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Good eats! Wiesbaden area restaurant guide…w

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 RestaurantGerman

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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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… Our pet friendly Domaso Domicile! Part 2

Our apartment in Domaso was located on a pleasant but narrow street.  It was part of a large house with three levels.  We were in the middle level, as the top and bottom levels appeared to be undergoing renovation.  The middle level offered an enormous covered terrace with plenty of outdoor  seating.  Although the whole property was fenced in, we didn’t let our dogs loose because there were a couple of areas that were off limits due to the owner’s desire to landscape.

There was a parking spot, but it was a bit of a challenge to park our RAV 4 there.  Bill eventually got the hang of squeezing in the cozy spot.  To get to the apartment, we had to pass through a locked gate and climb some steps.  That would make this property unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues.  The climb wasn’t difficult for the able bodied, but could be tricky for anyone using crutches or someone in a wheelchair.

The floors of the apartment were either wood or tile, which is always a blessing if you have dogs.  There was a nice sitting room with a comfortable couch, a television, and a decorative fireplace (I don’t know if it functions).  WiFi was free, but a bit unreliable.  We had two small bedrooms with what appeared to be queen sized beds and a smaller kid’s room.  There were two bathrooms, one with a modern shower and the other rather old fashioned, with a bathtub and a bidet.  The kitchen was small, but had a table and chairs in it.  It also offered a great view of the lake.

The sitting room.  We spent a lot of time in there!

Great terrace!  The owner is working on a garden on the lower level as well.

The foyer.

The kitchen.  It lacks a microwave and the fridge is a bit old, but it had pretty much all we needed.  And again… fantastic view of the lake!

One bedroom.  I was glad we brought our own pillows.  The mattress was a bit hard and gave us backaches.

One bathroom.  It’s very pink!  Has a tub and a hand sprayer, as well as a bidet (which we didn’t use).  The other bathroom has a nice shower and a more modern toilet.

The other bedroom.  There’s also a tiny kid’s room.

Tight parking!  It takes some doing to get in and out of the space.

This waterfall is right next to the house.

 

All in all, this little apartment was very nice for four nights.  I wish the bed had been a little bigger and the mattress a little softer, and I wish the Internet had been a bit more reliable.  But we loved the neighborhood, which was very cute and offered a pleasant walk into town.  There’s also a nice cobbled rock pathway up the hillside, where the views are stunning and there’s a very well regarded agritourism restaurant/winery there.  I wish we had managed to make reservations there for a meal.  Now we have a reason to go back!

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Bill’s favorite Christmas gift…

Bill and I had a quiet Christmas holiday this year.  After an enjoyable Friday night repast with the Mad Scientist (at Agais in Entringen), we spent the weekend mostly watching movies, drinking wine, and enjoying each other’s company.  I’m actually suffering quite a bit from cabin fever lately, so I’m hoping we can get back to going out to eat and taking trips soon.  We may be getting away for MLK weekend if Bill can arrange for an extra day off and I can find suitable accommodations for us and the dogs.

I normally wouldn’t write about something like this on my travel/food blog, but I notice I have many military readers, some of whom may be “housespouses” like me.  I used to do a fair amount of cooking when I first got married, but now Bill does a lot of it.  I’m always on the lookout for appliances that will make his job quicker and easier.

My local friend Grace, a busy mother of three young kids, recently posted on Facebook about how much she was loving her Instant Pot.  She raved about being able to boil down bones into savory broths with little to no effort.  I had not heard of the Instant Pot until I saw Grace’s Facebook post, so off I went to Amazon.de to check it out.  Turns out this appliance is a bit of a wunderkind for the kitchen.  It has seven functions that do everything from making rice to yogurt.  It’s also a pressure cooker, a food warmer, and a slow cooker.

I bought Bill a Crock Pot last year, which he’s loved using.  I think the Instant Pot has the Crock Pot beat.  Last night, he used a pork and beef mixture he got at our local Metzgerei and made a delicious stew with a minimum of fuss.  He said clean up was ridiculously painless, too.  The cooking pot is very efficient and dishwasher safe.  Speaking of safety, the Instant Pot also has several safety mechanisms that make it safer to use than a traditional pressure cooker (although you still have to be careful when you release the steam).

We haven’t yet had the chance to try out all the functions of our new Instant Pot, but I have a feeling that new gadget is going to get a lot of use in our house.  An added bonus is that it does a lot, but only takes up the space of one appliance.

We got the local version, which runs on 220 current and comes with both EU and UK plugs.  I see there’s also a US version available.  If this post inspires you to pick one up, I recommend getting a cookbook to go with it, although Bill has found many blog posts about the Instant Pot and how awesome it is.

I have a feeling this new toy will get lots of use in our house…

I also have another high tech gadget still enroute that Bill will probably love.  If he loves it, I’ll write about it.

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Another afternoon in Stuttgart…

Today, Bill and I took advantage of the holiday and went to Stuttgart to get my dental impressions done for my implant.  The lady who helped Dr. Blair pull my baby tooth was there to do the job.  I think she recognized me from three weeks ago, when I had my crying jag, because she asked me if I was nervous.  I said I wasn’t nervous, but I was pretty hungry.  I was grateful she took us early, since I was about to starve.  I neglected to eat lunch before we set out on our journey.  After four minutes with my teeth stuck in dental putty, we were all finished.  Seems to me when I had full mouth impressions in the 80s, the dentist used nasty Plaster of Paris.  Now they use this gummy stuff, today colored hot pink, which is only marginally less nasty.  At least it doesn’t take long to have impressions done.

After my very quick appointment, during which my dental implant surgery was scheduled and Valium ordered, we had a late lunch and did some shopping.  First, we stopped by Ridmueller, a beer store recommended by the Stuttgart Beer Club.  It’s not a big store yet, but there are some interesting selections available there, including Icelandic beers.  We picked up a selection of stuff we haven’t seen elsewhere, then rounded the corner and looked for lunch.

One of the four beer fridges.  It’s not a big store yet, but the selection is interesting.  With a little love and support, Ridmueller could turn into something special.

 

I was famished and my blood sugar was dropping fast, so we ended up at Weber, a nice sit down restaurant that seems to offer a little something for everyone, yet seems to specialize in Thai food.

Bill enjoys a brief break…  Plenty of comfortable seating at Weber and a great menu.  We sipped some wine and tasted the bread, which had an essence of honey.

I started with this delicious bowl of green peanut curry soup garnished with lemongrass.  It was a bit rich, but I was so hungry I found it instantly restorative.  This soup is creamy with a hearty peanut flavor and plenty of spicy zing.  I was sorry we didn’t order mineral water, but my red wine soothed the burn until I got used to it.  I would definitely get this soup again; it was really good.  I bet it would be especially good for someone who needs their sinuses cleared.

I followed the soup with coconut shrimp.  This was cooked in a wok with rice noodles and a tasty assortment of vegetables including carrots, eggplant, spinach, peppercorns, peppers, zucchini, sprouts and what I think may have been plantains.  The whole thing was drenched with lime coconut sauce.  I liked this, but…

I liked Bill’s choice better.  He had the Monkey-Nut-Chili-Chicken Pasta.  It was basically rice noodles with tender strips of chicken, the same array of vegetables that was in my dish, plus a delicious, hearty peanut sauce.  Bill’s dish needed no seasoning, while mine needed a dash of salt because it was a little bland.

 

I wasn’t able to finish my lunch, owing to the yummy soup I ate first.  I brought about half of my shrimp and rice noodles home with me.  Lunch tomorrow should be delightful!

Weber is located in Stuttgart Mitte, again very close to Dr. Blair’s dentist office.  For those who don’t like Thai style food, there were also a few local selections, as well as several daily specials.  I almost went for the dorade special, but I can get dorade most anywhere.  Ditto for the tempting salmon filet served with lime coconut sauce, basmati rice, and sugar snap peas…  Maybe next time.  They also had Argentinian roast beef that looked good. 

 

After lunch, we went on a brief shopping spree at the Markthalle.  Though we were there last week, this time, we were prepared to shop.  And shop we did…

I got a kick out of this six euro bag of Old El Paso tortillas in the Asian market.

 

Bill checks out Spanish cheeses.  He bought some, as well as slivers of Serrano and Iberian hams and Spanish Sauvignon Blanc…

The Spanish market got lots of our euros today.  In the background, you can see the Balkan market, where we picked up some Croatian and Montenegrin wines, as well as a little bottle of Unicum.

I got some truffles… I love that most of them are full of alcohol.

We also picked up some Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses.  I wish I liked cheese more than I do, since Bill ends up eating most of what we buy.  Still, it was a lot of fun to shop at the Markthalle in Stuttgart.  I think a person could seriously lose control in that place and go a little hog wild.  Next time, I want to bring some lined bags and get some really good beef and fish.

The musician who was playing rapid fire Beethoven on an electric keyboard last week was back today.  This time, I didn’t catch the title of the music he was playing on his keyboard.  I think he had a handler, though.  Bet he sells CDs.

Our next trip to Stuttgart will probably be December 1.  That is when I will have dental surgery.  I doubt I’ll be in the mood to shop afterwards.  I may want to drink, though.

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Good eats… a local restaurant guide

Since Bill and I don’t get to travel as much as we’d like to, a lot of the posts on this blog are restaurant reviews.  If I can’t go somewhere cool over the weekend, I do at least like to go out to eat.  I know a lot of readers currently live near Stuttgart and are looking for good restaurants.  In the interest of making that task easier, I’ve decided to make a list of my reviews of local restaurants.  I have reviewed some places a few times.  Click the link to get to the first blog post, then you can click the tags to find follow up posts.  There are other restaurants we’ve tried but I haven’t reviewed.  I’ll get to them eventually.

I will add to this post as I try other places.  When it gets too long and obnoxious, I’ll make a new post.

Stuttgart

Abacco’s Steakhouse- Steak

Steakhouse in downtown Stuttgart very close to Dr. Blair’s dentist office.  Steaks come served on hot stones and guests are basically charged with cooking them to their desired doneness.  Full bar and other options besides steak for those who want something different.  I’d like to go back and try one of their burgers.

Ampulle- Steak

Beef and gin restaurant located near the Feuersee S-Bahn stop in Stuttgart.  Very meat focused menu, with only a couple of options for non meat eaters.  Good food and service, but beware of large portions and cigar smokers in the bar area.

Bärenschlössle- German self-service/Biergarten

Self-service German restaurant at the Rotwildpark in Stuttgart.  Very pleasant place for lunch and inexpensive.  They offer light meals and desserts.

Besitos: Tapas y Mas- Spanish/tapas

Chain restaurant with eight locations in Germany, located right across the street from Calwer Strasse. Nice selection of tapas and a few main dishes.  Lively bar scene that seems popular with young people.  Decent service and reasonable prices.  Nothing really special, but not bad for a quick stop.

Block House- Steak

Chain restaurant with two locations in Stuttgart.  Very generous portions that include sides and salads.  A la carte service is also available.  Very casual and seems to be popular with Americans.

Brauhaus Calwer Eck- German

Typical German pub food.  Lots of pork, dumplings, and spatzle… and beer, too.  Service is friendly and professional, but you have to climb a flight of stairs to get to the dining room.  I like the ambiance; it’s kind of dark and cozy.  Very close to Dr. Blair’s dentist office downtown.

China Garden- Chinese

This restaurant gets terrible reviews on Google, but we had a good experience there.  Nice menu with something for everyone.  Good food; pleasant staff; and decent ambiance.

Christophorus- Steak

Very nice restaurant at the Porsche Museum.  Pricey, and reservations are a must!  But the steak is outstanding and the service is impeccable.  Good place for a special occasion or if you want to impress someone.  For those who don’t like steak, other dishes are available.

Cortijo- Spanish

This is a popular downtown restaurant that offers outdoor seating, Flamenco dancing, guitar music, and Spanish dishes like paella and flan.  We went for a late lunch/early dinner and want to try it again at dinner time, when the stars come out.  Nice change of pace.

Cube- German, International

Cube is a lovely restaurant that overlooks Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz and sits at the top of the Stuttgart Art Museum.  Food is fresh and creatively prepared, coupled with lively jazz music and good wine.  Reservations are recommended, especially at dinner.  We ate there during the winter, but I have heard it’s not air conditioned during the warmer months, so you may want to plan accordingly.  There is free WiFi at Cube.

Delice- German/International

Very small venue but excellent food.  Reservations are a must for this five star restaurant with excellent service, inventive cuisine, and prices to match.  Great place for a special occasion or romantic evening.  Must for foodies.

Der Zauberlehrling- German/International

I actually visited and reviewed this hotel restaurant in 2008, but reposted the review because it’s kind of a nice place for a date.  We booked it via OpenTable.de and had a really good culinary adventure there.  It’s a bit pricey, though.  We visited again in 2017.

Desiree- Spanish/tapas

Tapas bar in Stuttgart’s Markthalle.  Good food at reasonable prices, but not everything is available all day.  It’s a good place for a snack, though, if you happen to be in Stuttgart between meals.  Nice outdoor area, great for people watching.

Finch- German, International

Finch is the restaurant at Wald Hotel in Degerloch.  It’s a bit pricey, but the food and service are five star.  Reservations are a must; it’s a small restaurant.  I also recommend staying in the hotel, if you can.  It’s a lovely place to stay.

Five- International

Five is a very interesting restaurant with cool music, decor, and imaginatively prepared international cuisine.  Prices are rather high in the restaurant, but they do have a nice bar area where lighter fare at a lower price is available.  Not kid friendly, but a good place for a date if you like contemporary cuisine presented with an artistic flair.  Good for a splurge, especially if you like surprise menus.

Felix- Brunch, buffet, and bar

Modern looking restaurant near the Liederhalle with a popular brunch buffet on Sundays and a very nice looking bar.  Can be a bit noisy.  Offers a regular menu.  Very casual.

Kikuya- Japanese/sushi

Pleasant sushi restaurant on Calwer Strasse in downtown Stuttgart.  You can either sit at the long table sans shoes or at the bar or pub tables with your shoes.  The sushi is very good and Bill enjoyed lots of fried delights.

La Commedia-  Italian

Bill and I booked this restaurant through OpenTable.de, a restaurant reservation service.  We chose it because it’s located near the Liederhalle and we were going to a concert there.  The food is good.  The ambiance is energetic and not very romantic.  We enjoyed our meal there anyway.

La Nuova Trattoria da Franco- Italian

Chic Italian eatery in downtown Stuttgart (Calwer Strasse) whose kitchen stays open all day.  Fresh food, good service, and reasonable prices.

Luftbad Restaurant Der Grieche im Grünen- Greek and German
Decent restaurant in Degerloch, located in a sports complex.  Food is pretty ordinary, but there’s plenty of it and it tastes fine.  Prices are a little high for what you get.  Not bad… not great.

Maredo- Steak

Chain restaurant with locations throughout Germany and three in Austria.  Good food at a fair price.  Steaks are surprisingly good.  A little something for everyone.  Very casual.

Marktstüble- Typical German food

Inexpensive eatery at the Markthalle that serves German and Schwabish food.  Schnitzels, pork dishes, salads, soups, and the like are available.  Nice outdoor area for good weather.  Professional wait staff.  Good location if you’re shopping.

[M]eatery- Steak

Nice place to get a steak in Stuttgart, but a bit pricey.  Come with a big appetite and a credit card or lots of cash.   Dry aged steaks are available, as are a number of different cuts of meat.

Paulaner am altern Postplatz-  German

This restaurant is super convenient to Dr. Blair’s dentist office in downtown Stuttgart.  We happened to find it the other day after a cleaning and enjoyed some great German food.  They have spare ribs the first Monday of every month, fresh beer from the tap, and yummy chicken (which isn’t always easy to find).

Pier 51- Steak and lobster

Popular restaurant in Stuttgart known for steak and lobster.  Our first visit was a bit disappointing due to the service.  The food is pretty good, though.

Positano- Italian

Italian food in a very old building with creaky floors and tiny dining rooms.  They don’t shut down the kitchen during the afternoon, so it’s a good bet if you’re hungry after regular lunch hours.  Very fair prices, but food is kind of average.  Extensive menu that has something for everyone.

Primo Ristorante X Vineria- Italian

Pleasant Italian eatery and wine bar in downtown Stuttgart.  Offers al fresco dining in the warm months.  We experienced exceptionally good service there and the food was also a hit.

Reiskorn- Asian fusion/vegan/vegetarian/lactose free/gluten free

We really loved this little place in downtown Stuttgart with its creative menu that caters to people with special dietary needs.  The atmosphere is a bit noisy and crowded, but the food is very interesting.  Highly recommended.

Ristorante da Maurizio- Italian

It appears this restaurant is now called Aria Enoteca.  The first link will take you to my review when it was still Ristorante da Maurizio.  I haven’t tried it in its latest incarnation, but it looks promising.

Safran- Persian

Lovely Persian cuisine at a downtown location near the Liederhalle.  Delicious grilled chicken, lamb, and beef/veal dishes, as well as vegetarian selections.  Cool goldfish pond and wonderful warm hospitality.  Reasonable prices.  A great choice for when you’re looking for something different.

Schweine Museum- German (pork)

The restaurant at the Schweine Museum is run by the same people who run the Ampulle Beef and Gin Bar.  There’s a great biergarten there, along with plenty of indoor seating.  Vegetarians and vegans may be a little challenged, but otherwise, there are a few options for non pork eaters.  If you like your pig, you will be in Heaven.  They have a whole lot of pork dishes to choose from, everything from burgers to t-bones.

The Gardener’s Nosh- Breakfast/health food

Little eatery on Calwer Strasse in downtown Stuttgart.  Offers a lot of egg inspired dishes, like Eggs Benedict and Eggs Hemingway, as well as sandwiches, salads, and French toast.

Top Air- International

Michelin starred restaurant at Stuttagart’s airport.  Very high class cuisine served in many courses and tiny portions.  Bring your credit card and prepared to be wowed by a chef’s artistry and creativity.  Be sure to book in advance, since there are only eight tables.

Tschito-Gwrito- Georgian (Republic of Georgia)

Absolutely fabulous Georgian cuisine in downtown Stuttgart.  Lovely Georgian wines by the glass or by the bottle, as well as a range of non-alcoholic beverages.  A great choice if you’re interested in something different.  Go with an open mind and be prepared to be amazed.  This restaurant has some items that are always available and others that can be pre-ordered.

Vereinsgaststätte TSV 07 Stuttgart- German/Schwabish

Decent Gasthaus near the Waldhotel in Degerloch.  Offers the usual Schwabish and German delights, like Schnitzel.  They also, curiously, have Corona beer.  Friendly service, good food, and convenient if you’re in the area watching sports or staying at the hotel.

Weber Restaurant- German/International/Thai

This restaurant seems to specialize in Thai food, but offers dishes for everyone, from Argentinian roast beef to vegan dishes to Italian pasta.  I recommend the Thai dishes, since that’s what they seem to push the most.  Bill and I enjoyed eating Thai inspired food here, even if the restaurant’s name doesn’t suggest Thai food.  I loved the green peanut curry soup.  Weber shuts down in the afternoon for a pause.

Yaz Eine Prise Oriental- Middle Eastern

Great, inexpensive, Middle Eastern restaurant on Calwer Strasse.  Offers a wide range of choices, even for vegetarians and vegans.  I think they also have gluten free dishes, too.  You can have a big platter of food or a tasty soup and salad or sandwich.  Highly recommended.

Allerheiligen/Openau

Allerheiligen Gaststätte- German

Simple German food near the Allerheiligen falls.  Open until 6:30pm, but serves food continuously throughout the day.  Excellent fresh trout, Black Forest cake, and pork dishes.  Also has menus for seniors, children, and vegetarians.  A good bet if you’re headed to the falls!

Bad Rippoldsau

Klösterle Hof- German/Swabian

Very good food at a hotel restaurant that was once a monastery.  Fresh trout, comforting local dishes, friendly and professional wait staff, and very nice wine list.  Highly recommended, especially after a hike!

Bebenhausen

Gasthof Sonne- German/Swabian

This “laid back” gasthaus is located just down the hill from Bebenhausen Monastery.  Typical Swabian fare is offered… lots of sausages and schnitzels.  They have a nice Biergarten for good weather.  Service is friendly and professional and prices are reasonable.

Böblingen

Check Inn Foodport- German/International

Aviation themed restaurant at Flugfeld.  Hearty meals, children’s menu, and a nice wine list.  Afterwards, you can head downstairs and try out the flight simulator, if you have the means.

The Mineraltherme- International

If you’re headed to the Mineraltherme Böblingen for a few hours in the pools, you might want to make time for lunch.  They have a great little bistro that offers healthy and delicious food.  Just be prepared for occasional nudity.  😉

HendlBurg (renamed from HendlHouse)- German chicken chain

The HendlHouse is a chain restaurant that offers chicken dishes.  I’m pretty sure the location in Böblingen was once a WienerWald, which is another chain restaurant specializing in chicken.  I think there is a WienerWald located nearby, but we haven’t been to it yet.  The HendlHouse has really good chicken and is a casual place, great for kids.  Parking may be challenging, though the restaurant has a couple of spots for guests.

Brauhaus Schoenbuch- German

A very popular place for Americans, especially the ones living near Panzer.  Huge tables and good beer make it a popular place for groups to meet up for lunch.  The food and service are good and it’s a good go to place to eat when you need lunch and it’s close to 2:00.  There’s a nice biergarten and place for kids to play.  Plenty of parking.

Restaurant Waldheim- German

Posting this listing for nostalgia’s sake.  Restaurant Waldheim was a beloved place for 35 years.  The owners moved their restaurant to Renningen and I haven’t yet had the chance to try it.  Hope to get there soon.  Restaurant Waldheim is now located in Renningen.  The location referenced in my review is defunct.

Ristorante Monte Cassino- Italian

Cute place right outside of Panzer Kaserne.  Reasonable prices and lots of free parking.  I have had better Italian food elsewhere, but this place is a good bet for lunch.  They have pizza, pasta, meat, and seafood dishes.  Next time we go, I will try something other than the pasta, which is what I’ve had both times I’ve visited.

Seegärtle Restaurant-Cafe-Bar- Burgers/Biergarten

Pleasant restaurant downtown near the lake.  Biergarten is nice during the warm months.  Service was friendly and prices were reasonable.  I liked the pastrami sandwich.

Wichtel Hausbrauerei- Pizzas, Flammkuechen, Schnitzel, Biergarten

Casual, family friendly brewery at the Flugfeld.  Reasonable prices, friendly service, decent food.  Kids menu.

Zum Reussenstein- Swabian

Very nice family owned restaurant and hotel in a residential area. Swabian cuisine freshly prepared by a TV chef.  Reservations are necessary, especially on weekends.  The restaurant also has a gourmet shop.

Calw

Ratsstube- German

This place was a lifesaver when we found ourselves in Calw after lunch hours.  We were there during asparagus season and I had lots of ham and white asparagus during our visit.  Very economical and big portions.  It’s a great place to people watch, too, because it’s right in the main square.

Schönbuch Bräu Brauhaus- German

This is the Calw location of the brauhaus most of us Americans known and love in Böblingen.  The menu and prices are the same and the service is kind and efficient.  I think I like it better than the one near Panzer.  The inside of it reminds me of a church.

Entringen
Agais- Greek

I have a lot of posts about Agais, which is a Greek restaurant near where we lived the first time we lived in the Stuttgart area. The post I linked to above is about one of our more recent visits. We like to visit Agais because we like the guy who owns it and his wife and they can use the business.

Im Gärtle- German (and an art museum)

Very cool German/Swabian restaurant on top of a hill in Entringen.  Traditional food and good service.  Lots of artwork on display.  Kid and pet friendly and you can pay with a credit card.  Free parking.  We had a nice Valentine’s Day dinner there.

Esslingen

HendlBurg- Chicken/chain restaurant

Specializes in yummy roasted chicken.  Also offers other choices for non chicken eaters.  This is a chain, but it’s worth a stop if you like chicken.

Sommer- Biergarten/cafe

We didn’t actually eat at Sommer, though I did notice they had food. We stopped there for a round of drinks while showing my mom around Esslingen. I need to get back to Esslingen to try out some of the places there, but we’re not that convenient to the town and you know how A8 is.

Fellbach

El Mero Mexicano- Mexican

Surprisingly good Mexican food, especially for Germany.  I loved the guacamole, which actually looked like guacamole instead of green snot.  There are no fajitas on the menu, but they do have a rotating menu as well as regular items.  May be worth a visit if you miss Mexican food, but book ahead.

Freudenstadt

Turmbrau- German/brew pub

Nice restaurant that serves typical Swabian fare and has a nice Biergarten.  Sometimes there’s also live entertainment at night.  Good food, good service, and fair prices.  It’s usually busy when we visit.

Gärtringen

Buffalo Grill and Bar- Burgers, steaks, appetizers

Nice place on the main drag that serves 100% beef burgers and steaks from the USA, Australia, and Argentina.  We have so far tried the burgers are were very impressed!  Highly recommended.  As of July 31, 2018, Buffalo Grill and Bar is CLOSED.

Gäufelden

Ristorante Pizzeria II Vecchio Lamm- Italian

Nice family run place.  Reasonable prices.  Parking may be a challenge, but obviously well-loved by locals.  Offers pizza, pasta, and meat dishes.


Haslach
 
The Haslacher Hof- German
Typical German restaurant connected to a sportsplatz.  Appears to be very popular with the locals.  Parking is plentiful and food is typical German fare.  It’s a good place for a schnitzel.

Herrenberg

Asia Gourmet Imbiss- Asian/Thai/Sushi

Small restaurant offering Thai inspired dishes and sushi.  Very kind man operates the restaurant, but did not appear to speak English.  Very economical and good food.  I will have to go back and try the sushi.

Cafe Atlelier- Cafe/Greek

This cute little cafe offers a small Greek inspired menu and lots of yummy looking pastries.  Prices are very reasonable, although the proprietor isn’t as friendly as his wife is.  Seems to be popular with ladies who lunch.

Cafe Gelataria La Piazza- Ice cream/Pizza/Pasta

A great go to Sunday restaurant in Herrenberg.  Serves pizza and pasta all day.  Offers breakfast and delicious desserts and cocktails.

China Panda- Asian/Chinese/Thai

Economical restaurant with ample parking and a nice buffet.  Good food and friendly service.  Seems to be a local favorite.

Restaurant Thermopyle- Greek

Decent Greek restaurant near the train station, memorable for their garlicky t’zatziki and crinkly fries.  It’s a local favorite, though I have had better Greek food elsewhere.

Gasthaus Lamm- German (pub food)

Extremely cute and cozy German place.  Very popular with the locals, so you may need reservations to get a table.  Good food and reasonable prices.  Portions are huge.  Beer is cold and tasty.  You’ll love it if you like quaint little German places with hearty food.

Hanoi Pho- Vietnamese/Asian

Very reasonably priced restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese food and also serves some German style Chinese favorites.  Nice ambiance in the restaurant and an outdoor area for when the weather is nice.

Hotel Gasthof Hasen- German

A lovely place to eat a nice meal, the Hotel Gasthof Hasen is connected to a hotel.  It’s kind of a “smart” place to eat.  Service is excellent and the food is a touch on the elegant side.  Parking is available.  I have been meaning to go back since our visit last year.

Mauerwerk- German/Thai/eclectic

Cool restaurant/theater in what used to be a church.  Has a cool brick facade on the inside.  Very good contemporary cuisine, beautifully presented.  Right on the main drag in Herrenberg.  Has a youthful vibe, though not really a kid friendly place.  Reservations recommended.

Naturfreundehaus am Schönbuch- German self-service/biergarten

This is a pleasant, cheap place to eat right across from nature trails overlooking Herrenberg’s outskirts.  Food and beverages are self-service.  You order; they give you a number; and you pick up your food.  Afterwards, you bus your table.  Food is good, filling, and inexpensive and you get to look at beautiful natural scenery.  Parking is free and plentiful.

Osteria da Gino- Swabian/Italian

Very cute little place right off the main market square in Herrenberg.  Excellent food and good service.  Good wine list!  Reservations recommended.

Ristorante Del Sole- Italian/Pizza

Pleasant restaurant on Seestrasse.  Nice biergarten when the weather is good and a broad selection of pizzas, pastas, and salads, as well as fish and meat dishes.  Reasonable prices and competent service.

Holzgerlingen

Ocean’s First- Seafood

Cool restaurant in a corporate complex in Holzgerlingen.  Seafood is fresh, not frozen.  A lot of what is offered you could find in other local restaurants, though they do have an impressive lobster dish.  Very friendly service and an awesome terrace.  Recommended for seafood lovers, though they do also have items for those who don’t like seafood.  Ocean’s First is NOW CLOSED.

Restaurant Veranda- Russian/former Soviet cuisine

This restaurant is in the same location the former Ocean’s First was in.  It offers a brunch on Sunday, as well as a broad variety of dishes from around the former Soviet Union.  We saw choices ranging from Georgian, Ukrainian, Russian, and Uzbek dishes.  Full bar and wine list.  Good service and reasonable prices.  Highly recommended, especially if you speak any Russian.

Jettingen

da Enzo- Italian

Fantastic pizza from a stone oven.  Great fresh pasta.  Very kid friendly! We really enjoyed our visit to this restaurant and I think we’ll be regulars soon.  NOTE: da Enzo appears to be owned by different people now.  It’s been closed for awhile and recently reopened with a new name.  We haven’t yet tried it since the name changed, though the food still appears to be Italian.  Will update ASAP.

Tommi’s Bistro- Steak

This place rocks.  Best steak we’ve had in Germany anywhere.  They also have live music– concerts and open mic nights.  Friendly wait staff and good wine.  Go.  And try the Argentinian dry aged beef.  Or the Irish beef.  Tommi’s Bistro is now CLOSED.  However, in November 2019, the owner is opening a new place in Nagold called Bahnhof 1872. 

 
Pizzeria da Piero – Italian
This is a typical Italian place in Jettingen.  You can get pizza, pasta, and a few other main courses.  Last time we went there, we had shrimp and fish, but Bill has often stopped there for takeout pizza and pasta when we had no motivation to cook.  Service is good and they have a play area for kids.  There’s also a nice covered biergarten open in the summer months.  There is a small parking lot.

Restaurant Bei Stefan- Greek, burgers

Located in a sportsplatz near Jettingen’s Real, this is a restaurant with good food at reasonable prices. We tried Greek food when we visited, but we could have tried one of the burgers, which looked good.   Unfortunately, Germans don’t usually do burgers the way I’d prefer them.  Maybe one day I’ll get brave.  Very handy if you’re shopping.

Zum Schiff- German
Charming gasthaus on the main drag through Jettingen.  We live close enough to walk there, but there is some limited parking near the restaurant.  The menu is limited, but what they do, they do well.  The proprietor appears to be friends with everyone who visits her.  I don’t think she speaks English, but others working there do.
Taverne beim Griechen- Greek
This is probably my favorite place to get Greek food near where I live.  It’s located in a sportsplatz and offers plenty of seating, especially for groups.  The menu includes the usual Greek specialties, but they also have several delicious fish dishes.  The owner speaks English, though I don’t think most of the wait staff does.  It doesn’t matter to us.  The food is great!
Taverne bei Dimi- Greek
Another Greek place.  We go here pretty often because it’s really close to our house.  The brother and sister team who run it are really nice and they have slot machines and a smoking area for those so inclined.  The food is also good and they offer takeout, which Bill took advantage of last night.  Dimi’s is now under new ownership and has apparently turned into a bar where people smoke and gamble.  We haven’t been back since the place changed hands.

Kemnat

Ristorante Campioni- Italian

Excellent Italian restaurant connected to a sportsplatz.  They have pizza, pasta, and fancier dishes for the inclined.  I recommend making reservations if you’re going on the weekend.  It was packed when we visited.

Krone Gasthaus- German

Traditional German gasthaus with creatively prepared dishes.  I had some really good beef there accompanied by horseradish sauce.  I haven’t been back since we moved to Jettingen, but we enjoyed our one visit there.

Cheap Eats- Greek

Okay, that’s not really the name of the restaurant, but I am listing it because it’s super cheap… In the blog post, you can see a picture of the menu proving that I’m not lying.

Leinfelden

Eselsmühle im Siebenmühlental- Self-service/German/Health

Cute little cafe that serves schnitzels, salads, soups, and sausages.  Kind of a self-service place.  You may have to pick up your own food and bus your table… or you may not.  Stop in the shop and pick up some fresh bread made in their wood oven.

Schwabengarten- Biergarten/German

Huge seasonal biergarten in Leinfelden.  Very popular with Americans and Germans alike.  Self-service, kid friendly, and fair prices.  Plenty of free parking for cars and bikes.  They have outside tables with and without umbrellas and a covered area.  I also saw an indoor area, but no one was sitting in it.  That must be for rainy days.  Great ribs and pulled pork sandwiches, along with the usual biergarten fare.

Leonberg

Gastronomiewelt Glemstal- German BBQ

We visited this restaurant connected to a sportsplatz when someone suggested their ribs.  When we got to the restaurant, it turned out that they only offer ribs on certain days.  They have a smoker, though, so you can take your pick of smoked delicacies.  I recommend joining their Facebook page to find out when they have certain popular menu items.  We had a perfectly good lunch there anyway… and they have a pleasant biergarten for when the weather is nice.

Ludwigsburg

Cafe barOn- Cafe/German/Italian/salads and soups

This is a popular spot on the main square in Ludwigsburg.  There’s a nice area for sitting outside as well as a bustling indoor dining room.  The menu has lots of salads, sandwiches, and a few soups available, as well as a couple of pasta dishes.  I think they offer daily specials which are reasonably priced and well prepared.  It seems like more of a bar/cafe than a full scale restaurant.

Emporio Bar- Italian

Pleasant Italian restaurant on the main drag through Ludwigsburg.  Has an impressive bar and the kitchen stays open all day, so you can pop in for a late lunch.  Food is pretty good and the prices are fair.

Jambo African Restaurant- African

I got turned on to this restaurant by a fellow American who sang its praises.  It’s a great place for African cuisine and wines.  Last time we were there, Bill feasted on ostrich, while I enjoyed a chicken and peanut dish.  We are due for another trip to Ludwigsburg soon and it may be time for another shot of African cuisine.

Reina Grillhaus- Turkish

This restaurant is near the big mall in Ludwigsburg.  The food is very good and reasonably priced.  During our visit, the dining room was packed with satisfied customers.  I highly recommend it for Turkish cuisine.  Reina has moved since we last ate there, but it’s still close to the mall.

La Signora Moro- Italian

We’ve eaten at this restaurant several times, but I have yet to write a proper review of it.  The post I linked to has pictures of their food, which has always been uniformly good.  On a nice day, you can sit in the biergarten and watch goings on in Ludwigsburg.  It can be a lot of fun on a Saturday when people are getting married or the market is going on.

Lavazza- Greek/coffeebar/cafe

Lovely Greek/Mediterranean food just outside the main square in Ludwigsburg.  The dining room is a bit small, but they have several large tables, as well as a few two tops.  Although I had gyros during my first visit, they seem to specialize in fish.  Next time we go there, I’m going to try something that swims!

Pizzeria Permesso- Italian/pizza

Pizzeria on Ludwigsburg’s market square that offers wood fired Italian pizzas, pastas, meat, and fish dishes.  Beautifully presented food and probably the best Tagliatelle Salmone I’ve ever eaten.

Sam Kullman’s Diner- American diner

American style diner near the train station.  Lots of burgers, ribs, and snacks.  Full bar, shakes, desserts, and breakfast.  Seems popular with young people.  We tried the ribs and liked them.

Towers Irish Pub- Irish pub

Located in a corner on the big square in Ludwigsburg, this charming Irish pub offers standard pub grub.  It’s worth a visit for the food and beer, but also for the beautiful woodwork inside, which was imported from churches in England.  Children’s menu is available.

Möhringen

Anno 1897- Greek

Great Greek place right next to the train station.  They have very good Greek food, flammkuechen, and barbecue.  There’s a biergarten and entertainment for kids (books).  Friendly wait staff and a small parking area for guests.

 
Ristorante La Piazzetta- Italian

We had a really pleasant meal al fresco at this restaurant last summer.  It was very busy, so the service was a little slow.  However, the food was very good and reasonably priced.  There are a few parking spots located nearby, though we were staying at a local hotel, so we walked.

Lindenhof Gasthaus- German

Super cute German gasthaus across the street from the Flora Hotel, which is where Bill and I spent our first week back in Germany.  They offer traditional German food there that appeared to be somewhat upscale.  A children’s menu is available.

Il Cappuccino Feinkost- Italian

I have fond memories of this restaurant if only because when we got there, I was so hangry I was about to die.  We had a beautiful Italian meal and some good wine and all was good in my world again.  I don’t think they have a working Web site and we haven’t been back since last year, but I would definitely dine there again if the opportunity presented itself.

Osteria Tra-Noi- Italian

I didn’t get the greatest impression of this restaurant, though it was usually pretty busy during our brief stay at the Flora Hotel.

Patrick’s Stop: Jamaican Eat In & Take Away- Jamaican/Soul Food

Awesome Jamaican food and plenty of free parking!  Patrick’s offers daily specials, as well as a couple of dishes that are always available.  A really nice change of pace from the usual restaurant offerings in these parts.  The Jamaican Jerk chicken is very spicy and may be just what the doctor ordered for spice lovers.  Highly recommended!  Note- I have heard that Patrick’s is closing, but I’ve also heard it’s moving back to its original location in Mohringen.  ETA: As of March 29, 2017, Patrick’s Stop is back in Mohringen.

Nagold

Alte Post- German/Swabian/International

Really nice restaurant right on the main square in Nagold.  Pricey and very good food.  Nice place for a date night.  Alte Post is now CLOSED.

Burg- German

Very nice gasthof with traditional German dishes.  The trout is amazing!

China Pavillon– Chinese

Beautifully decorated Asian restaurant with a broad array of Chinese dishes.  Good service and very fair prices.  Full bar.

City Imbiss- Pizza/doner kebab

Inexpensive snack bar that offers pizza and doner kebab, as well as beer and wine.  Always smells delicious!  Good food and service.

Fellini’s Ristorante- Italian

Italian restaurant that offers pizza, pasta, and a wide range of fish and beef dishes.  If you hate mushrooms, make sure to tell them.  They seem to use them liberally.  Otherwise, it’s a very nice place.

Hotel Adler- German
This restaurant is part of a hotel.  The dining room is beautiful and the food is very typical German fare.  We went on a scorching hot day and sweated through lunch, though they do have an outdoor area.

Il Due- Italian

Small Italian restaurant right off the main square in Nagold.  Has pizza, pasta, and specials.  Nice bar area.  It’s a good idea to make reservations for popular times as it’s a well known and loved restaurant.  It’s often packed when we pass it.  Pleasant service, though not especially speedy.

La Meo- Italian (pizza and pasta)

Inexpensive cafe/bar/bistro next to the Edeka in Nagold.  Convenient, casual, and kid friendly.  The pizza is very good.  Worth a stop if you’re shopping or staying at the nearby Ibis.

Longwy- German biergarten

Nice bar and restaurant next to the river in Nagold.  Awesome place to people watch.  The menu is somewhat limited, but they have pasta, flammkuechen, salads, and schnitzel.

Luz Bistro Bar- International/fish/steaks

Affiliated with the Alte Post, which appears to much more formal.  We haven’t tried the Alte Post since the change, but we have eaten at Luz Bistro Bar several times and enjoyed each time.  There is a kid’s menu.  Luz Bistro is now CLOSED.

Olive- Greek

This restaurant is located on the road toward the Black Forest.  It offers a nice Biergarten, good Greek food, and a play area for your kids.  You get plenty for your money and free parking to boot.

Osteria da Gino – Italian (not pizza)

Gino offers a great experience.  Bill and I have been to his restaurant several times since the spring and we’ve never had a menu.  We just let Gino feed us and he never disappoints.  We took my mom to his place in July and had a great time.  It’s an Italian restaurant, but don’t go there looking for pizza.

Panorama Eiscafe and Pizzeria- Italian (pizza, pasta, salads, and ice cream)

Pleasant Italian eatery that offers pizza, pasta, salads, and ice cream.  Friendly service and very impressive ice cream creations.  Reasonable prices and kid friendly.  Great place to people watch if you sit outside.  If you get ice cream to go, you aren’t allowed to sit at a table.

Provinciale- Italian (pizza and pasta)

Basic pizza and pasta restaurant and eis cafe.  Kid friendly and right on the main square in Nagold.  Reasonable prices.  Interior smells great, or at least it did when we were there.

Taverne Mykonos- Greek

This is a popular Greek restaurant in Nagold, located very close to Gino’s.  The night we visited, it was pretty busy.  Reservations may be a good idea.  The food is very good, though the service was a little slow the night we visited.

Tapinos- Spanish (tapas)

Adorable tapas bar situated next to the river.  Nice wines available and tequila.  Lots of different Spanish tapas available a la carte, or you can order the special, which is five different tapas for twenty two euros a person.  We found this place a nice change of pace from German, Italian, and Greek food.

Waldhorn- Italian

Local favorite Italian place, with lots of pizza, pasta, meat, and fish dishes.  Good food at reasonable prices.  Friendly wait staff.  Worth a stop.

Plieningen

Wirtshaus Garbe- German biergarten

Great biergarten not far from Kelley Barracks.  Traditional German food and plenty of beer on tap.

Pforzheim

Fischzucht Zordel- Fish (trout)

Delightful trout farm near Pforzheim (Neuenbürg/Eyachtal) where you can have fresh fish, yummy soup, and beer.  When you’re finished eating, you can feed the trout who are waiting their turn to be processed.  Very fun spot for kids and very economical.  Plenty of parking and you may even want to take some fish home for later.

Rechburghausen

Alte Statione- Pizza, pasta, steaks

Nice little restaurant in this town east of Stuttgart.  Offers pizza, pasta, steaks, and drinks at fair prices.  Good service and rooms to rent.

Seewald

Seeheiner Cafe and Gasthof- German biergarten

Very cool biergarten in Seewald.  Overlooks the lake and has a revolving outdoor seating area that rotates very slowly.  Excellent German food!  Try the trout or the schweinebraten.  Both are absolutely delicious!  Very kid friendly, though not really vegetarian friendly.

Sindelfingen

Corners- Burgers/Steaks/Cocktails

Very American friendly burger place in the heart of downtown Sindelfingen.  Good burgers and service, although we happened to be there when there was an apparent shortage of paper products.

3 Mohren- Turkish/ Sunday brunch buffet

Stylish Turkish restaurant that offers a popular brunch buffet on Sundays.  Full bar and nice selection of Turkish wines.  Fresh Turkish food, straight from the grill, and a nice outdoor terrace for pleasant days.

Funzel- German

Nice family friendly German restaurant in the old part of Sindelfingen.  Good place for your favorite local dishes.  Was very crowded on our first visit, but the food was good and the beer was cold.

Gaststätte SchützenHaus- German

Great place to go for inexpensive eats, especially at lunch time.  German and Swabian favorites, kid friendly, dog friendly, vegetarian friendly, and they’ll give you smaller portions if you ask.

Göktas- Turkish/Buffet

No frills Turkish cafe and restaurant.  Alcohol free, good food, very casual, and kid friendly.  Inexpensive.  Nice change of pace and very popular with Turkish people.

Miyo- Asian

Asian “soul food” restaurant located at Breuningerland.  Offers sushi, Chinese food, Thai food, and Cambodian.  Not bad, especially if you’re in a hurry.  Also not particularly special.

Paulaner Bar Sindelfingen– German

Cozy, dimly lit beer bar across from the Stern Center.  Offers free parking in a garage and participates in the Nettle Toilette program.  Offers inexpensive, typically German food and Paulaner beers.

Sindlingen

Sindlinger Hof- El Greco- Greek

Beautiful restaurant across the street from the Sindlinger Schloss and horse farm.  Good food and decent service.  There’s nothing else to Sindlingen, but this is worth a stop if you’re passing through and it’s open.

Tailfingen

Grüner Baum- French

Great restaurant on the main drag in Tailfingen.  The daily menu is a great deal– four courses for under 25 euros a person!  Unique food for the area, freshly prepared, excellent service, and very kid and pet friendly!  Parking can be a challenge and you should call ahead if you want to eat outside and require the non smoking area.  English is spoken, too!  We will be back for sure.

Tübingen

Afrika Bar und Restaurant- African (Ethiopia and Eritrea)

Nice restaurant near the university that serves authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.  Great place for ostrich and, if you have time, a traditional Ethiopian coffee service.  Good South African wines available, too.  Reasonable prices and good prices.

Alte Kunst- Italian

Great place for dorade or fresh pasta.  Right on the hill on the way to Tuebingen’s main plaza by the Rathaus.  Good service and offers a fine place for people watching.

Die Kelter- International

I love this cool restaurant in Tübingen.  It’s located near the big parking garage at the university clinic.  There’s a separate bar area as well as a restaurant that pretty much has something offered non-stop.  The food is very good and so is the service, but be prepared to hike to the bathroom.

Die Kicher Erbse- Middle Eastern/Vegetarian/Imbiss

Delicious falafel and hummus place.  Food is very inexpensive, though there’s not many options for sitting down in the restaurant.  Very tasty food, popular with students and fit people.

El Chico- Mexican

First thing’s first.  El Chico doesn’t offer authentic Mexican food.  It’s German style Mexican food.  If you want authentic Mexican food, you will be disappointed.  Bill and I have eaten at El Chico twice and found the food edible, if not missing a certain something in the translation.  The restaurant offers a great view of the Neckar River and outdoor seating.  If German style Mexican food doesn’t appeal, you can always visit the Neckarmueller downstairs.

Forelle Weinstube- German

A very quaint, homey, cozy, traditional restaurant not far from the big church and the Rathaus.  Very good food, kind service, and a nice selection of wines.  Seems to be popular with locals.  Reservations may be a good idea if you want to go for dinner during the weekend.

Krumme Brücke- German/International/Steak/cheap eats

This is a little hole in the wall that serves a variety of dishes, everything from steaks to gyros.  Seating is limited; service is a bit slow; but prices are very fair and there’s no pause between lunch and dinner.  I would avoid the gyros if you have your heart set on Greek style.  The German food appears to be pretty good.

La Cantinella- Italian

Very nice Italian place right by the Neckar River.  We ate there several times last time we lived here and finally made it back in late January 2017.  Pasta dishes, specials, fish, meats… no pizza, though.  Lots of good wines.

Laf Laf- Middle Eastern/fast food

Awesome cheap Middle Eastern food at this little hole in the wall near the Konig Parkhaus.  Vegetarian friendly and you can get lots of food for very little money.  Alcohol free establishment.  Open daily and does delivery.

Lustnauer Mühle- Italian

Pleasant Italian restaurant in a residential part of Tübingen.  Has a wood pizza oven and offers pasta, fish, and meat dishes.  No official wine list, but several bottles are available for purchase.  Had a nice vibe until we got stared down by a rude woman who kept glaring at us.  Service is good.

Neckarmueller- German biergarten

I love to visit the Neckarmueller on sunny days and sit in the biergarten.  But when the weather sucks, they have a nice indoor restaurant with large portions.  The food is good and so is the beer, which is your typical German variety.  It’s a great place to bring guests who want a biergarten experience.

Osteria da Michele- Italian

Cozy Italian place not too far from Vinum, one of my favorite booze stores.  Good pasta, reasonable prices, and friendly service.  When we visited, they had perfumes in the bathroom.  Fancy!

Pizzeria da Vito- Italian

Small, family owned place on the street leading away from the big parking garage near the clinic.  We used to eat there often the first time we were in Germany, but have only been back once since coming back.  They have good pizza and pasta, though I have had better dorade elsewhere.  This restaurant is now closed– it’s now a Greek restaurant called Olive.

Ratskeller- Burgers, German food, pasta, vegan/vegetarian

Casual restaurant that offers a lot of burgers, many of which cater to vegans and vegetarians.  They also have some German specialties and specials that include pasta, salad, and soup.  Seems to be a popular hangout for college kids.  Hosts music events.  Good craft beer and wines available.

Refugio- Fancy German cuisine/hotel

Lovely upscale restaurant at Hotel La Casa, a five star boutique spa hotel.  We had a fantastic date night there.  Service was impeccable and the food was excellent.  Highly recommended.

Restaurant Rosenau- French/Schwabish/German

Nice restaurant on the outskirts of Tübingen.  Very good service, somewhat formal, though you don’t necessarily have to dress up to eat there.  Good place for a date night, though may be more appealing to older folks.  Restaurant is connected to a hotel.

Gaststätte Stern- Italian

Cute little Italian place right next door to Vinum.  Good food and charming interior, but service was a little slow when we visited and they ran out of a few specials.  It was very crowded, though.  Don’t go there looking for pizza.  I didn’t see it listed on the menu.

Wurstkuche- German

Great place for sausage.  Our first German landlord took us there for dinner on Thanksgiving Day in 2007.  It’s a good place for German fare, beer, and German charm.  I once had a delicious duck special there, too.

Vaihingen

The Auld Rogue- Irish bar

Popular with Americans and other English speakers, the Auld Rogue is a great place to go for sandwiches, fish n’ chips, and the odd special.  They have a nice selection of Irish suds as well as whiskey, whisky, and other alcoholic stuff.  There’s always a game on or live entertainment… I’ve even heard they have karaoke sometimes.  If I lived closer, I’d probably be there all the time!

Chilli’s- Mexican “Tex-Mex”

Located in the space that used to house Neuer Ochsen, Chill’s is a chain restaurant that opened in June 2016.  The food is not bad, though it probably won’t make you miss American style Mexican food less.  Service is friendly and prices are reasonable.  They did a good job on my mixed drinks.  Chilli’s is NOW CLOSED.

Daily Burger- fast food/burgers/wings

Small restaurant offering beef, chicken, and veggie burgers and fries.  The fries and buns are delicious.  Food is made to order.  Not too bad for German burgers, but it doesn’t make me miss Five Guys less.

Holzkrug- German (chicken)

Like roasted chicken?  This is a great little place to go to on the main drag through Vaihingen.  It’s a cozy little place that offers good German food.  But seriously, I go for the chicken.  It’s to die for!

King’s Palace- Asian

Decent Chinese and Thai food.  Located next to the Schwaben Gallerie on the main drag in Vaihingen.  Lots of choices and reasonable prices.

La Cocina Mexicana- Mexican

Mexican restaurant run by a South African guy with a reputation.  We thought the food was okay and the service was good.  Rumor has it that the owner is not a fan of kids and is very outspoken.  We met him and yes, he’s outspoken and blunt.  But in all honesty, we weren’t displeased.  True Mexican food fans may be disappointed, but we weren’t.  This location is closed as of 2018, however the owner is reopening in Möhringen.  This is the new contact info.   

Richterstr. 23, 70567, Stuttgart – Möhringen, Germany

Tel/ WhatsApp: +49 172 711 9806

Email: houstonsfbc@gmail.com

Mikomi Sushi and Grill- Japanese/sushi

Sushi and grill that has taken the space that once housed Neuer Ochsen and Chilli’s.  Located next to the Schwaben Galerie.  Very good food and an excellent value, particularly their Bento Box deals.  Good service, too.

Neuer Ochsen- German

This was a favorite spot for Bill and me the first time we lived in Germany.  We still like to visit for good beer and hearty German fare.  It’s located right next to the Schwaben Galerie, which makes it super convenient.  I like the “fitness salad”, which doesn’t seem all that “fit” between you, me, and the fencepost.  Neuer Ochsen is NOW CLOSED.

Wirtshaus Drive Biergarten- German/Pizza/Pasta

Recently beautifully renovated restaurant in Vaihingen with a nice sportsbar atmosphere.  Kids menu available and limited parking.  Biergarten out back.  Service is a little slow, but food is decent and plentiful.  Lots of Germans were there when we visited, enjoying the football game.  It’s a comfortable place to watch it.

Waldachtal

Restaurant Waldachtal- Buffet/ Brazilian Steakhouse

If you like buffets, you could visit the Restaurant Waldachtal in the Black Forest town by the same name.  On Saturday nights, they have a huge “American” buffet, all you can eat for 18 euros.  On Friday nights, they have a “Brazilian Steakhouse” night.  It’s noisy, but you can eat all you want for little money.  Reserve first.

Waldenbuch

Gasthof Krone-  German/French

Wonderful dinner spot.  Reservations are a must.  Bring cash or an EC card, though in a pinch they can handle credit cards.  Food is very sophisticated and imaginatively prepared and presented.  Not a kid friendly place, though there were a couple of them there on our first visit.  Expensive, but worth it, in my opinion.

Ritter Sport Factory Cafe- Breakfast, coffee, cake

Great place to eat breakfast, especially on the weekends.  I recommend reservations because it appears to be a favorite spot for Germans to come on Sundays.  They offer breakfast all day, as well as coffee, cake, beer, and wine.  They have non breakfast options, too.  Free parking.

Weil der Stadt

Samowar- Russian

In the mood for something different?  Head over to Samowar and have some blinis, stuffed peppers, and borscht!  Prices are fair, food is delicious and different, and the inside of the restaurant is tiny, but charming.  We loved it!

Wildberg

Talblick Gourmetrestaurant- Fine dining

Superb fine dining restaurant offering tasting menus.  Reservations are a must.  Part of a hotel and there is also a more traditional restaurant with an a la carte menu available.  Plenty of free parking and accepts credit cards.  The gourmet restaurant is not very kid friendly, though the main restaurant looks like kids are easily accommodated.  Highly recommended!

Zuffenhausen

Triple B Burgers- Burgers

Great burgers!  Parking can be a challenge and there may be big crowds because the burgers are truly outstanding.  If you go for dinner, I recommend booking ahead.  Today’s burger was the closest I’ve had to an American style burger since we’ve been in Germany.  Well worth a trip.  Triple B Burgers has moved since I reviewed it.  There are three locations.  One is in Stuttgart, one is in Esslingen, and the other is in Zuffenhausen.

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Dinner and a live show… Diana Krall in Stuttgart

Over the weekend, Bill and I managed to score deeply discounted tickets to see Diana Krall at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart.  Until last night, I was sort of a casual fan of Diana Krall’s music.  I like it very much when it’s playing, but I don’t always make a point of purchasing her albums unless I get into a certain mood.  After last night, I’m thinking I need to listen to her more often… especially the older, jazzier stuff she did before she made her latest album, Wallflower.

I wrote about Krall’s concert in detail on my music blog, if anyone is interested.  On this blog, I’ll just say it was a fabulous show and we really enjoyed ourselves, communing with Germans over jazzy tunes.  I will also say that this was my second concert experience at the Liederhalle (the first being Lyle Lovett in 2009) and it’s a wonderful venue for acoustic music.  I think it may now be my favorite place to hear live music, though I have admittedly not been to a whole lot of concerts.  Both shows I’ve seen there were wonderfully intimate and afforded a great view of the stage and the performers.  It helped that last night, we were on the eighth row!

A shot of the stage before Diana Krall came out.

The Liederhalle has a bar, a coat check, and plenty of restroom facilities, but be sure to bring your 50 cents for the Klofrau.  I know you can’t take for granted being able to pee without paying anywhere in Germany!  There is a metro stop nearby.  The Liederhalle is right next to the Berlinerplatz station.

Parking is also plentiful and relatively inexpensive, though there was a huge line to pay after the show.  One of the machines wasn’t working, which slowed us down a bit.  We paid five euros for about four hours.  One thing we learned last night is that you shouldn’t put your ticket in the machine to exit the garage until there’s enough room for you to pull up past the gate.  We watched one lady in a Smart Car do that last night, after she cut in front of us as Bill was trying to maneuver out of reverse.  She put the ticket in too early and the gate closed on her before she could pull through.  Then we had to wait for an attendant to lift the gate for her.  So much for her attempt at trying to save time by cutting in front of us.  😉

There are also plenty of restaurants in the area.  Last night, I chose to book one through OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service.  I have been using OpenTable since 2002 and have 9500 “dining points” saved up.  Although you can’t get points for the US program in Germany (you get points for the German program instead), I did want to keep my account active so the ones I’ve been saving for thirteen years don’t expire.  You have to make one reservation a year or you lose your points.  I’m hoping they won’t expire, since I have no plans to go back to the States anytime soon.

The restaurant we chose last night was an Italian place called La Commedia.  It’s about a five minute walk from the Liederhalle and I noticed it got good ratings from other OpenTable members.  I knew nothing about the restaurant when I booked it, but decided on it when I noticed that it was really close to the concert venue and appeared to be well-liked by others.  I reserved for 6:15pm.

The restaurant turned out to be not very intimate.  It’s very open, with bright lights (that went down at 7:00), a bit of noise, and a large bar area separated by an electric sliding door.  It’s also attached to a theater of some sort and I could tell the waiters were used to serving the pre-theater/concert crowd.  When we arrived, we were shown to a two top next to a curtain.  It wasn’t the most romantic spot, but I didn’t really see any romantic spots in the place.

Obligatory shot of Bill looking studly.

 

And one of me at home…  It was time for a new selfie.

 
 

One of us together… See?  You can barely tell I’m missing a tooth, though the hole still feels huge to me.  Dr. Blair says that in 8-10 weeks, I can fill it in with an implant.

We took a moment to check out the menu.  The waiter was very prompt and would have taken our food order with our drink order.  I later saw why he was so prompt.  By 7:00, the restaurant was full.  Bill ordered San Pellegrino and a bottle of pinot grigio.

I started with the tomato soup, garnished with croutons and fresh basil.  This was a thick, rich soup, so I didn’t finish the whole thing.  It tasted good, but reminded me a little of marinara sauce.  The croutons were a little soggy.  

Bill had a vegetable minestrone, which he pronounced very good.  I didn’t taste it, but I think I would have preferred it to the tomato soup, which was a little heavy.  Note the candle holder.  It was made from an old bottle of Dom Perignon.

Fresh parmesan cheese wheel…

I was much happier with the second course, branzino (wolfbarsch) served with julienned vegetables.  The fish was cooked to perfection and tasted wonderful, but I particularly enjoyed the vegetables.  Peppers, onions, zucchini, and carrots were tossed with a little oil and lightly seasoned.  The flavors were exciting and really complimented the fish.

 

Bill had grilled shrimp served with sautéed spinach.  Once again, it was the vegetables that shone on his dish.  The spinach was perfect and a little buttery.  Not too mushy.  The shrimp were pierced with a spear of fresh rosemary. 

We decided to have dessert, since there was enough time before the concert.  I had tiramisu and Bill had a lemon sorbet…

I enjoyed this interesting presentation of the tiramisu, which was drizzled with chocolate and topped with fresh fruit.

Bill’s sorbet was light and refreshing.  It reminded me of lemon flavored snow, if I’d ever had that.

Bill asked for the check with dessert so we could pay and leave.  The server was happy to oblige us, since he had his hands full with a couple of large parties.  Our bill came to 95 euros.  By the time we got back from a last restroom stop, the server had already set our table for the next turn.

La Commedia offers good food and I think it’s a fine place to go before a show or for a business gathering.  I wouldn’t call it a romantic spot, nor do I think it’s a particularly charming restaurant.  In a way, it kind of reminded me of corporate restaurants in the United States.  But you can get a nice meal there and the service is good, if not a bit more rushed than what I’ve gotten used to in Germany. I’d go back again, though, if the opportunity presented itself.

Below are some pictures I took on yesterday’s walk.  Fall foliage is in full color in my neighborhood. There are some glorious scenes where I live…  Maybe today, I’ll get dressed and go for another walk…

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An afternoon in Stuttgart…

Bill and I both had appointments this afternoon to see Dr. Blair in Stuttgart, so he took off work early and picked me up.  We both got dental cleanings and a quick once over by the dentist.  I was supposed to have impressions done for my implant, but the lady who does them has a stomach virus.  Needless to say, I’m glad she called in sick.

Because I didn’t leave Dr. Blair’s office with a bleeding hole in my mouth or in tears, it was a great opportunity for us to wander around the city center.  For some reason, last time we lived near Stuttgart, we didn’t explore the city very much.  I think we had one dinner at a nice restaurant and a visit each to the zoo and the Mercedes Museum.  That was pretty much it.  Dr. Blair’s office is right in the middle of downtown and we had beautiful weather, so Bill and I took a walk around.

We visited a church…

I love how churches in Europe are open so people can just walk in and look around.  We went into the foyer, but I was really hungry, so we didn’t stay long…

Schillerplatz…

We finally ended up at the Markthalle, which my friend Susanne had recommended for food shopping.  She’s right.  It’s a great place to go for fancy foods.  Reminded me slightly of the Dallmayr gourmet market in Munich, only it was less crowded and not quite as hoity toity.

Bill poses by dry aged beef…

We need to come back when it’s time to shop. 

They have everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to meats, candies, liquors, and cheeses.

The area around the Markthalle is very pleasant…

Lots of cafes and trees; plenty of places to sit down and have a drink or a nice meal…

We’ll be back… as soon as next Monday, actually.  I have to go back and get my impressions done.

 

We made our way back to the area near Dr. Blair’s office, passing a guy playing a super fast rendition of the second movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” on an electronic piano.  It was impressively played, but I wondered what his hurry was.  The weather was so perfect and the mood around him was almost languid as people passed.

 

We ended up having dinner at the Paulaner bar in the old post office.  We were lucky because today is the first Monday of the month, which meant they had spare ribs…  It was just what we were in the mood for.

I catch Bill looking naughty.  He said he was smiling like this because some guy belched loudly as he walked into the restaurant.  For once, I didn’t notice.

This beer really went down easy.  Sometimes I get bored with hefeweizens, but when they are fresh from the tap and I’m thirsty, they are just what the doctor ordered.

Bill checks out the “once a month special” spare ribs.  It came with cole slaw and fries…  He brought some home.  They brought him a finger bowl with the funny warning not to drink the lemon water.  I guess someone must have done that, hence the warning.

I had grilled chicken, which is what I’ve been craving for ages…  Mine came with a salad and fries.  the salad included potato salad, which was delicious but seemed almost like overkill.  The chicken was moist, succulent, and absolutely delicious.  We are going to have to go back for sure, especially since it’s so close to the dentist.

 

Cute little Jack Russell Terrier.  She startled me a couple of times with a loud bark, but was otherwise adorable and well behaved.  She was with a large group of guys who seemed like they’d been buddies for a long time.

Smoking is allowed in the restaurant.  There’s also a very nice outdoor seating area.  Don’t know how much longer they’ll keep it open as winter approaches, but a lot of people were enjoying the nice weather today.  Maybe we should have, too, though the inside of the restaurant is very charming.  Service was quick, friendly, and professional; the wait staff was all dressed in traditional garb.  Our final bill was about 39 euros.  Worth every euro cent!  We’ll be back for more!

Maybe we should have sat outside…

All in all, it was a great afternoon in Stuttgart.  We need to go there more often and enjoy what the city has to offer.  We’ll be back twice more in the next week, though, so there will be more photos for sure.

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The Haslacher Hof…

So many times over the past year, I have passed the Sporthalle Gastatte Haslacher Hof.  This is a German restaurant in a sportsplatz, which is a very common thing around here.  I noticed that the parking lot for this restaurant is always pretty full, which usually means the food is good.  I wasn’t in the mood for our third Hello Fresh meal this week, so I told Bill we should try this restaurant, which we had been meaning to do for months.

Nice shot of the outside.  Parking is free and plentiful.

We arrived at about 6:00 or so.  A few tables were set, along with what appeared to be a table for a large party.  We got a few curious glances as we came in.  I got the sense the staff at this restaurant is used to regulars and as first timers, we attracted attention.  The food served at the Haslacher Hof is distinctly German and the beer they serve is Hochdorf.

Given my mycophobic nature, I was a little horrified by the mushroom art.  They were otherwise decorated for Halloween.

 

I settled on the schweineschnitzel rather quickly.  It came with a side salad and a side dish.  I chose pommes, but there were several sides offered.  Bill went with the gypsy schnitzel.  As we waited for our food, I looked around and was kind of reminded of a fellowship hall at a church.  The dining room was very functional, complete with folding room dividers, views of the surrounding countryside, and music from a local pop radio station.

This salad was interesting.  There were little mounds of vegetables within it.  A mound of potato salad.  A mound of minced carrots.  A mound of radishes and cabbage and green beans.  I didn’t care for the dressing, which was a little too yogurty for me.  I’m not a fan of milk and if I’m not careful, the taste of it will turn my stomach.  Bill loves milk, so he liked it.  And if I had wanted to, I could have taken what was left of my salad to go.  That was a favor offered, not requested.  Loved the cucumbers cut like waffle fries.

My schnitzel.  It tasted very good and was a manageable size.  The pommes were also good.  

Bill loved his dish, the Ziguenerschnitzel, which he chose over a turkey schnitzel.

This particular restaurant apparently specializes in cakes.  I didn’t see any slices offered on the menu, but you can order them whole.  Though neither Bill nor I needs any calories from cakes, we might just have to do that sometime because the pictures on their Web site look good.  A children’s menu is also available.

We left as the party was cranking up.  Looked like people were going to have a good time and I could tell that this restaurant enjoys a regular clientele who visit frequently.  Our bill was 37 euros.  Bill bumped it up to 40 and now we’re home, enjoying what is left of our Saturday.  I’m thinking about going to bed early.

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Eating African style at Jambo in Ludwigsburg…

I’d like to dedicate this post to fellow Stuttgart area resident and new Facebook friend Jennifer, who recommended Jambo African Restaurant to me.  She told me about this great place in Ludwigsburg months ago.  Bill and I kept meaning to go, but we were never in Ludwigsburg at the right time of day.  Except on Sundays, Jambo is only open for dinner.  We go to Ludwigsburg every couple of months or so, but we’re usually there closer to lunchtime because we mostly go there specifically to buy beer at Heinrich’s drink market.  Since Jambo typically opens at five o’clock for dinner, we’re usually long gone by the time they start dinner service.  And we don’t usually go to Ludwigsburg on Sundays because the drink market isn’t open that day.

The sign is easy to spot on this main drag.

We had big plans to go to a local market yesterday, but the weather was kind of cloudy and we got up later than usual.  By the time we were finished with breakfast and our Saturday chores, it was kind of too late to hit the market.  I always like to do stuff on Saturdays, because that’s the one day of the week most things are open and Bill is not working.  But by two o’clock, I was starting to think our Saturday might be a bust.  Then I remembered Jambo and Jennifer’s suggestion that we try it.  I suggested it to Bill, who was definitely game.

We made a reservation online for six o’clock, but that turned out to be unnecessary last night.  When we arrived at Jambo near six o’clock, no one else was there yet.  We had our pick of generously sized two top tables.  We selected one in the back of the dining room, right by a window where I could see Jambo’s small outdoor area.

Bill checks out the menu.  It was entirely in German, but I had already checked it out online using Google Chrome.  There are also many pictures, which makes it easier to choose.

 

A quick shot of the biergarten.  I noticed the proprietor putting up a large umbrella for a few folks who sat out there.

I was really getting into the festive African music playing over the sound system as I decided what I wanted to order.  The restaurant’s decor is also very authentic.  There are carvings, paintings, and photos all over the walls.  I enjoyed the lighting, which was somewhat dim and kind of romantic, though the music made it seem more like we were at a party.

We ordered a lovely bottle of South African shiraz.  This one was priced at 18 euros.  It was very fruity and jammy and it went great with our meals.  Had we wanted to, we could have also tried some African (or German) beers.  There were three advertised at our table– mango, pineapple, or banana. If I had seen that before we ordered the wine, I might have given one a try… probably the mango one.

Originally, Bill asked for springbok, which he had once tried and loved on a trip to London.  Jambo did not have any springbok last night.  There was a note in the menu that Bill missed.  What they did have was ostrich!  Bill’s first taste of ostrich (Strauß) was at the Schwartzbach Sportsplatz near Vaihingen when we lived here last time.  The ostrich at the Schwartzbach wasn’t that great.  The next time he tried it was at 10 Degrees South, an African restaurant in the Buckhead area of Atlanta.  That time, it didn’t disappoint!  Bill decided to try it again in Germany, this time prepared by people whose kitchen was putting out aromas that told us they could cook.  The ostrich was 17,50 euros.  I took a look at 10 Degrees South’s menu and they’re selling ostrich medallions for $40.  I think you get a better deal in Deutschland!

I opted for the Sierra Leone Teller, which could be prepared with chicken or beef.  I ordered it with chicken.  It was priced at 12,50 euros.

Bill’s delicious ostrich!  At first, he didn’t know how to eat it.  The proprietor came over and explained that the rather spongey rolled up bread is meant to be torn.  Then you pick up pieces of ostrich with the bread.  

My Sierra Leone plate.  The chicken was prepared with peanut sauce and lots of peppers.  It came with sides of rice, spinach, beets, and fried bananas.  The menu said they were bananas, anyway… to me, they tasted more like plantains… bland and a bit starchy.  They went well with the peanut sauce, though.

Bill finally eating the ostrich correctly.  It was delicious!

I had to take a photo of the back of the bottle of wine.  It was imported through Great Britain, which is famous for its nannyish signs…  

 

We finished our meals with a round of single espressos.  We wanted to try the African coffee on the menu, but it wasn’t available last night.  I also didn’t see any desserts offered, though that was no big deal.  I didn’t have room for dessert anyway!

I had to take a picture of the vehicle parked across the street.   It looked like a speed boat on three wheels.

 

Although we were the first to arrive at Jambo last night, the place filled up quickly.  Service was leisurely, but professional.  Everyone appeared to be having a good time and I could tell the place is very popular with locals, including several kids.  We were the only Americans there last night.  If you plan to go on a weekend, I recommend making a reservation, though again, it wasn’t totally necessary for us last night.  There is a lot of street parking near the restaurant.

Our bill came to 55,10 euros.  It was worth every euro cent.  As we were about to leave, the kindly proprietor asked us how we liked his restaurant.  In a very typically enthusiastic American way, I said we loved it and we’d definitely be back!  Thanks again to Jennifer for the recommendation!  I am very happy to spread the word about this great place for eastern African food in southern Germany!

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Quick and dirty review of Fucking Hell beer…

Fucking Hell beer…  Pardon the cone of shame in the background…

 

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that Bill and I have been planning a trip to Austria next month.  One of the places I’m hoping to see is the tiny town of Fucking, Austria.  Yes, it’s immature for me to want to go there simply to take a photo of the sign.  I just can’t resist the urge, though, because I have no shame or children to worry about.

While I was researching a visit to Fucking, I was made aware of a German beer called Fucking Hell.  Obviously, this beer was so named because its creators are marketing “geniuses” who are hoping to cash in on all the foul mouthed English speakers who live in Germany.  I am a foul mouthed English speaker and I do plan to visit Fucking, where I expect to get harassed when I try to take a photo of one of the signs.

This beer was supposedly named after Fucking, though the town does not actually have a brewery.  So I knew I had to try it, especially when I read about the controversy caused when brand owners Florian Krause and Stefan Fellenberg first tried to register their product.

If you think about it, the name Fucking Hell is only potentially offensive to English speakers.  Fucking is not a German epithet and hell refers to a light German lager.  In German speaking countries, it should be perfectly fine…  although obviously, most German speakers probably know that the f word is a dirty swear.  Anyway, on with the review…

My order of Fucking Hell arrived yesterday via the very kind German mail carrier who serves my neighborhood.  I had also ordered a Fucking Hell hoodie, but I guess it’s backordered because it wasn’t in the box.  I put a few brews in the fridge to give them a chance to cool down.

I checked out reviews of Fucking Hell on the Untappd app before I tried it.  I also checked Rate Beer.  The ratings weren’t exactly preparing me for a mind blowing beer.  I think it barely rated three stars on a five star scale or came very close to three stars.  Still, this beer is made by the Hartmannsdorf Brauhaus in accordance with the German beer purity laws.  In fact, you can check out the label, written in English and German, and see where it expressly states what it in the beer and that it’s made the way the Germans think it ought to be made.  And that tells me the beer is going to be perfectly drinkable, but pretty boring.

After the beer had a chance to cool down a bit, I got myself a glass and poured the brew.   It had a somewhat foamy head composed of medium sized bubbles, lots of lacing, and the color was sort of a dark, almost amber looking hue.  I gave the beer a chance to settle somewhat, then tasted it.  It had a slightly skunky aroma, somewhat reminiscent of Heineken, though not quite as skunky as Heineken is.  To me, the flavor was slightly nutty, though not strongly so.  At 4.9% ABV, it’s not a really strong beer and it goes down fine on a hot summer day.  It’s not offensive, but it’s also not exciting or interesting.

Yes, it’s kind of hokey that this beer was named after an Austrian town that doesn’t actually have a brewery and is located nowhere near Berlin.  But there’s truth in advertising.  This beer is definitely a hell… and though it’s not exactly hell to drink it, it won’t blow your mind or burn your butt.  I doubt I will buy more of Fucking Hell, though it’s fun to drink it now and I’ll certainly be able to finish the case I purchased.

If you’re curious and don’t want to buy a whole case of this brew, you can get six or twelve packs.  The online store also offers a number of fun accessories including t-shirts and glassware.  I think it would be great if this company went to a place where there are no purity laws so they could really make this beer something interesting.  As it stands now, I think Fucking Hell is perfectly average and tastes like a lot of other mass produced beers… though it’s somewhat better than the watery likes of Budweiser or Michelob.

This is a video review of Fucking Hell.  The reviewer gets it wrong when he says it was brewed in Fucking, Austria.  It was not brewed there.  I don’t think it tastes awful, as the reviewer says, but it’s not a very interesting beer.  On the other hand, if it really tasted awful, maybe it would really live up to the name as it’s understood in English…    

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