’t yet seen in Germany.  Good crispy duck, too.

Frankfurt

Conrad’s Restaurant– German

Rather ordinary German restaurant that specializes in schnitzels.  Food was okay and so was the service, but beware of the Klofrau looking for change for the bathrooms.  Prime location next to the shopping district.  Outdoor seating available.

Fletcher’s Better Burger– Burgers

This small burger chain exists only in Frankfurt, but I predict it’s going to catch on. Juicy, fresh, American style beef burgers with homemade buns are what you will find at any of the four locations of this emerging chain. You will also find veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, cross cut waffle fries, beer, and soft drinks, including house made lemonade. Highly recommended, and outdoor seating is available.

Five Guys- American fast food burgers

Yes, this is the very same chain you know and love in the USA.  It’s generally a madhouse there, but if you are missing American style burgers, you can get them here.  Outside seating available and probably preferable, since it seems to stay busy all the time.

Pirosmani– Georgian food

Good Georgian food in a pleasant restaurant.  Service not particularly friendly, but it’s a nice change of pace.  I’d go there again for the food.

Hochheim

Hochheimer Terrasse- German

Very nice German restaurant with a full bar and traditional food.  Seems very popular as a party venue.  We have so far only had a buffet dinner there, but I think we’ll be back.  We enjoyed the service and the food, so I bet a la carte will be even better.

Hofheim

Blanca Bistro– tapas/Middle Eastern/salads/vegan and vegetarian

Healthy food with an international flair.  Lots of vegetarian and vegan options, salads, tapas, and Middle Eastern treats like hummus and falafel.  Very fresh food, beautifully presented with lots of colors.  They also have cakes and smoothies.  So far, we have only had take out, but we hope to dine there at some point.  Excellent food!  ETA: Sad to say that as of May 8, word got out that this restaurant is closing due to COVID-19.


Casalinga da Rita- Italian

Tiny place in the charming village of Hofheim.  We went there when I was about to drop from hunger and enjoyed a lovely late lunch and red wine.  Parking may be a challenge, but it’s worth the trip.

Ristorante L’Opera– Italian

Pleasant little restaurant at Kramer Passage.  Has excellent pizzas, pasta dishes, sandwiches (including burgers and pork sandwiches), and grilled fish.  Indoor and outdoor seating available.  Good service, fair prices, and high quality food.  Mobility challenged people may have trouble with the restroom, though, because it’s located at the top of a spiral staircase.

Restaurant Ariston– Greek

Greek restaurant in Hofheim.  Offers basic stuff like gyros, souvlaki, salads, and fish.

Waldgeist- German/Biergarten

Big restaurant offering big portions.  Seriously… if you want big beers, big steaks, big burgers, and an eventually big behind, this is not a bad place to be.

Hofheim am Taunus

Amici- Italian

Family run pizzeria and Italian eatery.  Pizza, pasta, and some surprisingly interesting specials.  Very friendly and hospitable service, complete with a limoncello shot with your bill.  Well worth a stop!  Sadly, Amici is now CLOSED.

Hofheim-Wallau

Spirit of New Orleans- Cajun/Soul food

Absolutely amazing restaurant with authentic food from Louisiana.  Run by an American Army veteran who used to be an Army cook.  Very authentic food with burgers, shrimp, spare ribs, po boys, gumbo, and jambalaya…  I think we’ll be back!

Kronberg im Taunus

Mangia, Mangia– Italian food/pizza

Lovely Italian place with a large, modern, indoor seating area and a terrace.  Specializes in pizzas, burgers, salads, and pastas.  Child friendly, with reasonable prices and friendly service.

Mainz

Aposto- Pizza/pasta

Chain restaurant that serves pizza, pasta, fish and meat dishes, and grill specialties.  Service is friendly and professional and it’s a very casual place.  We found our dishes kind of mediocre.  The pizza is probably better, although we did like the pasta itself.

Sixties– Irish pub/craft brew bar

An Irish pub that offers beers from other countries, craft beers made locally, music, and football.  A better bet for drinking rather than eating, although bar food is available.  You can also get pizza, simple pasta dishes, and schnitzels there.

Weinhaus zum Spiegel– German Wine bar

Cozy little wine bar near the cathedral.  Serves snacks and small plates, along with many types of local wines.  Friendly proprietor speaks English.  Very cute interior, although the food offerings are minimal.

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A delightful Greek lunch at Der Grieche in Erbenheim…

Edited to add in 2025:  Unfortunately, this restaurant is now closed.

Until this afternoon, it had been awhile since Bill and I last enjoyed Greek food.  Unlike our former neighborhood in Unterjettingen, our current house isn’t within spitting distance of several Greek restaurants.  Sure, there are plenty of Greek restaurants up this way, but they aren’t clustered near us, and the ones that do exist don’t all have all day hours or even lunch hours.

Nevertheless, Bill managed to find a great Greek place in Erbenheim, a charming little hamlet not far from Clay Kaserne.  Der Grieche turned out to be a great pick for lunch, although we had a challenge trying to find parking near it.  Fortunately, there was a free spot open right by the Rathaus and the restaurant has its own tiny lot, though it was full of cars today.  Apparently, this is a popular Greek place.  Most of the tables were full when we arrived at about 1:30pm.

Near the Rathaus in Erbenheim.  It’s quite quaint!

 

And look!  They make cleaning up after your dog a cinch! 

We were seated at a comfortable four top next to the beautifully decorated Christmas tree.  I was taking note of the charming building and how well maintained it appeared to be.  I was glad to see it, since this area does not seem to have as many beautiful old buildings at Baden-Württemberg does.  I asked Bill if Hesse got bombed a lot in World War II, since I don’t see as much old architecture here as I did near Stuttgart.

I was really in the mood for gyros, so that’s what I decided to have.  Bill went with the Hähnchenspießen– grilled chicken on a metal spit with peppers and onions.  Both dishes came with t’zatziki and salad.  Bill had pommes and I had patates– although I was supposed to get tomato rice.  I think our very charming waiter took one look at me and thought to himself, “There’s a woman who likes potatoes.”  He got one of my winsome grins when he asked me if I’d prefer those.

Obligatory shot of Bill, looking handsome as ever.

Both of our dishes came with this salad, full of kraut, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, a single black olive and a single pepper.  The dressing was the usual yogurt dressing Germans seem to like.  Personally, I prefer less dressing than this, but it was a nice start to the meal.

I almost ordered the chicken spit myself, but Bill decided to have it.  He said it was delicious.  I tried it and agree.  The chicken was very juicy and flavorful and looked festive next to the colorful peppers and onions.

The gyros were also very good.  They were well-seasoned and juicy and I loved the potatoes.  The t’zatziki was also very good and matched beautifully with the pork.

It was nice to see all of the families out today, enjoying each other’s company.  I noticed the people behind us got chocolate mousse, which I didn’t see on the menu.  I was tempted by it, but decided we’d had enough calories…  so we called for the check and had our ouzo…

And then our charming waiter brought us chocolate mousse, anyway.  I have to say, that really put a smile on my face!

The total bill was about 41 euros.  Bill topped up the waiter to 45 euros, not realizing that he’d stuck an extra 20 in there.  The waiter noticed it and gave it back to Bill.  I mused that in America, the waiter probably would have just grabbed the cash without looking.  I was left with a very good impression of Der Grieche after lunch, but it improved after that little mistake was pointed out to us.

We’re going to visit again…

They have a Biergarten, too.

Actually, Erbenheim has some possibilities, even if it sucks to have to park there.  This whole area is loaded with cars and not enough parking spots.

After lunch, we went to AAFES to buy a lamp and a couple of other necessary items, as well as to gas up my car.  Now that we’ve had our Sunday fun, I’m going to buy a couple more bookshelves so I can put the finishing touches on straightening out our living quarters.  My next project is to unload our horrible futon and get a real couch.  Interestingly enough, when I searched for “couch” on Amazon.de, I came up with one very interesting and unexpected result.  I’ll let you discover it if you’re interested, but be prepared.  It’s not exactly safe for work.

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A late lunch at La Fonte in Breckenheim, Wiesbaden…

A little gift left by our new landlords… They gave us a gift bag with a huge Lindt Swiss chocolate bar with hazelnuts and a bottle of locally produced Sekt.  

 

The sun came out today and, unlike last week, this past week was rather quiet.  Although I probably would have been happy to hibernate, Bill decided we needed to go out and have lunch.  It was after 2 o’clock when he made this decision, so we were kind of limited in where we could go.  Fortunately, our new neighborhood has an Italian restaurant that doesn’t do pauses and has a Monday Ruhetag.  So once Bill managed to convince me to get dressed and prettified, we beagle proofed the house and drove the one kilometer to La Fonte, the local Sportsplatz’s restaurant.

I have mentioned before that a lot of German communities have sports clubs, and many of the sports clubs have restaurants.  In our old town, Jettingen, I remember two sports complexes, both of which had Greek restaurants next to their sports fields.  The neighboring town, Haslach, had a German restaurant.  Likewise, our new community of Breckenheim also has a Sportsplatz, which has an Italian eatery.  I noticed it got great ratings, so it was easy to convince Bill to visit.  It turned out to be a nice place to spend a couple of hours.

The first thing I noticed was the smell of horses.  There’s a barn nearby.  It seems to be my luck to live in places where there are horses… which only serves as a reminder that I need to buy a place with land so I can have horses in my life again.  I spent the 80s showing horses.

 

When we arrived at La Fonte, it was busy.  It looked like there were a couple of parties going on.  Nevertheless, we were welcome, and once they realized we were English speakers, the staff switched to excellent English.  We’re pretty good at speaking food, but I have to admit it’s nice to run into English speakers, even if it cuts down on my German practice.  I am somewhat consoled, though, because I heard some German youngsters leaving the restaurant and actually understood what was being said.  A young boy was eager to get outside and play, but his older brother admonished him to wear a jacket, even though the young boy said he didn’t need to bundle up.  It’s funny… suddenly understanding German is like suddenly tuning into a clear radio station.

Bill checks the menu.  We were seated “outside”, but it was warm enough.  They had a heater out there and the area was enclosed by glass and an awning.  I never would have known we were “outside”.  I’m sure in the warmer months, it’s nothing to open up that area.

 

We settled on salmon with shrimp sauce and noodles for me and veal with Gorgonzola sauce and noodles for Bill.  Both dishes came with generously sized salads and bread.  My dish had a slightly different dressing.  Bill’s was the usual yogurt dressing, while mine was more like a red wine vinaigrette.  

This little guy, name of Milo, is obviously the restaurant’s mascot.  He’s well known and loved.  I noticed the place had many apparent regulars and they were all greeting this adorable dog. 

 

He was so cute in his “I love New York” hoodie.  I might be persuaded to abandon my love of beagles for this little guy.  I was impressed by how well behaved he was, too.

 

Bill enjoys veal, noodles, and Gorgonzola sauce.  He managed to finish everything, even the salad.  I had to take half of my stuff home, even though I was hungry when I went in.  They were happy to pack up my leftovers.

 

Grilled salmon with shrimp sauce and noodles… it came with tiny shrimp and the sauce had a hint of nutmeg.  I really enjoyed it, but only managed half before I was full.  

 

This couple came in with a black version of Milo… and obviously, the owner knew Milo, and so did his cute little dog.  I noticed Milo and the other pooch played nicely in the dining room.  This is a very dog friendly place.  I saw at least two other dogs visiting during our two hour lunch.

We had another glass of Sangiovese for dessert, as well as espresso.  Note the generous pour!

We really enjoyed La Fonte.  I have a good feeling that we’ll be regulars.  The food was good; there was plenty of parking; it’s dog friendly; the wait staff were welcoming; and we can literally stumble to our new home from there.  We told the waiter that we were new in town and he gave us this…

Panettone— Italian cake/bread, just for Christmas…  I guess these folks are from northern Italy.  This was a nice hospitable touch.

And he warned us that if we want to have dinner on a weekend night, to call ahead.  I could easily tell La Fonte is a very popular local hangout.  It was nice to see.  Lots of people seemed to know and love the staff, which is always a good sign.  I am certain we’ll be back repeatedly.  It appears to be a very kid friendly place, too… the kind of place where friends and families gather.  I love those kinds of places.

A moonrise…

 

So we no longer have the enchanting view from our house, but we can still see one not far from where we live.  And the bonus is, I can smell horses from here.  I trust none of them are on La Fonte’s menu.  I’m kidding, of course.  I feel better now, though… even if I didn’t really feel like going out.  It’s time to get back to normal and start having some fun again.  Of course, we did come home to a big mess caused by Arran, the troublemaker.  He got into the trash.  I guess our new system needs refining.

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entertainment

Dinner with friends and the Scottish Music Parade!

Bill and I have had a busy week so far.  Monday night, we drove to Schwetzingen, a nice town next to Heidelberg, to visit old friends.  One of Bill’s former co-workers came to Germany and Austria with his wife, to celebrate their wedding anniversary and visit the Christmas markets.  They used to live in Heidelberg when Army troops were still posted there.  Back in the mid 2000s, Bill was a branch chief at the Army National Guard Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.  That’s where he met the male half of the couple we met on Monday night.

We had dinner at the Brauhaus zum Ritter, a nice restaurant just across the street from the Schloss in Schwetzingen.  We visited the Schloss in 2008, when we spent a weekend in Heidelberg.  That was the first and last time we were in the area, though I had been trying to get back there when we were in Stuttgart.  Now that we’re in Wiesbaden, Heidelberg and its environs are even closer.  We could conceivably spend an afternoon there.

Because it was a visit with old friends, I kept the picture taking to a minimum.  I did get a few shots of the excellent beer and food, though.  Have a look.

We got to the restaurant before our friends did, so we had a round of beer in their bar area.

I had a very tasty and surprisingly flavorful Schwarz Bier…

And Bill had a Weiss Bier… again, surprisingly flavorful compared to other Weizens I’ve had.

I liked the decorations.
 

The Brauhaus zum Ritter offers a lot of the usual German fare.  I had a cordon bleu Schnitzel, stuffed with mountain cheese and ham and served with potato salad.  It was very good and not too huge.

I’m going to have to ask Bill what he had.  It appears to be a Rinderfilet with mushroom sauce and spaetzle.

Instructions on toilet use… Apparently, they had trouble with women building “nests” of toilet paper.

 

It was really great to see Tim and Melody, especially since it had been over ten years since we last saw them in person.  They have gone back to Munich and will be flying back to the States today.  We got home late Monday night, had a rather calm Tuesday, then went out again last night to see the Scottish Music Parade at the RheinMain Congress Center in Wiesbaden.

I found out about this event when we were visiting Wiesbaden for the first time, back in October.  There was a billboard advertising the show near our hotel.  Since I’ve been on a roll with concerts lately, I decided it might be fun to go see this event, which apparently happens regularly.  One thing I’ve learned during this Germany stint is that Germans seem to love the Scots and other Celtic folks.  On Halloween of this year, we went to the Stuttgart version of the Irish Folk Music Festival, another annual tour.  I thought maybe the Scottish Music Parade would be like the Irish Folk Music Festival, but it turned out to be decidedly different.  Still, we had a good time.  Below are some pictures.

We got to the surprisingly large concert hall a bit early.  I think Bill’s original plan was to find somewhere to have dinner, but we got caught in some traffic and I really needed to pee.  So instead of looking for a restaurant, we entered the concert hall early…  I noticed one guy wore a kilt.  I wish Bill had worn his, but then the weather was a little chilly…

We enjoyed a little wine at the wine bar after checking our jackets.  Light snacks and wraps were available.  We drank wine and ate pretzels.  We also bought three CDs from the dancers who were selling them, as well as programs and t-shirts.

A view of the stage before the show began.  My heart was done good as I heard Bruce Hornsby playing on the sound system.  I grew up near Williamsburg, Virginia, which is where Mr. Hornsby was born and raised. 

 

A kilted man who spoke German came out to introduce the performers.  There were pipes and drums, dancers, and the band Aceltica, whose music was on the CDs we bought.  There was also a male and female singer.  The female singer’s name was Jane Jackson.  She is from Glasgow, Scotland, but she now lives in Australia.  Most of the other performers are from Scotland and live there now.  I didn’t take a lot of pictures during the show because I’d rather watch it than record it for posterity.  However, I did get a few shots of the dancers during the second half of the program, which ran for about two hours with a twenty minute intermission.

The man in the kilt was pretty much the star of the show.  He normally pipes on Britannia, which was once Queen Elizabeth II’s ship.  The Royal Family sold the ship and it is now permanently docked in Edinburgh, Scotland where tourists can visit it.

He was quite the showman.

I really enjoyed the dancers, who were very graceful and athletic.  I found myself wishing I’d learned how to dance when I was a girl. 

Again with the head piper… I think his name was Stephen or Steven…  I should have bought a program.

The guitar player was also quite the badass.  

During the finale, the singers had everyone on their feet.  The male singer, who also played acoustic guitar and, I think, was named Mike, had a voice and a style that reminded me a little of Bono’s. 

The dancers came down the aisles to get everyone going.

Taking a bow…

And they piped in the foyer after the show.  I was very happy that they played Highland Cathedral, which has both German and Scottish ties.  It was the music I walked down the aisle to when Bill and I got married.  And yes, we did have a bagpiper who played with the organist.

 

I thought the Scottish Music Parade was a perfectly enjoyable event, although I think I liked the Irish Folk Music Festival better.  The Scottish Music Parade seemed to rely more on lights and electronic music and was… for lack of a better word… a little bit cheesy.  That being said, Bill and I had a lot of fun watching the performance and would attend again.  I really love listening to bagpipes… must be all that Celtic blood in my history.  The musicians were excellent, as I expected them to be, and I was surprisingly even more entertained by the dancers than I was the musicians.

The tour continues tonight in Koblenz and on into 2019.  If you’re living in Germany and don’t mind traveling to see this show, you can easily catch it.  There are still tickets left.  I’m glad we went.

Tonight, we’re going to a wine tasting and Christmas party.  It’s not often I go out so much during the week!

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Hessen

Wiesbaden, take two… the dog friendly housing quest continues. Part four

EDITED TO ADD: Castello Romano is now permanently closed. 

Friday night, we decided to walk to a nearby Italian restaurant.  Bill noticed it got good reviews and I was wanting to have a nice dinner somewhere.  Our trips to Wiesbaden have so far been all about business, so we haven’t had too much of a chance to enjoy our new area.  So we wisely made a reservation and walked up the hill from GL Suites to Castello Romano.  It turned out to be a great choice for Friday night dinner.

We arrived at the restaurant a little early for our reservation.  It was no problem and we were quickly seated in a comfortable booth.  The wait staff spoke German, Italian, and once they realized we were Americans, they switched to English.  Once again, I remain impressed by how easily Europeans switch languages.  I’m actually kind of jealous, too.  I need to stop being so lazy and learn more German, at the very least.

Below are some photos from our Friday night dinner.

We passed this cool looking building on our way there.  Looks like they do art retreats or maybe offer space for workshops?  Don’t know… 

Charming area near the restaurant. 

The front door.

I probably said something inappropriate to provoke this response.

Bill enjoys bread and tomato/spicy pepper spread, along with olives.

We shared an antipasto plate, with smoked salmon, vitello tonnato, carpaccio, prosciutto and melon, and mozzarella and tomatoes.

Bill had one of the specials… a John Dory filet with salted potatoes and vegetables.  

I had turbot (Steinbutt) with the same setup.  I love turbot.  

We shared a lovely red wine…

Service was very attentive and friendly, and I got the sense this was a local favorite.  At least two more parties came in, one of which had a tiny baby who was born two months ago.  The grandma was walking around, showing off that baby to the staff.  It almost felt like we were visiting family.  We enjoyed dinner so much that we decided to have dessert.

I had coconut creme brulee with mangos…

Bill had panna cotta with red berries.

Total damage was 105 euros, but we had a three course meal with wine and water.  Service was very friendly and professional and the food was excellent.  I’d go back if I am ever in the neighborhood again.

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Baden-Württemberg, Nagold

Friday night at Waldhorn in Nagold…

The Waldhorn… seems to be quite the legendary restaurant in Nagold!

 

Although Bill and I have been living near Nagold for just over four years now, last night was our first time visiting Waldhorn, an Italian restaurant in Nagold.  It wasn’t originally our plan to go to Waldhorn.  We went there because the restaurant we were hoping to go to was closed for an event.  We ultimately decided to eat at Waldhorn because it’s one of a few well known restaurants in Nagold we haven’t tried yet and, pretty soon, we will be leaving the area.  I had wanted to try Waldhorn a couple of months ago, but they happened to be closed for vacation.  After last night’s experience, I’m kind of sorry we didn’t visit there sooner.

When we got to the restaurant at about 7:00pm, things were in full swing.  The place was bustling with people.  Most of the tables were filled with couples and families, all talking loudly.  It’s definitely not the kind of place you’d go to for a quiet evening.  However, I could easily see that Waldhorn is a popular place with the local crowd.  Our waiter was very friendly and spoke English as he led us to the lone available two-top in the middle of the dining room.

Obligatory shot of Bill reading the menu.  Maybe when we move, I’ll come up with a new running joke as my signature.

 

We ordered a half liter of Barbera wine, which came in a carafe.  We also had our usual San Pellegrino.  This restaurant doesn’t offer wines by the bottle.  Indeed, it appears to be kind of a casual place that offers good food at reasonable prices.

The Barbera was very nice, especially after it opened up a bit.

 

Waldhorn offers the usual pizzas and pastas, as well as fish and meat dishes.  I saw that they had quite a few veal selections, as well as some of the better known Italian favorites like tuna carpaccio and Saltimbocca alla Romana.  They also had a couple of pasta dishes with mussels.  I had a hard time choosing, but finally just went with an entrecote, since I wasn’t in the mood to be adventurous.  Bill decided to have Spiedino al pepe, which was basically pork and beef served on a stick with pepper sauce.

They brought out a lovely bruschetta for us.  I usually don’t get too excited about bruschetta, but the tomato topping on this was a little spicy in an appealing way.  Also, the bread was very fresh and tasted like homemade pizza dough.  It was a nice change.

My steak came with an enormous and beautifully presented salad, of which I could only eat half.  It had a light balsamic vinaigrette on it.

Since I was having a salad, Bill had one, too.  His dish didn’t come with salad, so this was extra.  Instead of the balsamic vinaigrette, he had a creamy yogurt based dressing.  He said he preferred my dressing to his, although he did enjoy the whole thing.

Bill’s dish, complete with decorative rose garnish.  It came with a side of cooked vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, and potatoes.  I neglected to take a picture.

And my steak… this was 250 grams and cooked medium rare.  I had asked for it to be cooked to medium, but I don’t mind medium rare.  It came with krauterbutter.  To be honest, I’ve had better steaks, although this one was alright.  If we manage to go back to Waldhorn before we move, I’ll have to be brave and try something less pedestrian.  I noticed a lot of people were enjoying the pizzas.

I was kind of wanting chocolate last night, but ended up finishing with prosecco.  Bill had an espresso.  Our waiter was very charming and offered us a house shot of grappa.

Cheers!

 

Overall, we had a nice time at Waldhorn.  It’s obviously a local favorite and I can see why people like it.  It’s a good hangout for family and friends.  Our bill came to about 75 euros, which I think was pretty reasonable for what we had.  I’d go back.

Nagold is a town I’m really going to miss.  Not only is it super cute and charming, it also has a lot of fun events and several really good restaurants.  I hope we are just as lucky and find such a local gem of a town up near Wiesbaden.  If anyone reading this review is looking forward to moving to Stuttgart, I highly recommend looking for housing in the Nagold area, even though it’s kind of far from the military installations. It’s been a real treat to live so close to Nagold for the past four years.

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Baden-Württemberg, former Soviet Union

Mixing it up at Mix-Markt– your source for products from the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe!

Recently, one of my husband’s colleagues told him about a grocery chain called Mix-Markt.  Mix Markt specializes in foods, wines, beers, and spirits from the former Soviet Union and eastern European countries like Poland and Romania.  Bill’s co-worker knows how much we like Georgian wines and Armenian brandies, so he hooked up Bill with a link and an idea for today’s excursion.

There are 297 stores all over Europe, though the chain was founded in 1997 in Örlinghausen, district Lippe in North-Rhine Westphalia.  Locally, Mix-Markt has outlets in Böblingen, Stuttgart, Tamm, Reutlingen, and Nagold.  We live very close to Nagold, but decided to visit the Böblingen store because we figured it would be more convenient to most of my regular readers in the Stuttgart area.  We were also hoping to try a new restaurant for lunch.  Below are some pictures from our little field trip.

The Mix Markt is in a rather busy area of town.  Right next to it is a Turkish market that we didn’t explore.  The Mix Markt has a lot of Turkish products, anyway.  Parking is a bit scarce in the area and the store is in what looks like a weird German incarnation of a strip mall, only instead of it being a strip, it’s more like a doughnut… shops in a circle with a small courtyard in the middle.

Impressive selection of beers from Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic.  Sadly, I didn’t see any Kotayk, which is an Armenian beer.  But we came for wine and wine we found!

Mix Markt has a lot of Georgian wines, which are uniformly excellent!

And they also have Armenian brandies, although none by Ararat, which is probably the most popular Armenian brandy.

They even had Polish bison grass vodka, although I don’t think this is the stuff you can get in Poland, which actually has a blade of grass in it.  Many places, including the United States, don’t allow authentic bison grass vodka because the grass contains trace amounts of warfarin, which is a blood thinner.  This vodka was probably artificially flavored.

Armenian brandy can be purchased in fancy bottles.  You’d see these in Armenia, too.  They make interesting gifts.

Ukrainian Sekt.  I haven’t tried this, but I do remember Russian bubbly to be very sweet and cloying.  I doubt I’d enjoy this… but I might try it sometime.

Russian candy!  You can mix your own!  I never got into Russian chocolate when I lived in Armenia because I preferred the occasionally smuggled German chocolate.  But there must be Russians in Germany who miss it very much.  It smelled delicious.

Want some fish?  Mix Markt has you covered with lots of salmon and smoked fish.  You can also buy meats and sausages there.

And there’s even Uzbek canned meat called Plow.

Sausages galore, from all over…  Next to this case is one full of pretty cakes.

And there’s also Russian pop music for your collection.

There’s an entire aisle devoted to sunflower seeds, which are a very popular snack in former Soviet countries.

You can even get glass AK-47s full of booze– Polish vodka or Armenian brandy!  This might make a fun white elephant gift for your next Christmas party.

I found this candy bizarre…  It appears to be a gummy type confection, but it’s supposed to look like burgers.  Weird concept.  Who wants to eat a gummy candy that tastes like a cheeseburger?  I’m sure these are actually fruity… but maybe burgers are more fun than fruits are.  Reminded me of Bubble Burgers from the late 70s.

 

This wasn’t in the Mix Markt– I just remember these from when I was a kid.  Bubble Burgers were bubble gum “burgers” that came in little plastic cases.  I don’t think I ever tried one, but they probably didn’t taste like burgers, either.

They even had melons from Uzbekistan…

And brochures about trips to Russia.

This is just across the breezeway, if you’re wanting more Turkish choices.

 

After we picked up our haul, we headed to downtown Böblingen, parked at the Marktplatz, and had lunch at the Seegärtle Restaurant-Cafe-Bar.  This eatery overlooks the manmade lake in Böblingen.  It has a nice Biergarten, which was open today, but we decided to eat inside because it was a little chilly outside.

Bill looks at the menu, which mostly consists of burgers and sandwiches.  They also have soup, salad, and a few Swabian specialties.

There’s a bar and they played VH1 Classic videos, which I really enjoyed.  I’d rather see that than football.

I had a pastrami sandwich.  It was pretty good, with its pastrami, cheese, kraut, lettuce and “special sauce”.  I was full after half, though, since this also came with some excellent fries.

Bill had a cheeseburger.  It was supposed to be made with 100% beef, but he said it was “gemischtes”, meaning it was beef mixed with pork.  I was glad I didn’t order the burger, although he said it tasted fine.

The fries were the bomb, though.  Service was fast and friendly, too.  Total bill was 32 euros.

Outside…  

If it had been slightly warmer, we would have enjoyed outside dining.  I was liking the 80s era videos, though… at least until Kiss played.  Gene Simmons and his flickering tongue aren’t exactly appetizing.

As we were headed back to the car, we passed this Croatian “Feinkost”.  It’s maybe two doors from the restaurant.

We went inside and bought three more bottles of wine, this time from Croatia.  They had some interesting liqueurs, too.

This is the rest of the store.  There’s not much to it, but the lady who rang us up was super friendly.  I was glad to give her business.  They also had Croatian football fan gear.

This was today’s haul.  Lots of wine, some brandy, juice, and some mustard from Russia…

I can’t wait to see Bill try this.  I have a feeling it’s going to blow his brains out.  I once gave my Armenian neighbors quite a laugh when I tried Russian mustard for the first time.  It’s extremely hot stuff that will clear out your sinuses.

 

I’m looking forward to seeing the Nagold Mix Markt.  There’s also one located in our new location of Wiesbaden, so we should be well set with Georgian wine when we move north.  If you live in Europe and want a little something different, you should drop by Mix Markt for a visit.  You might find some new treats!

     

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