Tag Archives: Wiesbaden

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Valentine’s dinner at Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden!

Valentine’s Day snuck up on us again in 2019.  Last year, we made a hasty decision to have Valentine’s dinner at Refugio, a restaurant at Hotel La Casa in Tübingen.  It was the same place we celebrated in 2017, although 2018’s dinner was not quite as good and lacked the same caliber of entertainment the restaurant had in 2017.

This year, we’ve moved to Wiesbaden, and Bill has been very busy with work.  Consequently, we almost didn’t go anywhere this year.  The Cajun place near us was having a special dinner, but we’re going to France today to celebrate President’s Day weekend and I thought it would be better to have lunch from there before we go.

I consulted OpenTable to see if there was any hope of having dinner on the town.  Sure enough, there were ten restaurants with availability.  One of them was the lovely Little Italy, but we’ve already eaten there three times– most recently this past Sunday.  Another was an American style sports bar, which probably wouldn’t be very romantic.  A third was a German restaurant called Ratskeller, which we tried in December.  I wanted to go somewhere different, preferably with great food.  I took notice of a place called Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden.

Franks (curiously styled without an apostrophe) got really good reviews on OpenTable.  I took a look at their Web site and thought it could use an upgrade, but the food appeared to be really nice on the a la carte menu.  And since Franks is not open on the weekends, I figured Valentine’s Day on a Thursday night would be a good opportunity to try it.  I decided to take a chance.

I believe these roses came from our local Rewe store.  I finally got to use the vase I “made” in the Black Forest last year.

Bill came home at about 5:30pm and we had reservations for 7:00.  He asked me if I’d seen the menu for Valentine’s Day.  I did see that they were offering a four course dinner for 75 euros a person, but I didn’t notice if the a la carte menu would also be available.  Also, I didn’t see what was on the menu, because it was hidden on the news section of their rather low tech Web site.

One of the courses had the dreaded Shiitake mushrooms in it.  And the main course was lamb, which I don’t really like very much.  After presenting me with a lovely bouquet of red roses, Bill called Franks and asked if the mushrooms could be left out of the soup that included them and if there was any way I could have something other than lamb.  Fortunately, the chef was able to accommodate our request.  He left out the ‘shrooms in my Miso soup and prepared a beef filet for me.  Below are pictures from a really fabulous meal!

If you have an electric car and need to charge, you’re in luck!  Franks also has a large parking lot with free parking, which is a huge plus in these parts.  This restaurant is located in a business park in Erbenheim, not too far from where Bill is now working.  It was about a 14 minute drive from our house in Breckenheim.

The menu was posted by the door.  You must climb three flights of stairs to get to the restaurant, or take the handy elevator.  I dressed casually, in a red sweater and black pants with comfortable shoes, so we took the stairs.  The staff at the restaurant had put candles and little heart decorations on the last flight leading to the restaurant.

A very friendly guy greeted us in proper German, took our coats, and led us to our table in the contemporary dining room.  80s and 90s era pop music played on the sound system, but it was turned down low enough that many people wouldn’t notice it.  The tables were set far away from each other, which I really liked.  There was plenty of space to get in and out of the seats and ample opportunity for privacy, although I wouldn’t necessarily describe the dining room as “romantic”, per se.  It looks like the kind of place where businesspeople have lunch.

Strange smirk on Bill’s face.  I’m not sure why.

 

A nicely set table.

 

We had hot bread and butter, as well as sparkling water.  The water was not included in the 75 euro price.

 

We enjoyed a Bellini as Bill looked at the extensive wine list.  The Bellini was part of the menu.  It was a nice touch.  Bill found a beautiful red from southern France.

 

We’ll have to have this again.  It was delightful.

 

I counted five couples attending last night’s dinner.  One of the couples appeared to be regulars.  I noticed an important looking man, perhaps Frank himself, came out to speak to them.  It’s a shame more people weren’t enjoying Franks last night.  The food was superb.

We started with this amuse– salmon mousse, salmon tartar, quail leg (although the chef didn’t know the word in English, so we’re guessing it was quail), and a cup of bell pepper soup served in the style of a cappuccino.  The amuse was delicious and generous.  I especially liked the quail and the soup, although the salmon was also good– very fresh and beautifully presented.

 

Next came the soup course.  This included a langoustine (shrimp), snap peas, carrots, Shiitake mushrooms (omitted from mine), sprouts, and what appeared to be a soft boiled quail egg split in two.  The chef brought out the soup set up, then poured the peppery miso soup over the shrimp, vegetables and egg from a teapot.  The soup was amazing, even without the mushroom.  I’d love to have it for the next time I need comfort food.

These are two views of the next course, two perfectly seared sea scallops with fresh pasta and decorated with dried prosciutto.  I really enjoyed this course, too.  I love scallops and I love pasta, and all of the flavors blended beautifully.

Next, we had our main courses.  Mine was a beef filet, while Bill had rack of lamb.  The herb encrusted meat was cooked to a perfect pinkness and served with hearty root vegetables.  Honestly, this was probably my least favorite of the courses, although that isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it.  It was just the one I enjoyed the least.  Everything was excellent.

Then we had our dessert, a little piece of chocolate mousse cake, with a scoop of citrus flavored ice cream, fruit jellies, strawberries, and what looked like a little twig of white chocolate….

And a few chocolates before the bill was served with fortune cookies that turned out to be surprisingly appropriate…  

 

We thanked the chef for making such a delicious meal for us and he said, “Well, that’s my job.”  I think we’ll be back.  Not only was the food really beautifully prepared, the service was also impeccable and gracious.  I’m sure it helped that there weren’t many people dining last night, which is both a surprise and a shame.  On the other hand, we managed to have a delightful dinner served by people who were neither stressed nor annoyed by a huge crowd of people.

Our total bill was about 185 euros and it was worth every euro cent.  I don’t know how often we’ll get to enjoy Franks, since we don’t often go out to eat during the work week, but we may make a special effort for this place.  I want to try their a la carte menu and “smokers bar”, now.  What a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal we had!

Highly recommended!

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He’s back in town!

Last night, as I was about to go to bed, I found Bill’s flight on Dulles Airport’s Web site.  When I discovered his flight, he was somewhere over Kansas City.  I watched the flight until it landed at Dulles, then went to sleep.  When I woke up this morning, I found his departing flight to Frankfurt.  At about 5:00am local time, he was just off the coast of Ireland.  His plane was scheduled to land by 8:05am, but he got in about a half hour early.

He was at home by 8:30am, which was a nice improvement over our Stuttgart days.  When we were living near Stuttgart, it took about an hour to get to and from the airport.  We now live about 20 minutes from the Frankfurt Airport.  Not only did his bags not get lost, but he was able to get off the plane and come home, rather than connect in Frankfurt and fly to Stuttgart.

Needless to say, the dogs were delighted to see Bill!

Zane was actually the first to meet Bill at the door, but when we sat down to coffee, Arran had to get some snuggle time.  He came over and nudged his head under Bill’s arm for a hug.  I definitely wasn’t the only one missing Bill this week.

 

There wasn’t a lot of food left in the house, so we decided to have lunch at Little Italy.  It was our third visit there and I booked the reservation through OpenTable.de.  Our reservation was for 12:30pm, but we were a little early.  The friendly proprietor didn’t mind.  We were the first ones in the restaurant, but it was only a few minutes before the place started to fill up.  We proceeded to have a sumptuous 120 euro lunch that lasted about 90 minutes…

I started with a glass of prosecco… first alcohol in over a week.  I probably should have stuck with the bubbly, as this was very nice.

 

Then, the friendly proprietor sold me on the special appetizer he was selling.  He said it was the last one.  Basically, it was fresh ravioli stuffed with cheese, pistachio nuts, and lime.  It was delicious!

Bill went with the burrata, which is a northern Italian speciality.  Cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, balsamic vinegar, and very fresh, mild, “buttery” cheese…  I don’t even like cold cheese, but I will definitely eat burrata, which is the Italian word for butter.  That’s pretty much what it’s like.

 

I had a salmon filet with a side of pureed celery and a ginger butter slathered on top…  I paired it with a peachy white wine.  My guess is that it was pinot grigio, although I’m not certain.  

And Bill had the “Wolfbarsch”, aka sea bass.  The sea bass in Germany isn’t like the sea bass I’ve had in the States.  It’s not quite as decadent.  But his fish went beautifully with pureed aubergines and fresh peppers.

 

Finally, we had dessert.  I had a “colonel”, which was lime sorbet served with a bit of Absolut Vodka infused with lemons.  If I’d wanted to, I could have have mango or cassis sorbet.  The proprietor brought out the chilled bottle of vodka and poured it over the scoop of refreshing sorbet.  It was a bit cold outside for this, but I wanted to try a dessert I hadn’t yet had at Little Italy.  Bill had the best panna cotta ever.  The first time I had panna cotta, it was rich and creamy.  Every other time, it was like milky jello… firm and not creamy.  At Little Italy, the panna cotta was like it was the first time I ever had it… rich, creamy, buttery, and delicious.  Next time, if there isn’t an enticing special, I’m having that.  It came with Johannesbeer (red currant) puree and mangoes.

I finished up with a double espresso.

 

After lunch, we went to the commissary to get something for dinner tonight.  We were in and out of there quickly.

I usually like to try different places whenever I can, but Bill is understandably tired from his long journey and we have yet to be disappointed at Little Italy.  I think it’s going to become one of our go to local restaurants.  The food and service are always excellent, and like we did the first time we went there, we even chatted with a single lady sitting by herself.  She was intrigued by the burrata.

 

Hopefully, that will be the end of Bill’s TDY trips for awhile… or, at least I hope I can go with him on the next one.  I hate sitting at home alone all week.  I will admit, he was a sight for sore eyes.  And now that he’s back, he’ll probably want to rest his…

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Le Petit Belge– your source for Belgian beer in Wiesbaden!

ETA 2021: Sadly, this restaurant has closed.  Another has opened in its place, but we haven’t yet tried it.

One major part of settling in a new town is locating a source for good suds.  I like German beer fine, but I’m really partial to Belgian beers, which tend to be more interesting to my aging tastebuds.  Last weekend, probably after our awesome Cajun food extravaganza, I went looking for a place to buy Belgian beer.

When we lived near Stuttgart, we used to go to Heinrich’s 3000 drink market in Kornwestheim, which had a pretty good sized Belgian section.  I’m sure such a place exists near Wiesbaden, but when I went Googling, the first place to come up in Wiesbaden was a place called Le Petit Belge.  Le Petit Belge is located in the heart of Wiesbaden, right near the big red church in the big square.  It’s kind of awkwardly laid out, with a shop/cafe on the edge of the square and a bakery/chocolate shop two doors down in a passageway.  Between the two shops is a tiny Italian restaurant.

Le Petit Belge plays 80s music on its sound system and sells beers to take home.  It also offers frites, crepes, waffles, buckwheat crepes (which are gluten free), soups, and other specials.  It’s a tiny place, with room for just fourteen people in the cafe and room for a few more folks in the bakery area, which is also where you’ll find the restrooms.  You will need the restrooms after a couple of hearty Belgian beers.

A shot of the outside facade.  When it’s warm you can sit outside.  You can probably sit outside when it’s not warm, too.  They have little blankets.

 

Outside the bakery, where you can get beer, baked goods, and chocolates.  It’s also where my frites were cooked.  This is where you pee.

Bill peruses the menu, where there are many beers listed, then looks at the wall of beers.  

It’s pretty impressive, especially for such a small venue.  I wish we’d known about this place when we were househunting and staying in downtown Wiesbaden.

This is where they make the crepes, waffles, salads and such.  I went with a Caprese, which was a fresh crepe made with tomatoes, herbs, and mozzarella.  It came with a salad.  Bill had a crepe full of Trappist cheese (which smelled like ass) and smoked ham.  He said it was delicious, and ate every bite.  You can also get sweets made… waffles, crepes, or fancy hot chocolate or coffee.

One of the two beers I enjoyed.

This is a small portion of frites at 200 grams.  You can get them with “dips” included, or you can pay a la carte for things like ketchup, mayo, or something else.  They also have medium and large frites.  As it was, Bill and I struggled to finish the small one, and we were sharing.

My crepe.  It arrived with cold mozzarella, but most people don’t care about that.  I just pulled the crepe over the cheese to melt it a bit.  It was good, but I only managed half.  Those frites were deadly!

And a little salad.  I actually enjoyed this– especially the crisp, zesty red peppers.

Bill’s crepe… he enjoys things that smell like ass.  Maybe that’s how we’ve lasted 16 years.  I’m just kidding…  Actually, he said the Trappist cheese was only slightly more pungent than Gruyere, which I can handle somewhat easily.

This was my dessert.  

Bill shops for beer to bring home.  He’s flying back to the States on Sunday, so I’ll be at home alone.  I usually try to stay on the wagon when he’s out of town, but Belgian beers are tempting, I must admit.

This was our modest haul.  Next time, we’ll have to get more.

 

I can see this little eatery is much beloved by the local community.  It’s really kind of cool to have a Belgian restaurant nearby, even if I’m really mostly interested in the beer, frites, and chocolate.  You can get plenty of all three at Le Petit Belge.  I’m sure we’ll be back again and again.

 

 

 

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anecdotes, Baden-Württemberg, Hessen

Life in Wiesbaden vs. Life near Stuttgart… ten things I’ve noticed

Please be sure to read the update…  

Bill and I didn’t go out yesterday.  The weather was horrible.  It was dark, cold, and rainy, and a lot of stuff is closed on Sundays in Germany, anyway.  If we’d put our minds to it, maybe we could have found something to do, but I wasn’t in the mood to go out.  Instead, we stayed in, watched a lot of TV, and drank cocktails.

I do still have a work ethic, though, despite having long ago given up the working woman’s lifestyle.  I felt kind of guilty for neglecting the travel blog yesterday, since there are a handful of people who follow it and look for new posts.  I usually update on the weekends if I haven’t gone out of town.  Saturday, I was successful, but yesterday I was not.  So… today, I decided I’d write about the differences I’ve noticed between living in Wiesbaden and living near Stuttgart.

Bear in mind, I’ve only been in Wiesbaden for two months.  And our lives have been affected by the weather, the holidays, and the fact that we’re just now getting used to the area and finding stuff.  As it is every time we move, I’m having to get used to a new rhythm.  Yes, Wiesbaden is still Germany, and some German stuff is universal to the experience.  But just as it would be in the United States, there are some differences.  So with that idea, here are ten differences in life in Wiesbaden versus life near Stuttgart.

Stuttgart…

Wiesbaden…

10.  Wiesbaden is more “built up”.

I don’t know why, but I was under the impression that life was more bucolic up here in Wiesbaden.  Maybe it’s the name of the city, which translates to Meadow Bath.  To me, Wiesbaden is more crowded than the Stuttgart area is.  There are many narrow streets here– even more than down in Stuttgart– and they are crowded with cars.  I was thinking we’d be able to find a rural area in which to live, but just about everywhere we looked was very built up and crowded.  That may be because there are several good sized cities here as opposed to just one.  We have Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, all of which have at least 500,000 inhabitants.

9.  People are more laid back in Wiesbaden.

Despite the area being more “crowded”, I have noticed people don’t seem as cranky in the Wiesbaden area.  Or maybe I’m just becoming German…  I remember being taken aback when we moved to Stuttgart the first time.  People seemed grouchy and “in your face”.  It seemed slightly less like that during our second stint there, probably because I was more accustomed to German bluntness.  Here in Wiesbaden, I wouldn’t say people are necessarily friendlier, but they seem less uptight for some reason.  Maybe I should spend more time in traffic.

8.  Traffic isn’t as bad up here.

I don’t know why, either.  It’s not that there isn’t a lot of traffic.  There is.  But for some reason, we don’t experience the legendary Staus we did in the Stuttgart area.

7.  Wiesbaden is not as pretty as Stuttgart is…

Actually, I should rephrase that.  The city of Wiesbaden is very beautiful and posh.  Stuttgart is kind of industrial and homely.  In that sense, I’d say Wiesbaden is prettier than Stuttgart is.  However, the areas around Stuttgart are absolutely lovely, while Wiesbaden’s surroundings seem to have less beauty, natural or otherwise.  I really miss the beautiful views from our old house, as well as the charming towns that weren’t decimated during World War II.  Forgive me, but I’m not as well-versed in history as I should be.  Nevertheless, there’s not as much quaint charm in the Wiesbaden area.  It takes more effort to see the half-timbered houses one sees in BW.

6.  Wiesbaden is more international than Stuttgart is. 

I come from Virginia and sometimes, when I compare Wiesbaden to Stuttgart, I think of what it would be like to move from, say, Richmond, to northern Virginia.  Stuttgart feels very much like the state capital it is, while Wiesbaden, being so close to Frankfurt, feels more like the national capital it isn’t.  A lot of different kinds of people come through Wiesbaden because it’s close to Frankfurt.  Consequently, it feels somewhat more cosmopolitan, although I’ve read that if you really want to party, you need to go to Frankfurt or Mainz.  Wiesbaden apparently has a reputation for being “stuffy” and “snooty”, thanks to all the money up here.

5.  There’s more money in Wiesbaden.

Swabians are reputed to be tight with their money.  Nevertheless, I thought Stuttgart was an expensive area to live in.  That was before I went looking for a house in Wiesbaden.  We pay almost twice as much (including Nebenkosten) for our current home than we did for our house in Unterjettingen.  However, our new house is also much nicer than our last one was.  Our landlord lives next door, but never bothers us… and when something needs to be fixed, he doesn’t freak out.

4.  There’s more farming in Stuttgart.

One thing I miss about our old area is that we lived near several farms where we could buy produce on our honor.  I won’t say this doesn’t exist in Wiesbaden, but it’s harder to find it.  I’m not sure we’ll find a 24 Milch Tankstelle up here, either.  On the other hand, up in the Wiesbaden area, there are wine stands.  They should be cranking out Federweisser soon.

3.  The food is kind of different and there seems to be less emphasis on beer.

In the Stuttgart area, the emphasis was on heavy, hearty German fare in the Gasthauses and there were many different breweries, all putting out beers that pretty much tasted the same.  Up here in Wiesbaden, the emphasis is more on wine.  I thought Stuttgart was wine country, and it kinda is, but it’s even more wine country near the Rhein.  I suppose if I want a good Volksfest, I’m going to have to pack my dirndl and pay Stuttgart a visit.

2.  Wiesbaden is growing on me…

It’s nice to have a change in scenery.  I’m looking forward to spring, when the weather will be better and we can take some day trips on the weekends.  The weather up here, by the way, seems to be less cold and snowy.  When I read about snow in Stuttgart, I look out our window forlornly and see nothing but rain.  But maybe it will be somewhat milder all the way around.  Like, in the summer, I won’t bake.  One can hope.

1.  But I kind of miss Stuttgart a little, too…

If the weather has to be cold and yucky, I like it to snow.  We have yet to have our first decent snow up here.  I know the town where I used to live has gotten some white stuff.  I miss having a nice area to walk my dogs, too.  We were literally next to the Black Forest down in the Stuttgart area.  Here, they get walked by a grocery store near the Autobahn.  On the other hand, we do have a fenced in backyard, which is great.  Still, I was thinking wistfully about how beautiful the rural areas near Stuttgart are.  I do miss them.

I may have to revise this post after we’ve been here a bit longer.  I’m making a list of places to see on the weekends, once the weather is nice.  I look forward to day trips to the Rhein, at the very least, and new castles.  I miss the mountains, though.  Maybe I’d feel differently if we’d lived in Wiesbaden first.

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Think Real is huge? Globus is gargantuan! And, Louisiana style food in Wiesbaden!

Wow!  I have had quite an exciting day today!  First off, Bill took me to our local Globus, which is an enormous hypermarket in Wiesbaden.  It makes the Real in Jettingen look puny by comparison.  And then, after we went to Globus, we found an authentic Louisiana kitchen located two kilometers from our house!  I may have to take some time to come down from the Cajun food high we have!  We even came home with gumbo for dinner!

But first, let me write up the Globus.  I noticed it when we first arrived in Wiesbaden almost two months ago.  The hotel where we stayed our first night in town is just across the street from it.  Bill went in there once around Christmas time.  He said it was a madhouse.  I generally hate madhouses, but I was curious and I do write a lot about food… So, below are some photos and some light commentary by yours truly.

The first thing to know about Globus is that it’s absolutely humongous.  I mean, it’s probably twice as big as the Real is, although it has nicer lighting.  The building has an apotheke, a few restaurants, including an Asian and Doner shop, dry cleaning, a travel bureau, and a deli.  The only thing I didn’t see was a Coin Star.  I’m sure it’s on the way.  Globus was founded in St. Wendel, Germany back in 1828 by Franz Bruch, who passed the business to his son, who, in turn, passed it to his son.  The store eventually became a chain with locations all over Germany and in the Czech Republic and Russia.

I had a sense of foreboding as I approached this sign.

It’s a really large store, so I recommend eating before you go there.  Or, if you need to, get an electric buggy.

There’s an ATM, but I didn’t see a CoinStar.  Our Jettingen based Real had one of those.

 

Dropping off the bottles, and away we went…

It’s a “hypermarket”, so they have stuff other than food.  You can buy lawn ornaments there, for instance.  I kind of liked these peacocks.

You can also buy costumes for your kids!

We were happy to stop by the liquor and wine area, which was pretty well appointed.

I kind of wonder about obviously gimmicky wines like this one… but I rarely take the bait.

They had some interesting liqueurs, though.

This is just one shot of the vastness of this store… I could have turned the other way and taken another picture to show just how huge it is.  I really don’t like enormous stores like this one, but I have to admit, it has a lot of what you’d want.  On the other hand, finding things can be a challenge.

This is the “American” section.  Notice it’s all Fuego brand “Mexican” food.  Pretty lame!  Fuego is not really American by any stretch, nor is it Mexican.

The Eastern European selection was more credible.

As was the Moroccan…

And Asian.

About halfway through your shopping, you can stop for a cup of coffee or water.  If you could see how large this store is, you’d see why this is a good thing.

Vast meat section.

Coffee, though the logo made me laugh.  It looks like a gorilla taking a dump.

Every kind of cheese you could ever want… (except ricotta)…

Tons of shrimp and “sea asparagus”.

Sushi!  It looked pretty good, too.

And lots of dairy.  We spent some time combing this area looking for ricotta cheese because we feed it to our dogs.  They eat it mixed with fish oil to stave of mast cell tumors.  It took forever to find the last container of ricotta, but they had plenty of everything else you could ever want.

More cheese!

Fresh herbs.  We should bring a few of these plants home.

Mix your own M&Ms in every color…

And Jelly Bellies, too!

We had a light haul of stuff.

And once again, I was shocked by the graphic warnings on the cigarette packages.  Bill laughed when I actually winced at a couple of the pictures.  People still smoke in Germany, though.  A lot!

There’s the drug store.

And the restaurant…

 

To be honest, Globus was exhausting.  I’m sure some people find it an exciting place to shop.  I actually found it more pleasant than the Real, mainly because the lighting was softer and it wasn’t quite as crowded.  However, I probably won’t make a habit of visiting there.  It’s just huge and tiring and I often leave places like that with a lot of stuff I never wanted to buy.

Anyway, after we shopped, it was time to find lunch.  Unfortunately, we were looking during the dreaded time period before the “pause”.  It was almost 2:30pm and that’s when a lot of places close.  I went on Google to see what was open and I noticed an ad for a place called Spirit of New Orleans.  The very first review I read was from an American who wrote, “Damn good food!”  I also noticed that it closed at 5:00pm, but didn’t take a pause.  Bill loves Cajun cuisine and the restaurant happens to be located about 2 kilometers from our house.  So we stopped by to see if it was, in fact, open.

We walked in and noticed how tiny the place is.  A kind looking German lady invited us to pick a table.  We did.  I noticed the awesome funky music– a nice mix of New Orleans jazz and R&B.  We ordered beers…

Outside…

It looked promising.  And there was also plenty of parking!  Bonus!

I immediately took note of the sign, which made me think the proprietor, a man by the name of John, was a military veteran.  Sure enough, he is… and damn, he can cook!

Bill was excited by the menu, even though we were snacking on Fuego tortilla chips.

Bill had jambalaya.  I really should have taken a picture of his face when he tasted it.  It’s the same face he makes during an orgasm.  It’s been too long since I last saw that look on his face.

I went with spare ribs, which were absolutely awesome.  The meat was cooked to perfection and generously sauced.  You get a choice of mild or spicy sauce.  I think I might have had spicy sauce, though I didn’t ask.  I loved the fries that came with it.  They were roasted to perfection and had a really rich, hearty flavor.  

It also came with excellent slaw.  I had a little of it, then passed it to Bill, who likes cabbage more than I do.  John also serves American beers like Budweiser and Miller Genuine Draft.  I don’t think they’re worth 4 euros, but if you miss American suds, you can get them there.

It’s a tiny little place, although we heard John say he has a “hall” for catered events.  He also has an outdoor area for better weather.  His restaurant is in an industrial business complex that is short on charm.  However, I think our new vet is located there (once we pay them a visit and claim them, that is).  I also noticed a number of other restaurants and other businesses.  Parking is plentiful, which is a huge positive in these parts.

After we raved about lunch, John brought us each a chicken wing.  It was freakin’ delicious.  I’m serious.  It definitely wasn’t KFC.  Next time we visit, I’m going to try the shrimp.  He also has burgers, which I am sure are done the right way.

 

John came out and chatted us up, telling us he’s been in Wiesbaden for about thirty years.  He’s not the first person I’ve run into who’s come here from America and stayed for decades, and he had a rather colorful commentary about our current “leader” Mr. Trump.  I was very impressed by his restaurant, which is unique and offers genuine Louisiana flavors delivered with great music and sassy commentary.  John told us he’s worked in German hotels and, before he opened his own restaurants, he was in the Army where he was a chef.  I got a huge kick out of him.  He told us he’d had two other restaurants in Wiesbaden, but he closed them due to a lack of qualified personnel.  This is an epidemic in Germany.  There’s a shortage of qualified restaurant workers.  Our favorite place in Nagold, down near our old neighborhood near Stuttgart, closed for the same reason.

We got talked into dessert, so I had cheesecake, which was excellent and not too huge.

And Bill had bread pudding with Jack Daniels’ sauce.

While I had another beer, John and Bill did shots of moonshine.  I didn’t sample it myself, but Bill said it was impressively smooth.

John hosts a number of events at his place, including a Mardi Gras breakfast, complete with live music (February 10th).  He also does New Orleans breakfasts at other times during the year.  He’ll be open on Valentine’s Day evening for dinner, for which reservations are required, as well as Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and even an early Christmas dinner (on the 14th instead of the 25th of December).  I have a feeling we’ll be regulars there, because the food was just insane.  We really enjoyed ourselves.

I can’t even believe this place is not five minutes from where we live.

If I’ve piqued your interest, have a look at their Facebook page.  And if you’re down in Stuttgart, you might want to take a field trip to Wiesbaden for this restaurant.  Just keep in mind that this place is only open for breakfast and lunch.  It’s in an office park, so there’s less call for it to be open for dinner.  Plan accordingly and come hungry!  And if you’re bringing more than four people, call and make a reservation.

We came home with gumbo for dinner tonight.  I think John is the kind of guy who likes to feed people.  While it wasn’t the cheapest lunch we’ve ever had (thanks to all we ate), we are definitely not hungry.  I think we’ll be back again and again!

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Our local haunt… the Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen

This place is within stumbling distance of our house.

 

SADLY, THIS ESTABLISHMENT HAS CLOSED. 

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

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

Last night’s specials presented on a chalk board.

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Maybe we’ll have pretty skies here, too.

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

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Good eats! Wiesbaden area restaurant guide…

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

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

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

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

Downtown Wiesbaden

Casa del Sabor- Argentinian Steakhouse

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

Chillers- American/Californian sports bar

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

Chookdee- Thai

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

Due Amici– Italian Crossover Kitchen

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

Ente- Fine dining

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

Five Guys– American burger chain

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

Hiro Sushi- Sushi

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

Karim’s- Moroccan/Mediterranean

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

Kavos– Greek

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

La Cantinetta- Italian

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

Lambertus- German/International

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

Le Petit Belge- Belgian/beer

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

Little Italy Cucina Italiana- Italian

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

Martino Kitchen- International

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

Phaisto’s- Greek

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

Ratskeller- German

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

Scotch N’ Soda– Irish pub

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

Vapiano- Italian chain

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

Villa im Tal- Austrian/International

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

Breckenheim-Wiesbaden

Alt Breckenheimer Stübchen- German/Gasthaus fare

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

La Fonte– Italian

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

Tam’s Kitchen– Asian/sushi/delivery

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

Delkenheim-Wiesbaden

Akropolis– Greek

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

Nordenstadt-Wiesbaden

Hotel zum Wiesengrund- German

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

Rambach-Wiesbaden

Castello Romano- Italian

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

Cem Klein Mediterranean Grill- Mediterranean

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

Eppstein

Ristorante Kaisertempel- Italian

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

St. Georgen Brau- German and Italian

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

Erbenheim

Der Grieche- Greek

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

Franks– The Culinary Soul of Wiesbaden- International/Gourmet

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

Bad Soden

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

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

Bierstadt

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

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

Frankfurt

Conrad’s Restaurant– German

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

Fletcher’s Better Burger– Burgers

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

Five Guys- American fast food burgers

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

Pirosmani– Georgian food

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

Hochheim

Hochheimer Terrasse- German

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

Hofheim

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

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


Casalinga da Rita- Italian

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

Ristorante L’Opera– Italian

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

Restaurant Ariston– Greek

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

Waldgeist- German/Biergarten

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

Hofheim am Taunus

Amici- Italian

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

Hofheim-Wallau

Spirit of New Orleans- Cajun/Soul food

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

Kronberg im Taunus

Mangia, Mangia– Italian food/pizza

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

Mainz

Aposto- Pizza/pasta

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

Sixties– Irish pub/craft brew bar

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

Weinhaus zum Spiegel– German Wine bar

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

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A decadent Sunday lunch at Little Italy Cucina Italiana in Wiesbaden…

Back in October of 2018, Bill and I visited Wiesbaden for the first time.  Our purpose was to househunt.  We stayed in Town Hotel Wiesbaden, a small hotel downtown, with our two dogs, so we tried several restaurants near the hotel.  Little Italy Cucina Italiana was one of the restaurants we dined at, and you can read my write up of that experience here on this blog.

Today, we needed to visit our local military installation for some supplies.  I needed some high-end make up and Bill needed to get my car set up for fueling.  We stopped by AAFES first, and ended up having a very entertaining and longwinded chat with the customer service guy, who’s lived in Wiesbaden since 1974.  He got my Mini Cooper squared away with a fuel ration card and told us all about the history of the military in the area at the same time.  I probably would have enjoyed chatting with him all day, and he seemed willing, but we had more shopping to do.  So once we had my makeup in hand, we headed for the commissary.

We bought some food staples, but discovered we forgot the Bisquik once we got home.  There’s always something we miss!  Sadly, it’s not as easy to rectify things in Wiesbaden, since there’s only one commissary as opposed to the four in the Stuttgart area.  Nevertheless, I got us some cleaning supplies and junk food I’ve been craving and definitely shouldn’t be eating.  Then we stopped by the Shoppette for some wine to help ring in the new year.

After we were finished shopping, it was about 2:00pm.  We went to Wiesbaden, parked, and headed into the city center.  Our journey took us past Little Italy Cucina Italiana.  Neither Bill nor I really felt like hunting for a place to eat and it was clear the restaurant was not taking a pause.  In we walked, and we were warmly greeted by a lovely waitress who spoke excellent English.

Last time we ate at Little Italy, we dined outside.  This is possible in most weather, since they have installed heaters over the tables.  Inside, the dining room is very tiny, as are the tables.  We took a corner table that was situated very close to another table.  Fortunately, it wasn’t busy.

I told Bill I was in the mood for a really beautiful lunch.  Lo and behold, that’s what I got.  As we listened to 80s era pop hits remade into smooth jazz, Bill and I ate our way through three dynamite courses.  Feast your eyes…

Out front.  I noticed the English speaking proprietor in the window.  I remembered him from last time.  He’s very friendly and good at suggesting things.  The guy walking into the restaurant was memorable.  He appeared to be waiting for a staff member and walked in as if he owned the place.  He had on skinny jeans, walked with a confident swagger, and shook the proprietor’s hand as he caught his reflection in the mirror and fixed his hair.

 

This is about half of the dining room.  It’s not the smallest restaurant I’ve ever been to, but it’s pretty small.

 

The “bar”.

 

Obligatory shot of Bill.

We started with super fresh bread, olive oil with tomato paste, and San Pellegrino…

And excellent red wines by the glass.

The last time we visited, I was intrigued by a raw tuna and avocado appetizer.  I didn’t order it the last time, since it was almost 20 euros and I figured it would be big.  Bill and I split it this time.  I’m glad we split it.  It was delicious and super fresh, but a lot for one person.  It was citrusy tuna with avocado bits, along with a tiny salad.  Topped with a bread stick and garnished with pomegranate seeds that helped cut the saltiness, this was a lovely starter.  At the end, I got just a hint of ginger.

 

My main dish was spaghetti sepia, basically dyed with squid ink, and served with creamy hummer (lobster) sauce and shrimp.  I managed half, since I was saving room for dessert.  This was a bit heavy, but satisfying.  Next time, I’d have it without the starter.

 

Bill went with Osso Bucco, basically a veal pot roast served with a tomato and carrot sauce, and garnished with quince.  Again, a bit heavy, but delicious.  I don’t eat a lot of veal, but I did try this dish.  If you like very tender, flavorful meat that falls off the bone, this is for you.

 

Our lunch was very leisurely and enjoyable.  The staff wasn’t rushed, so the service was excellent and the food was delightful.  It was interesting to people watch, too.  This restaurant is located on a somewhat busy street that brings a lot of foot traffic.  I noticed this restaurant is very popular with Italians, too.  Always a good sign in an Italian restaurant in Germany!

I couldn’t resist having dessert.  I gave some thought to having something off the regular menu, but our bald friend had a suggestion.  He had “baba”, which was basically like a very decadent sponge cake soaked in rum, served with candied cherries, and topped with chocolate ganache.  It wasn’t too large and came in two pieces, so it was perfect for sharing.

Yummy!  The perfect end to a lovely meal.

Bill had an espresso, while I finished my Primitivo.

All told, we spent about 100 euros before the tip, which Bill paid for with a credit card.  The proprietor asked us if we had his phone number.  I’m sure he doesn’t mind guests like us, since we ate a lot and tipped well.  And it was very obvious we were having a good time… I left there gushing, “What a fabulous meal!”

The proprietor wished us a happy new year, then told us next time we’re “boring”, to give him a call.  I had to laugh, since our old veterinarian in Herrenberg made the same error.  There must be something in German grammar that causes people to say “boring” when they mean “bored”.  But hell, I don’t speak German worth a damn, so I can’t make too much fun.  I just thought it was funny.  I’ve been called a lot of things, but boring isn’t one of them.

We really like Little Italy and I think we’ll probably be regulars.  The food is always good.  The service is friendly and professional.  And we’re always warmed welcomed by the man in charge.  That makes it a winning destination… especially since they don’t seem to take an afternoon pause and we like to eat lunch late.

I got a couple of shots of the action at the ice skating rink.  Looks like there will be quite a party in Wiesbaden tomorrow night!

Incidentally, I still haven’t finished yesterday’s Five Guys cheeseburger… I better start walking my dogs more before my ass gets its own zip code.

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A late lunch at La Fonte in Breckenheim, Wiesbaden…

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

A moonrise…

 

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

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entertainment

Dinner with friends and the Scottish Music Parade!

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

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

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

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

I had a very tasty and surprisingly flavorful Schwarz Bier…

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

I liked the decorations.
 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

He was quite the showman.

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

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

The guitar player was also quite the badass.  

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

The dancers came down the aisles to get everyone going.

Taking a bow…

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

 

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

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

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

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