My week: August 21 ed.

I met with my tandem partner to practice German. I've been wanting to practice pronunciation so we worked on words like Eichhörnchen (squirrel), hören (to hear), and some other umlauted words. I don't think I'm ever going to get ö, ü, and r correct in German. I've given up on ever saying that it's humid outside because an umlaut makes all the difference and can dramatically change what you're trying to say (German speakers know what I mean on this one).

It's been about the two year mark since tandem partner A. and I've started meeting. She's helped me immensely with German and any errors are mine, despite her excellent tutoring. A. is pleased with her progress in English and I'm impressed. She uses many idioms and employs a wide understanding of English. I highly recommend that those learning a new language practice conversation regularly with a native speaker because it enforces what one learns in the classroom.

I took off Friday and headed to Darmstadt for a seminar in the evening. I was feeling as if I could use a mini vacation so I decided to explore the city and meet some locals. 

I ate lunch at Djadoo, a Persian restaurant that offers a buffet lunch for about 10 euros. I won't lie; this lunch was part of the reason for taking the day off. The other more pressing reason was that I was feeling a little burned out so a day off seemed a good way to refresh myself. Anyway, I was able to snag a table inside at this handsome restaurant. I think it would've been even nicer to sit on the terrace under the umbrellas. If you'd like to do that, make a reservation. The buffet was tasty with various rice and sauce dishes, plenty of them vegetarian. There were sauteed vegetables, salad with dressings, and a few desserts. My favorite was the eggplant dish. I tried the ghormeh sabsi, which I also eat at home (from a tin), and it was good but a bit more citrusy than I usually enjoy.

After lunch, I took a short walk to Waldspirale, a housing development designed by an Austrian, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It undulates over a whole block, and is mostly apartments with some businesses scattered throughout. For those interested in art and architecture, it might be worth stopping by to view the building.

I wasn't done with viewing architecture; my next stop was Mathildenhöhe, an Art Nouveau artists' colony, reached by a pleasant 20 minute walk across town. I am enraptured by Art Nouveau and enjoyed my time very much. I visited the museum, which is somewhat small, for 5 euros, and admired works from the artists who were in residence in the early part of the 20th century. I also stopped by the lovely Orthodox church on-site and basked in its opulence.

Afterward, I stopped by the bustling downtown area to look around before the seminar that had brought me to Darmstadt. It's a typical German downtown with chain stores but does also have a palace, a theater, and other amenities, and was very busy.

The next item on my itinerary was the seminar, held in a suburb. It covered optimal body alignment for both everyday living and for sport and performance. I was chosen as someone to work on at one point and I unintentionally turned my session into a stand-up comedy routine, with full support from the teacher. He's from Ohio originally so we joked about Ohio-Michigan rivalry. I made sure to tease him about "The" Ohio State University. Yes, really, that's how the university refers to itself -- always with "The" in front of the name (I find this practice silly and pretentious.) 

The other participants had been shy and demure; I am neither, so we definitely had a lively session. One of the ground rules of using this method is that one has a head and a body. The teacher started to ask if I had a head. I told him that I definitely had a mouth. At first the other students were a bit shocked by our bantering (they were mostly Europeans and seemed rather serious) but they really seemed to get into it and clapped loudly at the end. I hadn't set out to be so raucous but since the teacher encouraged it, why not?

That night, I stayed with an architect. Man, the theme really was architecture on this trip! We had a nice chat and the next morning he made a lovely German breakfast.

I then met another Darmstadter for a hike at the Freizeitpark am Oberwaldhaus, which cracks me up a little bit at its name. It's a "free time park." Heaven forbid that one goes there when one should be doing something else! I enjoyed a nice chat with the woman who showed me around and I even navigated us successfully back to the parking lot after she missed a turn (I'm usually quite good with navigating, even in new places).

I really enjoyed Darmstadt, which I hadn't expected to enjoy to that extent. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy architecture. Oh yes, and I'd also recommend it to those who enjoy Persian food, too, as there seem to be several Persian restaurants in town!

The next day, my coworker hosted a potluck for my friends. We all had a great time and she was happy to meet some new people. She enjoyed it so much that she offered to host again! How sweet is that? I love to introduce the people in my life.

It was an excellent week, filled with architecture, friends, and new experiences.

My week: April 17 ed.

-The German class went sooo much better this week. Our teacher is a perceptive chap and I think he made some accommodations to the lesson and we didn't have the mass failures in understanding that we had the week before.


-A, M, L, and I took a trip to Bonn to see the cherry blossoms. Plus, it was the opportunity to see the former West German capitol. What struck me immediately was how many people were already drinking beer or were buying beer; we arrived at 10 a.m. so I wasn't expecting that. However, I think that it was possible that the individuals were ones who might live on the streets. I was curious about the dynamics of the area.


Beyond that observation, we changed our focus to a visit of the cemetery. Have you visited a German cemetery? They are often quite lovely, a peaceful memorial to those already gone, and make for a picturesque walk that effects memento mori.


The interesting thing about German cemeteries is that one just rents the burial plot for a certain amount of time. If the remaining family does not renew the lease, the remains are removed and the grave will be rented to someone else. In fact, we saw a notice on one of the graves that the rental time had run out and the relatives have to contact the office.

Leaving our mortal musings aside, we continued to Heerstraße, the focus of our trip. On this street, the magical cherry blossoms of Bonn were in full bloom. We wandered through the streets, dodging cars and bikes piloted by those frustrated by the gawkers, and a disproportionate number of Asian tourists. The street was absolutely beautiful, with classically styled houses and pink blossoms. At the beginning of the street, we were treated by two men conducting what I assumed was a drug deal in a defaced and non-operational phone booth. After all, who uses pay phones any more, especially when there's no phone inside? They finished up the deal and a cop drove by about a minute later - too late to investigate the shady business. Oh, Bonn, what a city of contrasts you are.

Pictured: the notorious phone booth in question. See the pretty cherry blossoms behind it? Bonn is a place of contrasts.

 Pictured: a much nicer, and presumably drug-free, stretch of the street.

For lunch, we visited BurritoRico, which is kind of like Chipotle: order and pick toppings for your item at the counter. I ordered some pork tacos (yeah, not so vegan that day) and some nachos. I wasn't super impressed with either item; the corn taco shell was not heated well and even the cheese on the nachos wasn't very warm either. Plus, it's that liquid style of cheese instead of shredded cheese. My friends liked their food well enough and I didn't hate my food but felt a bit "meh" about it.

We continued downtown after lunch. My friends wanted to visit the Beethoven Haus Museum so I dropped them off and wandered around downtown, window shopping and finding the lay of the land. The downtown area is your typical German downtown pedestrian zone but has some interesting features, such as the Altes Rathaus.

I really like the clock on it, and it's somewhat unusual in that instead of showing just 1-12 for the time demarcations, it also showed the corresponding numbers in five minute increments. I'm sure that kids who are just learning to tell time greatly appreciate that!

Soon I met up with my friends again and we headed back home.

-The next day, a bunch of us met for our monthly gathering. We ate a delicious lunch and played Mafia, a party game. It was a good end to the week.

The Veggie Clubhouse burger: McDonald's and quinoa?

I heard something on the radio this summer that gave me pause: there was an ad for McDonald's that mentioned something about a quinoa burger. While I don't like McDonald's except for the occasional McMuffin if I'm desperate for a breakfast on the run, I was curious about this burger. I'm not into fast food but if I could find something that tasted decent and was vegetarian, it could be an option if I'm on the run.

I finally tried the burger. It's presented on a toasted bun with cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, and a sauce (which might be what they put on Big Macs but I'm not sure since I haven't had one in more than 20 years). The patty itself has quinoa, bell peppers, onions, and leeks all ground up.

It was reasonably crisp, which I think is because it seems fried. It was okay but I'm not super into fried foods and knew it would equal heartburn later as it seemed rather greasy. As far as flavor goes, it definitely had that salty-greasy, rich thing going on, which is what registered the most after the bun and toppings. However, if I had to eat a non-breakfast meal at McDonald's, I could order this again if I wanted to deal with the greasy aspect of it.

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Obviously this post is not sponsored, just to be clear. I'm not sure that the company would pay someone to say that she would buy the burger if there weren't any other options ;)

Restaurant Review: Pizzeria Venezia, Kindsbach Germany

Pizzeria Venezia
Kaiserstrasse 58
Kindsbach

I've almost given up the search in Germany for pizza that I enjoy. Most pizza here just isn't to my taste; the crust is often bland and too salty, the sauce tasteless. Once in a while I sample pizza in hopes of finding something tasty. This week, I was passing through Kindsbach, which is just west of Kaiserslautern. I read reasonably good reviews of Pizzeria Venezia so decided to give it a try.

I was warmly greeted by the waitress and picked a seat. As I perused the menu, I noticed a typical range of Italian dishes, including salads, soup, pasta, meat, and pizza. I decided on the bruschetta pizza and insalata mista (mixed salad).

As I waited for the pizza, I looked around the restaurant. It's located in the ground floor of a hotel. The entry way features a bar area and tables; additional tables are in the back. Outdoors is a garden area for dining during better weather. Parking is available in front of the restaurant.

The mixed salad was large, with fresh, varied types of lettuce accompanied by shredded carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes. It was covered in a vinaigrette that has a touch of a mustard-taste. It was a decent salad, though the dressing was a bit thickly applied (which isn't uncommon in Germany; ask for the dressing on the side if you prefer a thinner application).

I had asked the waitress how big the bruschetta pizza was and she told me it was large, but when I received it, I was still struck by how big it was; I'd say it was about 14" or so. It's composed of a somewhat thin, wood oven cooked pizza crust topped by a thin layer of pizza sauce and then with tomatoes in a sauce of vinegar, olive oil, and herbs. The tomato topping is added after the pizza bakes so it's room temperature.

I was very impressed by the crust; I think it's the best I've had so far in Germany. Coming from a wood fired oven, it was flavorful and the right combination of crispy and chewy. The sauce was a bit more sweet than I usually prefer but it was still decent. The bruschetta topping was very fresh tasting.

I would probably visit again; I'd be curious to try an actual pizza there as the bruschetta pizza appetizer was quite good. I paid 10 euros for the large meal. The waitress was friendly and efficient. If you plan to visit, do allow extra time for the meal as the wood stove takes longer to cook.

My week: March 29 ed.

As usual, it was a busy week, made even more "exciting" by the opening of K in Lautern, the new shopping mall in downtown Kaiserslautern. I have mixed feelings on it but I see it as mostly positive as it is a reuse of an existing space.

-I had German classes two times this week. We're reviewing Subjunctive II, which always gets me tied up in knots (for whatever reason, my mouth never wants to say "würde"). As the German About.com page notes, "Despite their nicknames, it is important to understand that the subjunctive (in English or German) is a verb mood, not a verb tense. Both the so-called "past" and "present" subjunctive forms can be used in various tenses in German." Knowing that it's a mood and not a tense makes things so much easier, but the whole verb mood thing is still a bit weird to me. We're reviewing Subjunctive II in order to form subordinate clauses, which flip around the verb order, to introduce another layer of mind-blowing German rules.

-Some colleagues and I tried out restaurants in the new mall. We weren't too excited about the food at any of them. I visited Primark and bought a rain coat and reflective coat for bicycling for 22 euros total. I've been looking for both a while a now, especially the rain coat, since it folds up neatly when not in use for travel. The mall was a complete madhouse, especially the day it opened. It's been a major deal around here. I always say that Kaiserslautern is a small big town so it's almost like local yokels getting all revved up for the county fair (I would be one of the yokels).

-I took my German tandem partner to Ancho's Eule in Erfenbach for dinner. It was quite good; I hadn't been expecting that at all since it's a small restaurant in an out of the way suburb of Kaiserslautern. I ordered an enchilada, which ended up being more similar to a burrito filled with super fresh and deliciously seasoned veggies. Even better yet? The enchilada sauce was homemade, delicious, and NOT sweet like so many other places make around here. The absolute best thing? There was NO curry powder in it, for the win! My friend had a chicken sandwich and liked it too. A more involved review will follow.

-I met up with the language cafe people and ran into a lady from another one of the German classes when I was on the way. It's such a small world!

-I met up with some friends for a Sunday brunch at Cafe Krummel in Kaiserslautern. Dang, does that place have some fantastic cakes and such. It's another place that needs a review.

-My blog post showed up in Young Germany. The funny thing was that I clicked on their blog roundup because there was a posting about learning German. I always enjoy reading about that so I clicked on the link and laughed when I saw that it was my own dang blog!

Initial restaurant reviews of K in Lautern mall, Kaiserslautern

Today, some colleagues and I joined the insanity that was the grand opening of the K in Lautern mall in Kaiserslautern. It was jam-packed with people, to the point that it was difficult to use the escalators since people would disembark and then just stand there, letting the people behind tumble into them.

As we jostled our way to the food court, we split up and made different culinary decisions. I'll give a basic review of the four places where we purchased food. Spoiler alert: none of them were good.

Mexican Cabana
I opted to eat here. I should have known better. I ordered a plate of what turned out to be lethargic enchiladas, beans, and rice, served with a side of tortilla chips and salsa for 10 euros. I added a virgin strawberry frozen daiquiri for an additional 3,25 euros.

The presentation of the food was unappetizing, slopped onto the plate, and I found that the food itself was unappetizing too. The beans and rice had hardly any taste at all, other than tasting vaguely salty. The enchiladas were covered in what tasted like pizza sauce, not enchilada sauce or even salsa; it was somewhat sweet and I swear that I detected a hint of oregano. The enchiladas were barely warmed and were not appealing.

The daiquiri was drinkable but reminded me of a more expensive version of a 7-11 Slurpee. With the addition of the drink, my meal was more than 13 euros and not worth it, especially considering that it's a food court take-away place. I would much rather spend the same amount of money (if not less) and visit one of the sit-down Mexican restaurants around Kaiserslautern for unauthentic Mexican food that at least tastes decent enough and is presented in a more appealing way.

Manju Indian Express
J ordered daal and rice and only ate a small amount of it; he didn't find it to be good. I tried a bite of it and proclaimed that it tasted like "salty nothingness."

El Chico Taqueria
E ordered three tacos, two of which were in hard shells and one which was in a soft shell. He received what looked like a salad thrown on top of some tacos. He said that there was hardly any meat in the tacos and even after eating all of them, he was left unsatisfied and hungry.

Ciao Bella Italian Food
Since E was still hungry after the disappointing tacos, he bought two slices of pizza and was astounded at how expensive they were; he paid 4,80 for them. He admitted that he wasn't sure if he was overcharged or not. When I asked him what he thought of the pizza, he said "it's better than Anthony's Pizza" on base. I wouldn't take that as a vote of confidence, though, as I've eaten Anthony's pizza once and will not do so again.

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None of us were impressed by what we ordered. We went to the food court without high expectations; after all, it's a food court with offerings that are not indigenous to the area. However, we didn't expect that some of the things that we ordered would be unappetizing enough that we wouldn't even finish them. I'm not writing off the food court overall, until I've tried some of the other offerings, but I can say that I will not be in a hurry to return to any of the restaurants that we sampled today.

My week: January 4 ed.

Well, happy new year! I have heard the saying that what one does on New Year's Day sets the tone for the whole year. Last year, I brushed aside some malaise from the champagne and met a friend to go hiking on the Philosophenweg for a relaxing day. It was a decent forecast; I did enjoy some hiking and 2014 wasn't too stressful, even as I was finishing my degree.

This year, I was mostly lazy on New Year's Day, reading and chilling out most of the day. I then had a burst of activity, cleaning the sidewalks in front of the house and cleaning inside, followed by a nice walk. I'm not sure exactly what that means for the rest of the year, but I was happy with the day.

-Otherwise, I haven't done much this week, outside of work. My VHS German class ended and the university club German class is still on holiday break. I did visit the gym a few times after work and got some health insurance paperwork in order for the end of the year. I'm very grateful to have health insurance, but it's the expat kind where I have to submit half of it myself and if I don't submit everything as soon as I get it, I create a TON of work for myself later. D'oh. Maybe I should write about my system for organizing it some time and give the advice to not be like me and ever procrastinate.

-On Saturday, C and I went to try brunch at Cafe Krummel and it was closed, with no note in sight. Grr! So many German businesses do this: take time off, and I've run across quite a few that don't even bother to put up a note that they'll be closed.

(Restaurant Review update: Urban) Instead, we ate at Urban (my earlier reviews are here and here). I haven't been there recently so I was surprised to see that they retooled their menu. They've added a section for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free foods. Cool, huh? The only non-cool thing is that they raised their prices a bit, but they're still reasonably priced and delicious. I ate the Hirsepfanne Marokko dish and enjoyed the millet-based dish that includes eggplants, peppers, onions, sprouts, and garnished with soy yogurt.

Restaurant Review: Eat Mode, Amsterdam

Eat Mode Pan-Asian Restaurant
 Zeedijk 105 - 107
1012 AV  Amsterdam
T: +31 20 3300806

Opening hours: 12:00 - 23:00hrs
Free wireless internet for customers

When we first ventured forth into Amsterdam, our initial stop was in Chinatown to find a bite to eat before continuing our adventures. My travel mates C. and J. were enthralled by Eat Mode and their hamburger with buns made of fried ramen noodles so we stopped in.

Both ladies ordered the burgers. I order the udon noodles with stir-fried udon noodles. My dish was quite large and filling for less than 8 euros. It was fresh and tasted good, topped in dried seaweed strips.

Both of my friends were pleased with their hamburgers, which were about 9 euros with a side of sweet potato fries, dipping sauces, and a small side of salad for garnish. C. said that the hamburger tasted fresh and like a decent cut. They both liked the fried ramen noodles that served as the buns and said it tasted like typical ramen. The sweet potato fries were great; they were very fresh tasting and fried up to perfection (I tried one :). J. also enjoyed a melon-orange juice and liked its fresh, intense taste.

The restaurant offers a little bit of everything: Chinese, Thai and Japanese food; hamburgers, pho, and more. I'd say that it's a jack of all trades and master of none, but the food is decent enough and reasonably priced despite the restaurant's tourist-heavy location.

Restaurant Review: Teheran, Hamburg

Teheran

Adenauerallee 70, 20097 Hamburg

After our visit to the Kunst und Gerwebe Museum, we were ready for lunch. We were on our way to one restaurant when we came across Teheran, a Persian restaurant close to the main train station. We took a look at the menu and decided to give it a try. It was a great choice!

C. and I sat in the patio behind the building. It was a lovely area, surrounded by greenery and reasonably quiet despite its proximity to the main train station.

We deliberated over the menu. Even though the vegetarian section wasn't huge (there were four main course options), I had a hard time deciding. I finally settled on kaschke bademjan, a delicious dish of roasted eggplant, layered with a creamy whey sauce, caramelized onions, fried herbs, and possibly some goat cheese. Oh, were the complex tastes wonderful! There was a slight bit of smokiness from the eggplants, combined with tanginess of the cheese.

Kaschke bademjan: nom nom!

C. ordered the chicken kabob (#64), grilled in saffron and lemon. She said it was citrusy and delicious. It was served with a salad and the dressing tasted similar to 1000 Island.

Chicken kabob

 We were also given an appetizer as part of the meal. It was flat bread, a huge pile of fresh herbs, some goat cheese, radishes, and some onion slices. It was very refreshing to eat flat bread with the herbs, which included mint and parsley.

Appetizer

Our dining experience was very pleasant. Prices were fine; my dish was 8,50 and C's was 11,50. Service was fast, the food delicious, and the outdoor patio was lovely. 

Restaurant review: Sahha, Hamburg

Sahha Syrische Küche
Hauptbahnhof 16
20095 Hamburg

 
After our visit to Miniatur Wunderland, we were a bit hungry, but it was late. We decided to take our chances at the Hamburg Hauptbahnhof for dinner. It ended up being a great decision! The Hbf has a great selection of restaurants, with everything from a Syrian restaurant to gut-rotting fast food.

We chose the Syrian restaurant and it was a fantastic choice. Since it was late, the first two things I tried to order weren't available. I ended up getting a plate with grilled vegetables and rice topped with grilled eggplant. It also included a yogurt sauce.

Oh my goodness, was it ever delicious! The chef cooked up it fresh before my eyes, and tossed some spices into it. I have no idea what they were but they really made the dish. Everything was just perfect, from the fresh veggies to the smoky taste of the grilled eggplant mixed with the sliced almonds. At only 7 euros, it was a delicious, inexpensive, and filling dinner.

C. ordered some grilled chicken and thoroughly enjoyed that too. We highly recommend the restaurant. Mmm...my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about it.

Taco Kidd, Kaiserslautern restaurant, English menu

This is a link to a PDF menu for Taco Kidd, a new Kaiserslautern restaurant that I reviewed here.

I had a bit of a time getting it set up, but it's finally done and the English menu can now be viewed.

Restaurant Review: Taco Kidd, Kaiserslautern

Taco Kidd
Merkurstrasse 13, Kaiserslautern
Hours: M-Fri 0530-2200; Sat. 1000-2300
https://www.facebook.com/tacokidd.kaiserslautern
Parking: a few spots are available on the street in front of the restaurant and there is a parking lot down the street
Reservations: though not a formal restaurant, TK offers them if desired
Link to the menu in English

Yet another restaurant has thrown its hat into the Mexican dining "arena" in the Kaiserslautern area: Taco Kidd, located in the Merkurstrasse shopping area on the west side of the city. To be accurate, though, one must say that Taco Kidd has thrown its hat into a subset of the Mexican arena, into the CaliMex style of food.

The restaurant is a pleasant mish-mash of everything, offering everything from a morning coffee hang-out spot with American and German breakfast possibilities, to a Qdoba style assembly line of food, and even a bar for after-work drinks!

Even the set-up of the restaurant allows for different dining experiences. For those on the go and in need of a quick take-away breakfast, there is a counter with muffins, breads, doughnuts, and other sweets. The next section is for the hot meals and it's where one would order the California-style Mexican food and hamburgers. Following that, there is a bar with several barstools for seating. The remainder of the restaurant offers either tables and chairs or a super cosy alcove with leather couches and coffee tables. Those wishing to enjoy some fresh air can even sit outside in the patio area.

The cozy alcove, a great spot for coffee!

The bar area, with some barstools.

The outdoor seating area

During my visit on the restaurant's opening day (31 May), I ordered the vegetarian burrito, which came with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. The chips came from a bag and were tasty enough. The salsa that accompanied them was interesting; it was finely blended and reminded me somewhat of taco sauce, perhaps with some smoked peppers, while not being overly spicy. The burrito was tasty, with a peppery, spicy bell pepper/vegetable mix that had a bite without biting my tongue off. Rice (which was meant to be lemon-cilantro but didn't have a bold flavor on its own), refried beans, diced tomatoes, and braised onions were included. I chose verde sauce to be added. While it definitely wasn't a Mexican burrito, the burrito was enjoyable as a flavorful, fresh concoction in a flour tortilla.

While I was standing in line for my burrito, staff offered me a sample of their sweet baked goods. I tried a brownie and really liked its perfect consistency and delicious chocolaty taste that wasn't overpowering.

I had the opportunity to speak to the restaurant's owner, David Massarik, who was kind enough to take some time to tell me more about his restaurant. His intention with Taco Kidd is to offer a stylish place for young people to hang out. The bar area certainly offers that. Of course, all ages are welcome; though Massarik did mention that he currently only has one child seat and his partner told him that he absolutely must get more, which he intends to do.

As far as the cuisine goes, Massarik was interested in offering California-style Mexican food that was not so heavy. His chef brings an extremely interesting culinary background, having lived in the US and having operated a Chinese restaurant and been exposed to Soul Food in Florida and Cajun food in the south. In spite of such an unusual culinary experience, or perhaps because of it, the food at Taco Kidd works and isn't completely off. In my burrito, I could definitely taste the restaurant's intent to offer fresh-tasting and not heavy food.

For breakfast, it is Massarik's intent to offer something that will appeal to both German and American palates. On the German side, there are bakery items and breads available. To appeal to the hungry American in search of something warm to eat, there are pancakes and breakfast burritos.

With so many options and a flexible setting that allows for many different dining experiences, Taco Kidd might just have something for everyone. It's a comfortable place to eat a burrito; to meet with friends; to study in the cozy seating area; enjoy a drink with friends after work; or to grab something to go.

Restaurant Review: IceRobot: Homemade Ice-Cream, Kaiserslautern

 

IceRobot: Homemade Ice-Cream
Am Altenhof 8
Kaiserslautern
Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00-20:00

A new player from an established restaurant has entered the ice cream scene in Kaiserslautern. IceRobot, an offshoot of Urban Vital restaurant (I reviewed it here and here), recently opened a few doors down from the original restaurant. It is a robotic ice cream store.

What exactly does that entail? The customer walks in on the right hand side of the store and approaches several touchscreen displays. The first choice is how the ice cream will arrive: Becher (in a cup) or waffelbecher (in a waffle cup).

Then one must choose the flavors. I remember seeing vanilla, chocolate, mango, strawberry, raspberry, peach, as well as other options, but the flavors change often. Touch the desired flavors on the screen, hit the green check mark, and a plastic card and a receipt pop out.

 

Proceed to the back of the store. There are three queues where one may approach and drop the card into a slot at the counter. The order is then processed and the ice cream proceeds down a conveyor belt to a small roll-up door at the queue. This takes a while as the belt is rather slow. Maybe the robot to the left will do a little dance for you while you wait.

Continue to the other side of the store and add any wanted toppings. After adding toppings, visit the cashier stand to pay. The ice cream is weighed and the price is calculated.

The ice cream is made by Urban Vital restaurant. It's delicious hard serve cream that has very fresh ingredients with brilliant flavors. For example, the mango and peach scoops I had tasted like eating the fresh fruit. I've never been disappointed with Urban's ice cream, having eaten it before at the original restaurant. I added a warm raspberry topping and that was delicious too. My concoction with two small scoops of ice cream and the topping was 2,80 euros, which is very much in line for ice cream prices.

There is also coffee to go. The machine is located at the front of the store on the left side.

The store is small and does not offer any seating at all. Outside are some tall tables where one may stand and eat the ice cream.

How did I find the experience? Well, I'll be honest: for an odd reason, I was feeling grumpy and impatient when I stopped by. It had nothing to do with the ice cream store itself; I was just flustered after running around, madly finishing errands after work. So, when it took forever to first pick the ice cream then wait for it to make its ridiculously slow arrival on the conveyor belt, I was just not feeling it. I think it would be far faster just to visit a regular ice cream shop, even if there is a line. I think that an employee scooping out ice cream is far faster and more efficient. However, if one enjoys novelties or has some patient kids who'd like to try something new, it could be a fun visit. The ice cream, after all, is just lovely.

Restaurant Review: Burrito Mexican Grill, Kaiserslautern

UPDATE: As of summer 2016, this restaurant appears to be closed. I guess I can't be too surprised because it seemed as if every time I tried to stop by during their opening hours while they were still in business, no one was there and management gave no explanation why the restaurant wasn't open. Business owners, if you want to be successful, you need to run with regular hours!

Burrito Mexican Grill
Next to Steinstrasse 21
Kaiserslautern
Monday - Thursday 1100 - 2200
Friday - 1100 - 0200
Saturday: the store says it opens at 1100 but I've been there several Saturdays and they weren't open then. They may open at 1400; check first before stopping by.

Good golly, are the Mexican restaurants popping up all over the place around in Kaiserslautern! I love Mexican food so I'm always happy to see something new. This spring, three new Mexican restaurants have popped up. One includes Burrito Mexican Grill in the pedestrian zone in downtown Kaiserslautern.


The grill is more geared toward the take-away crowd, and especially the post-bar hopping crew with late night hours, it seems. There are two high top tables and chairs inside for those wishing to have a quick meal. The store is clean, neat, and sparse inside with the tables, a drink cooler, and the grill area to order.

The menu is also small; on offer are burritos, chili, and drinks (including soft drinks and Coronoa beer). I would have liked to see more on the menu, to include nacho chips at least, but then again, the shop is true to its name in that it's a burrito joint. I ordered the veggie burrito and enjoyed the huge burrito filled with rice, grilled bell peppers, corn, pico de gallo, guacamole, and jalapenos. It wasn't authentic Mexican food, which was no surprise, but good nonetheless and reminded me of something from Qdoba.

For a quick burrito fix or a post bar snack, Burrito Mexican Grill is worth a try!

The burrito, after eating a bit of it.

Menu for Flammkuchen Restaurant in Kaiserslautern added

Some friends and I returned to Flammkuche, the cozy restaurant in Kaiserslautern, for a nice dinner to celebrate a birthday. I updated the review I wrote last year with pictures of the menu, for anyone interested.

Restaurant Review: China Restaurant Jasmin, Sembach

China Restaurant Jasmin
Address: Kaiserstrasse 20, Sembach
Phone: 06303-2794
PDF of menu available here
Small parking lot next to the restaurant
Dine-in, take-out, and party rooms available

Last year, a friend and I biked to Sembach for the town's kerwe celebration. We noticed a Chinese restaurant that was closed up but was still set up inside as if waiting for the next meal. I believe it had been closed for quite some time at that point.

I recently heard that the restaurant re-opened so a group of us tried it for lunch. The menu is rather extensive with Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Soups, including the familiar egg drop soup, are in the 3 euro range, as are salads and appetizers. The extensive menu continues with duck, beef, chicken, seafood, pork, and even vegetarian offerings on the portion of the menu with Chinese dishes. The Vietnamese portion of the menu is smaller but also offers vegetarian, meat, and seafood options. Main dishes run from 6-13 euros. There is a daily lunch special that includes a main dish and either peking soup or mini egg rolls in the 7 euro range. There were some desserts, as well, and some day I'd like to try the fried ice cream.

The menu was so big that we had a difficult time deciding what to eat. I was immediately drawn to the Vietnamese portion of the menu and chose "Bun Cha Gio," which is rice noodles with lettuce, carrots, soy bean sprouts, mint, peanuts, and lime dressing. When it arrived, I did a double take at the huge bowl of noodles. It came with a side of sweet and sour sauce that was surprisingly salty, which would later become the theme of the meal for some of our diners. The bowl was presented in layers: the bottom layer was lettuce and carrots; the middle layer was the rice noodles; and the top layer included peanuts, cilantro, and these delicious fried spring rolls cut into bites. On the menu it was noted that there would be mint, but I didn't notice any. I don't know if they were out of mint and used cilantro instead or if they meant to write cilantro instead on the menu. To be honest, I liked the cilantro in this dish and probably would prefer it over mint. I thought that the spring rolls on top were especially delicious. They were quite crispy. I enjoyed my dish and would order it again.

Bun Cha Gio

My friend C. ordered "Mi Xao Don," a Vietnamese dish which is crispy baked noodles with chicken, beef, shrimp, and vegetables. It was a huge plate of food, for sure! She enjoyed it as well and would order it again. I tried one of the noodles and enjoyed its very crisp texture. It's not as crisp as a chow mein noodle, but it is a stiff noodle that does soften a bit as it absorbs the sauce.

The guys ordered from the Chinese side of the menu. Those dishes were exceptionally salty! They let me try the sauce on their dish and I felt as if my mouth had been coated in salt.

E ordered what I believe was the "Eight Treasures" dish, with cashews, chicken, beef, shrimp, and vegetables served in a spicy sauce with rice on the side. It wasn't super spicy by our reckoning, but did have a bit of spice to it. I was shocked at how salty the sauce was. E asked me to share his take on the proportions of meat: mostly vegetables, 80% beef, 1 chicken piece, and 3 shrimp. I'm a bit amused by him sharing that as he starts with percentages then moves onto pieces.

Eight Treasures

The other two guys ordered dishes with meat and vegetables in a soy sauce. They also remarked how salty the dishes were. As J said, his tofu and vegetable dish was "crazy salty."

A. had ordered an egg drop soup. When he received it, he was surprised. It looked as if the cook had fried up a clump of eggs and dumped it into the soup instead of trails of eggs cooked swirled into the soup. It also had fresh mushrooms. He didn't care for the soup, but I think it was more of a texture issue for him.

J. ordered some jasmine tea and we were impressed to see that was made from fresh herbs. We did have a giggle because he kept complaining about having to try not to swallow the herbs, only to find out that he needed to remove the filter with the herbs before drinking!

Remove the filter/infuser (on left) before drinking!

The waitstaff were very pleasant and attentive, too. During our visit, we spoke German and English with them. The restaurant itself looks fresh and well-maintained with Chinese decor. It definitely doesn't look like a place that's been shuttered for quite some time!

So, in reviewing our experience, I'd say that it no one was unhappy with his food. Those with the Chinese meals felt that the food was quite salty but beyond that enjoyed their dishes well enough. The ones who had ordered the Vietnamese dishes liked them quite a bit and would order them again. As one of the few restaurants even near Sembach that is open for lunch, it's worth a try.

Plus, who can resist this smiling face?

Restaurant Review: Mei Thai, Saarbrücken

Mei Thai Original Thai Food
Kappenstraße 14, 66111 Saarbrücken

0681 3908202

A friend and I visited Saarbrücken this winter and stopped by Mei Thai for lunch. This small restaurant is tucked away on a side street in the pedestrian/shopping area. It has a bit of a diner-y type feel; the inside is nothing fancy but it is functional.

We both ordered pad thai and I ordered some spring rolls. I wasn't super impressed with the spring rolls. I have had almost the exact same ones at different Thai restaurants in Germany and I would not be surprised if they were frozen, premade ones. They don't taste bad but they're not great, either.

I was more impressed by the pad thai. It was decent and tasted similar to the pad thai that I've eaten in the US, made by chefs who are actually Thai.

Prices were moderate, our server was pleasant, and we received our food in a timely manner. I'd say it was a decent enough experience; nothing was mindblowing but it was tasty enough.

Restaurant Review: Eiscafé Roma in Kaiserslautern

Eiscafe Roma
Pariser Str. 38
67655 Kaiserslautern



Since the weather has been so nice, many seasonal businesses that were shuttered for winter have re-opened for the season in Kaiserslautern. I was going to have ice cream at the recently reopened Eiscafe Rialto, my favorite, but the line was out the door (it's that good!) so I decided to try another ice cream parlor: Eiscafé Roma, near the Pfaffplatz and the hospital.

There was a decent selection of ice cream flavors with fruity, chocolatey, and somewhat unusual flavors. I would guess there were about 15 different flavors with standards like strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. I did note some flavors that aren't always available at ice cream places: blauengel (blue angel, which somewhat reminds me of Superman ice cream in the US) as well as Waldmeister, which is...well, it's really hard to describe the taste! I would have to say it's somewhat like Superman flavor, but with a slight bit of...hmm, mint? It's very, very slight so it's not overwhelming. I haven't had a similar flavor in the US. There was also creme caramel and tiramisu, for those looking for richer flavors.

Prices are 70 cents for a small scoop or 1 euro for a big scoop for a takeaway cone. Different ice cream concoctions, including the popular spaghetti eis (ice cream made to look like a bowl of spaghetti), are available.

I decided on one scoop of sahne kirsch (cream cherry) and one of Waldmeister. I hate to say this, but I wasn't super impressed. The Waldmeister wasn't super flavorful and the cherries in the sahne kirsch almost had a bubble gum flavor. I definitely prefer the creamy, very flavorful ice cream at Eiscafe Rialto (review available here), where the cherries taste like actual cherries and at half the cost of Roma's, too.

Initial Restaurant Review: Haragan Mexikanisches Restaurant

Haragan Mexikanisches Restaurant
Kaiserstrasse 168
Bruchmühlbach-Miesau
Tel: 06372-9957433

Hours: Monday - closed
Tues - Fri 1100-1400 & 1700-2300 
Sat - Sun 1100-2300

Setting: Parking: a few spots are directly in front of the restaurant; otherwise it's street parking. There's a nice outdoor patio with a small amount of seating. The restaurant is quite small, with seating for about 50. The restroom is on the left hand side in the back (it's not super obvious as the door isn't marked but the decorations inside are truly...um, interesting).

Menu: the regular menu's appetizers run from 5-7 euros or so and meals cost in the range of 7-14 euros. The children's menu offerings are 4.50 euros and desserts are less than 4 euros.

As are many expat Americans, I'm always on the prowl for good Mexican food, especially near where I live. There were some rumblings online that a new Mexican restaurant would be coming to Bruchmühlbach-Miesau, which is west of Ramstein and Kaiserslautern, just off the A6. Those rumblings grew until word came out that the restaurant was opening today.

Of course I had to visit! I stopped by the restaurant, which seems to be in the lower part of what had been (or still is?) a house. One walks up a few steps and enters a sunroom with tables. Behind that is the main dining room and bar. The restaurant is small and painted a cozy, dark red; it probably seats about 50 people at maximum.

As I was seated, a pleasant waitress came up and handed me a menu, asking if I spoke English or German. I just went with English. She informed me that for this weekend during the opening, they only had a buffet option for 15 euros but starting on Tuesday they would be serving their normal, plated menu. I liked that idea; after all, it's a great way to sample a restaurant's options in a buffet without committing to one dish. She also offered a free glass of champagne or a Corona beer, part of their opening celebration.

I sampled a small amount of everything from the buffet. Meat eaters, I totally took one for the team so give me a virtual high-five because I even sampled a little bit of chicken and beef (I usually don't eat meat, especially those two).

• Chips: these were the type without salt on them. They were crisp but not super flavorful. 
• Salsa: made with fresh tomatoes and actually somewhat spicy on the German scale. Made with fresh ingredients, including cilantro. I'd say it's about a spice level similar to medium in commercially prepared American salsa.
• Green sauce: good, homemade as well.
• Beef with vegetables (mostly peppers): this might be what's put in fajitas normally. The sauce it was in was too sweet and reminded me of something similar to Chinese food.
• Rice: had peas, carrots, and (oh no!) corn in it. It was also too sweet and reminded me more of Chinese food. 
• Refried beans: not super flavorful, but were possibly homemade. 
• Tamale: not great either. Way too much masa harina in it and formed a thick tamale with too much "dough." Chicken inside; a little heavy on the salt.
• Pozole soup: the hominy in it seemed a bit chewy and unfortunately, the soup stock seemed a bit greasier and blander than what I've had in the US. 

There is a bar that offers cocktails, a small variety of beers, and alcohol-free drinks too.

As I was eating, I was reminded a bit of US restaurants, but not for a positive thing. The music was blasting quite loud and the diners were even louder as a consequence.

Service: the staff at the bar were wearing t-shirts printed to look like tuxedos. I found this amusing. My waitress was friendly and willing to answer questions. I was impressed that, when I was leaving, she thanked me for my visit and said she hoped I would visit again.

I left the restaurant, happy with the friendly service, but nonplussed by the food, unfortunately. I'm going to visit again once things have calmed down and it's not the opening weekend and will make an update on that experience. I'd say that if one is curious, one should check the place out, but don't expect knock-out Mexican food.

Restaurant Review: Döneria, Seligenstadt, Germany

Döneria
Aschaffenburger Strasse 14, Seligentstadt
M-Sat. 11:00 am - 10:30 pm; Sun. 12 pm - 10 pm

During our trip to Seligenstadt, we decided to pop into the döner shop for a quick meal. Döneria is a five minute walk from the monastery and basilica, near the city's downtown square.

We ordered at the counter with the friendly staff. They had us sit down and about five minutes later brought our food to our table. S, my friend, ordered a döner served in grilled flatbread.

I ordered the "kleiner Vorspiesenteller," which is the "small appetizer plate." When I received my plate, I did a double-take: it didn't look like a small plate at all!

It included: a small scoop of couscous (not a whole lot of flavor, unfortunately); two delicious rice-stuffed grapeleaves (these were perfect, with a lovely taste of fresh lemon juice); a small scoop of pasta salad (covered in a flavorful tomato type sauce but served cool); a small salad; some grilled zucchini, eggplant, and peppers (tasty); a small salad with a light dressing; two teigröllchen (puff pastry filled with sheep's cheese -- delicious and greasy); two zucchini savory pancakes (delicious and greasy too); a cold cannelloni bean salad in a tomato sauce; some yogurt-based sauce (similar to salad dressing); and two fried, breaded pieces of sheep's cheese (tasty but I wish I had eaten these right away as I think they would be better when hot). To top this all off, I was also given a basket of grilled strips of flatbread.

I was quite surprised at how much food there was. It was good and a great deal for 6 euros. This plate would be enough for two people.

My friend enjoyed her döner, too. This small shop with seating for about 15 people has decent enough prices and is a typical döner restaurant. There are plenty of vegetarian offerings, though they tend to be fried. For a quick lunch or a late night snack, Döneria gets the job done with friendly staff.