Shopping and lunch at Martino Kitchen in Wiesbaden

In a couple of weeks, Bill and I will be going on yet another exciting trip. It’s one I’ve been eagerly anticipating for years. We’re going to Yerevan, Armenia, where I spent 27 months in my 20s as a Peace Corps Volunteer, teaching English as a foreign language to Armenian kids. One of my former pupils got a job as a assistant director with Peace Corps/Armenia. He’s been bugging me to visit my old stomping grounds for years.

The last time we did a Champagne Bucket drawing, Armenia won. So, on November 10th, we’ll begin our journey, arriving in the wee hours of November 11th. I don’t know why, but in the thirty years Armenia has been a part of my life, they’ve never managed to schedule flights that come and go at reasonable times.

*A really cute souvenir shop in Wiesbaden, with the “biggest cuckoo clock in the world”. I thought that was in Triberg!*

Bill and I will celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary, and my former student will be celebrating a birthday. I decided I wanted to bring a gift to Yerevan, so we went to Wiesbaden and finally visited a cute souvenir shop I’ve passed dozens of times in the almost five years we’ve lived in this area. It has a big cuckoo clock out front that people gather around to watch. I didn’t go there for a cuckoo clock, but I did manage to find something to bring with me to Armenia, with help from one of the employees, who was attentive from the minute we walked into the place. I like to browse unbothered when I go into a business. But anyway, she was nice, and we managed to find a couple of things to help my former student remember me forever. 😉

As we were paying, the proprietor, an older man (probably Julius Stern himself), asked if Bill works for the military. Bill answered affirmatively, so he told us we could bring in a VAT (value added tax exemption) form and get the sales tax back, if we wanted. I doubt Bill will bother, since the VAT forms cost money, and the amount we’d get back wouldn’t really be worth the trouble. They seemed kind of charmed that Bill could speak some German, and asked if we liked living in Germany. We said we love it here, and we’ll stay as long as we don’t get kicked out. And the guy said, “I doubt that will happen.” Isn’t it amazing, the difference in attitudes regarding foreigners? Here, people are mostly welcoming. In the United States, we hear lots of talk about “illegals”. Of course, Bill and I are here legally, and we like to spend money… as the shopkeeper noted.

It was lunchtime, so we decided to drop by Martino Kitchen, a really nice restaurant we hadn’t been to since before the pandemic. We were warmly welcomed by a very handsome young Black man who spoke perfect, unaccented English (or, more precisely, he sounded like a very cultured American). We took a table near the front window, which I preferred to the chef’s table in the back. I like watching the chef working, but there are also a bunch of mirrors back there. I don’t like looking at myself when I’m eating… or really, even when I’m not eating.

Bill and I both decided to have pasta dishes– carbonara for me, and truffle pasta for him. The pasta came with excellent, fresh, brown bread, and we both had wine and a glass of sparkling water. I had a glass of primitivo, while Bill had a delightful cuvee, and I liked his wine so much that I had a glass of that with dessert– a kind of cheesecake for me, and a trio of sorbet/ice cream for Bill. The cuvee tasted like strawberries when I drank it straight, but when I combined it with the plums that came with the cheesecake, it tasted like a really nice fruit punch.

After our lunch at Martino Kitchen, we went next door to Trüffel Feinkost, a really nice little gourmet shop. Bill found a couple of wines, while I snuck some photos of the shop’s interior. I love these little gourmet places in Europe.

We walked back to the parking garage, stopping to watch tourists watch the “biggest cuckoo clock in the world” chime on the hour. You can see in the photo, Wiesbaden is very gay friendly, too.

Next, we headed on post to the Shoppette, where Bill fueled up the Volvo with gas, and then the commissary, where we bought provisions for me. I experienced a slight case of culture shock as I mingled among fellow Americans. I don’t remember the last time I was in the commissary before yesterday. It’s not a place I love visiting.

Bill is leaving for Bavaria again this afternoon, and he’ll be gone until November 8th. It’s going to suck, but I think I’m going to try to make good use of the time. Perhaps I’ll make some more music videos, get some reading and writing done, and get on the proverbial wagon, so I don’t end up needing medical services in Yerevan. 😉

We were going to carve jack o’lanterns yesterday, but the weather sucked too much, and it was getting dark. I didn’t want to do them inside because of the mess. I thought maybe we’d do them today, but it’s still raining. So, I’ll probably carve both of them tomorrow, if we don’t do them before Bill leaves this afternoon.

This isn’t the most exciting post, but in a couple of weeks, I expect I’ll have a lot to write about. I know I have a few readers who will be interested, because they were in Armenia with me, back in the day. So stay tuned… and wish me luck over the next ten days or so.

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A brief intermission… today in Wiesbaden!

I’m taking a short pause from my Czech tour series to write about today’s visit to Wiesbaden. It actually has something to do with our Czech tour, since our purpose for going into town this morning was to drop off three of the four paintings we bought on our trip for custom framing .

I did a quick Google search and discovered family run Kunst-Schaefer, an art gallery and picture framer in downtown Wiesbaden. I noticed they got really good ratings and have been in business since 1905. Although we have a picture framer in our town, you have to make an appointment to get work done. It was just easier for us to take the art into Wiesbaden during the shop’s open hours of 10 AM until 2 PM.

The weather is really nice today and if I weren’t still getting over the sickness I picked up on our trip, I think I would have really enjoyed myself. But I’m still coughing a lot and kind of fatigued, so it wasn’t that much fun walking from the theater parking garage to the gallery. However, when we walked inside, it was like home again…

You see, my father owned and operated his own art gallery and picture framing business for about 25 years. I grew up watching him frame pictures and sell art. So going to get my art framed was a little like going home. I did mention to the salesman that my dad was in the business, and he assumed I knew all about picture framing. I don’t, and I told him so. I know the process of framing a picture, but it’s not something I ever did or aspired to do. I’m not that gifted with my hands. 😉 But my dad was, so the gallery, which had a lot of beautiful and provocative art for sale, was kind of nostalgic for me.

We dropped off two paintings we got in Prague featuring a cat couple dancing on the Charles Bridge. It isn’t the most earth shattering art, but Bill and I liked it, because it kind of reminded us of ourselves. And the Russian artist who sold it to us said that he and his wife had created the paintings together. He said they’d been in Prague for 30 years. He was clearly delighted when we bought art from him, as he said the shop belonged to his friend, who was letting him use some space to show his art. Bill and I bought art the last time we were in Prague, too… and some of it was kind of hokey stuff. Still, we like it… and I look forward to hanging up the paintings of the cats in our dining room.

The other painting we bought was one that practically leapt off the wall at me in a gallery in Cesky Krumlov. We bought it with another, very different painting of a landscape that came already framed. I realize the painting we dropped off today may not be to everyone’s taste, but it made me stop in my tracks and demanded that I take it home with me. I like art that makes you stop and think, and I loved the colors in it… but as it was taken off the stretcher when we bought it, it needs to be remounted before it can be framed. We should have our cat paintings in a couple of weeks. The other one will probably take longer. But, the good news is, if they do a good job, we’ll have a go to place for framing next month, when we get back from Armenia. I hope to buy some art there, too.

Here are some photos…

*Cat paintings by Russian artists in Czechia.*

As we looked around the art gallery and took note of the prices, I was glad we went art shopping in Czechia. 😉 They had some beautiful stuff in the gallery, but it was a lot more expensive. But the prices for the picture framing wasn’t too bad. The guy even encouraged us to bring in a VAT form so we won’t have to pay 19 percent tax. Very nice, and totally not something we expect German businesspeople to volunteer for us.

Again, I like art that has a story and makes me stop in my tracks. And while I know the naked woman sculpture I captioned in the photo above is kind of weird, potentially offensive, and not to everyone’s taste, I would totally buy it… I like conversation pieces, and if ever there was one, that would be it. And while ex landlady is no longer in my life, I know seeing it would annoy the hell out of her, and that makes me smile. She probably hated seeing my caganers during her many unauthorized walks through the house when we weren’t home. 😉

I made Bill tip the busker. She played so beautifully.

After we took care of our framing needs, we headed to Little Italy for lunch. It had been awhile since our last visit, but we were warmly welcomed. I had black tortellini stuffed with smoked salmon with grilled salmon cubes, cream sauce, rocket, and cherry tomatoes. Bill had linguini with Seeteufel (fish) and vegetables. We washed it all down with Montepulciano and sparkling water. It was a great lunch and a nice afternoon… and now I’m kind of tired.

We did stop by the Trueffel Feinkost downtown to buy a bottle of wine. Bill needed to break some big Euro bills. While we were there, I noticed some very cute pooches. I think my mom would like Wiesbaden. It’s a very charming town with lots of cute shops and people with fancy dogs.

*There was also an adorable long haired dachshund in the shop.*

I’m still getting over whatever crud it was that I got in Czechia. I’m mostly fine, but still fatigue easily and cough a bit. I’d like to move on in my Czech tour series, and maybe I will after I have a shower… It really is a beautiful day. I’m glad if I have to feel crummy, we’re at home. I can at least enjoy the backyard in my nightie, right? 😉

Now back to my Czech tour series…

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Orgasmic lunch at Martino Kitchen… feel like I need a cigarette!

This post was originally placed on my old Blogspot version of this blog. When I transferred it to this blog, the layout got all screwed up. Consequently, the type is very tiny unless I move it next to type that is normal. Originally, the text was interspersed between the photos. I have moved it in the interest of making it readable. Sorry… I’m still working out the bugs on this new blog!

I know… I know… Every weekend, it seems like I’m raving about yet another Wiesbaden area restaurant. The fact is, there are some mighty fine eats in these parts. Bill and I have been marveling at the quality and quantity of excellent restaurants, as well as the array of choices we have in different cuisines. Lately, we’ve been pretty partial to Italian food, and today was no exception.

Although it would have been nice to have found another fun outing like we did last week, the weather was kind of cold and icky. We actually had snow flurries this morning, which we barely saw up here even during the dead of winter. I had been giving some thought to going to Frankfurt and checking out their spring fair, but based on the chill in the air, decided I’d rather just go out to eat. I asked Bill if he’d like to have lunch somewhere. He agreed, so I booked us a table at Martino Kitchen, which is right next to the Trüffel Hotel and Feinkost (fancy food store). Martino Kitchen is the hotel’s restaurant.

I made us a reservation for 1:45pm and requested “standard” seating, but we were put at the chef’s table at the back. The place was swinging when we arrived, but no one on the staff looked hurried or stressed. We sat down and I immediately noticed that directly to my right was a mirror. I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror, especially when I’m eating. Fortunately, we also had a view of the open kitchen, which offered a fascinating show during a wonderful and imaginatively prepared repast.

We had a brief break while we waited four our third courses. I decided to veer from the suggested free range chicken and have the salmon with wild garlic risotto. Bill had the chicken, although he’d been eyeing the schnitzel.

While we were eating, I couldn’t help but notice all of the people coming back to say “Hi” to the chef. He obviously has a lot of regulars who have become friends. A man with that kind of talent with food is bound to have a lot of admirers. As we were finishing up the meal, I kept raving about how good it was. Every single course was outstanding and some of the flavor combinations were genius. I found myself trying things I ordinarily wouldn’t, like a soup with black truffles in it. Seriously, that’s a big deal for me. I don’t do fungus.

Just as we were finishing the cheesecake, a very friendly man, obviously pals with the chef, came back and started massaging him. As Bill and I observed, the guy started cracking the chef’s back. Obviously, this was his chiropractor, who’d come in for lunch and maybe a quickie adjustment before dinner. We heard him tell him to come in for an office visit, too.

The total bill was probably about 120 euros or so… I didn’t look at the check. When the waiter brought it over, he laughed when I handed it to Bill. Then he asked us where we were from and I explained that we’d just moved to Wiesbaden, but we’d be back to Martino Kitchen. It was a lunch as satisfying as really good sex. I need more of both in my life… although I probably better find a good dogwalking route so I can keep fitting in my fat pants.

After lunch, we stopped by the Feinkost next door. Bill bought himself some cheese and a little chocolate for me. I got a few photos of the beautiful store/delicatessen. We noticed it a couple of weeks ago and I knew we’d soon be visiting.

Every time I visit Wiesbaden, I’m struck by how genteel and pretty it is. There’s a lot of money here, as evidenced in the fancy food stores and fashion outlets. Although there’s also money in Stuttgart, Stuttgart has a different feel. It feels more provincial to me, for some reason. We’ll be back in Stuttgart for the Elton John concert and to visit our awesome dentist. I do miss Stuttgart a little, but Wiesbaden is really growing on me. Of course, if I keep eating all this amazing food, it’ll grow on me in ways I’d rather it didn’t.

Then, on the way back to the car, we stopped in another store– one specializing in exotic fruits and vegetables. They had mint plants for sale and Bill was wanting one. We had one in our backyard at our last German home, but there isn’t one where we are now. I couldn’t resist taking pictures of the gorgeous produce and other treats in Damla, a Turkish word that means “drop”.

We have a date to try Lambertus tomorrow… and maybe we’ll visit the Kaiser Therme for a little spa relaxation. I know I have at least one reader who is eager to get my impressions of it. Stay tuned.

Right out front. No one was sitting outside today. It was too cold!

The lunch menu. You are allowed to mix and match as much as you want and can order 3 to 6 courses for set prices, or you can order less and pay more for each course. Everyone spoke English and was very helpful. We had a round of red wine– primitivo for me and rioja for Bill, along with our usual water with gas and some fresh bread and olive oil.

Side shot of Bill at the chef’s table, which has space for eight people. A couple of ladies were sitting there when we arrived, but they left and we had the table to ourselves until we were halfway through our main courses.

I enjoyed watching the chefs at work, set to music mostly from the mid 1980s.

Bill started with buffalo mozzarella with basil, cherry tomatoes, and strawberries. I don’t usually eat cold cheese, but I did try this and it was absolutely delicious! The strawberries and cherry tomatoes provided a lovely contrast to the mild cheese. I could tell the chef likes “crunch” in his dishes, since both my starter and Bill’s had little crumbles that reminded me a bit of Melba toast.

I had salmon carpacccio with salted almonds and what tasted like raspberry sorbet. The sorbet wasn’t sweet, but had an intense flavor that worked well the very fresh citrus cured salmon. It also had those “crunchies” on it.

Course number two, for Bill, was a wild garlic soup with black truffles. Once again, I wouldn’t normally try this because I don’t like truffles. I did try it, though– a little skimmed off the top (the truffles were on the bottom) and the waitress happened to walk by as I exclaimed, “Oh my God, that is delicious!” She beamed. Seriously, that soup was so good!

I went with a small portion of spaghetti carbonara made only with egg and bacon– no cream. This was also delightful, although I liked Bill’s soup more. I’d order that next time and ask them to hold the truffles.

Bill’s chicken dish was served with barley and yogurt and tasted a lot like Thanksgiving dinner. The chicken was moist and juicy. I would have been happy with it.

But I also loved the perfectly cooked “Lachsforelle” (salmon trout) served on green, garlicky risotto. I paired this with a glass of Sauvignon Malvasia from Italy.

We split a piece of cheesecake for dessert. The texture and flavor was much like New York style cheesecake, which was really a treat. It had a cookie crust and was served with strawberry sauce, strawberry sorbet, and a chocolate garnish. It was a great choice, since it wasn’t too big. There were other tempting choices available. I almost went with tiramisu, but I’ve been watching Golden Girls reruns and have had cheesecake on the brain.