A Taste of Deutschland

Mittelbadgasse 3 69117 Heidelberg

Cuban cuisine has made it to Heidelberg!  Down a narrow street off of Heidelberg’s market square, you can experience a tiny part of Caribbean culture in a cozy, small restaurant and bar named after Havana’s long coastal seawall – Malecón.  Here, it’s all about good food and drinks at very inexpensive prices.

A step inside Malecón is like taking a voyage to the Caribbean – the environment is extremely casual and, for the most part, delivers with its Caribbean theme.  As you enter the place, you will immediately notice the large Cuban flag proudly displayed above the door.  Hanging from the walls are various photographs of Mexico and the neighboring islands.  There are numerous handcrafts and sculptures all around the place.  Maybe a bit over the top, but it makes the place interesting.  Most of the decorative items here are actually for sale, including a hammock bound to wooden poles, as well as countless sombreros.  You can find a random mixture of souvenir items from the tropics, such as bottles of alcohol, T-Shirts, and books.  Capping the experience is regional music blasting from the speakers.

A number of lounge couches and modern bar stools make up half of the seating arrangements in the restaurant.  The cleanly polished wooden tables and chairs that make up the dining area do seem out of place and stand out in contrast to the décor – seems more fitting for a café or traditional German restaurant as opposed to a Cuban restaurant and bar.

The menu at Malecón definitely lacks focus.  Although the restaurant boasts being a Cuban establishment, there are dishes and specialties from Mexican (no, you won’t find tacos here!), Kurdish, and Persian cuisine featured on the menu.  Heck, there are even a couple of Japanese dishes thrown into the mix.  We’re not talking about fusion cuisine that mixes flavors of the Caribbean with the Far East.  Instead, each of these ethnic dishes is given its own section, separated from the other menu items.  Quite odd, indeed.  For vegetarians, there are also a few dishes to pick out from each page.  Drinks range from your standard hot drinks (coffees, teas, Japanese tea) to your typical sodas and cold beverages.  There is a bar counter with bar stools here at Malecón with a good number of alcoholic drinks.  Aside from the normal Heidelberger Pils beers, Malecón does serve up Corona cerveza.  The wine list is limited.

Aside from the décor and souvenirs, the varying lunch menu makes Malecón an attractive place to visit.  Every 14 days, the menu changes.  Items from the normal menu are found on this lunch special, but for far less than you would normally pay.  For each day, Monday to Saturday, there are 3 to 4 dishes to choose from (including vegetarian dishes).  A small portion will only set you back 3,60 €, a large 5,60 €.  Students get a further discount!  As an example of the possible dishes to choose from, today you could order the Montañez – a Cuban vegetarian dish consisting of fried rice with vegetables, Pollo a la Tropicana – roasted chicken, prepared Cuban style, with rice, Papas rellenas – potatoes stuffed with a mix of vegetables, or Estanboli – a Persian rice dish with ground meat, tomatoes, potatoes, and parsley. 

The papas rellenas is prepared vegetarian style, meaning you won’t find any seasoned ground meat that is typically found in traditional recipes.  The mashed potato balls are stuffed with zucchinis, corn, tomatoes, parsley, peppers, carrots, and various herbs.  On the side is a scoop of short grain white rice with the same combination of vegetables on top.  Frankly, this mixture of vegetables and the rice overshadows the main star of the dish.  The rice is cooked so perfectly and the veggies pack a ton of flavor that the papas rellenas just become an afterthought.  Even though the stuffing is the same as what’s on the bed of rice, the potatoes just take away from the strength of the individual elements.

Pollo a la Tropicana is executed better.  A large portion comes with 4 small pieces of chicken and 1 leg.  Prepared Cuban style, the chicken is marinated in lemon, roasted with the skin on, and blanketed with a slice of cheese.  This texture combination is delicious with the juicy chicken, the crisp skin, and the gooey, melted cheese topping it off.  Moreover, the chicken is salted and prepared well.  Accompanying the meat is a bed of the perfectly cooked rice piled with a tomato-pepper-herb topping.  On the side is a small amount of chopped lettuce drenched in a light creamy dressing.  Chicken and rice – you simply can’t go wrong with such a dish!

Overall, Malecón is a good place to stop by for a quick bite.  Although the menu is rather limited, the mix of cuisines is questionable, and the true essence of Cuban cuisine isn’t there, what food they do offer is appetizing and delicious.  Factor in the inexpensive lunch menu and you have a winner! 

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Summary:

Located on a street off of the Heidelberg Marktplatz, Malecón is a Cuban restaurant and bar offering a rather limited selection of international cuisine, including Cuban, Mexican, Persian, Kurdish, and Japanese dishes.  Malecón does have a fairly extensive offering of drinks – highlighted by Cuban cocktails such as mojitos.  Combination of a restaurant, bar, and Caribbean souvenir shop.  Extremely pleasant service.  Very affordable prices, better to go during the day.

Overall – 4 stars

• Papas rellenas – 3/5
• Pollo a la tropicana – 4.5/5
• Service – 5/5

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www.cubamarket-caravana.de/

Kohlhof 5 69117 Heidelberg

You’d think that with all of the trees and natural vegetation located up the hills in Heidelberg, there wouldn’t be a hidden hotel or restaurant in the middle of the woods.  After all, how could such an establishment be successful in such a sparsely populated area?  Well, with a magnificent scenic view of the neighboring region only a few minutes away, Alter Kohlhof happens to be one countryside inn, winery, and restaurant flourishing in a landscape of trees.

Alter Kohlhof is approximately 20 minutes from Heidelberg’s Altstadt, located in the Odenwald Mountains.  A narrow, elevated, winding road takes you up the mountain slopes; the surroundings full of trees and countryside.  The trip up there can become frantic as you must maneuver your way through many sharp turns and share the road with buses and other vehicles.  At times, the path becomes extremely tight and head-on-collisions are always a possibility. 

If you manage to survive the adventurous ride up the summit, you may also have a difficult time locating the place.  Signs directing you to Alter Kohlhof are few and far in between.  Moreover, some of them are obscured by vegetation or too small to recognize from a distance.  However, once you ultimately reach Alter Kohlhof, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  After all, Alter Kohlhof is not only an enchanting German restaurant; it’s also a comfortable countryside inn.

The exterior is well maintained and modern.  Tables and chairs are set up in front of the restaurant doors, making up the beer garden dining area.  There are also large wine barrels opposite the beer garden.  Step inside the polished wooden double doors, you immediately feel welcomed.  A family owned and operated establishment, the place simply exudes an aura of friendliness.  One of the first things you notice is an open guestbook for visitors to write in comments.  Excellent!  You will also be impressed by the wide open layout of the restaurant – the dining room is almost as large as a banquet hall.  Upon entering the restaurant area, the bar and counter will almost surely catch your attention because behind the glass display are a couple of mouth-watering desserts.  Seating here at Alter Kohlhof consists of your standard cushioned, antique wooden chair.  Along the walls are booth bench seating.  Pink tablecloths, overlapped by a flower designed cloth, decorate the tables.  Each is adorned with a pink candle, along with salt and black pepper grinders and a sugar dispenser.  All of the tables are set up nicely with 2 forks and knife and a folded napkin.  English popular music quietly plays from the speakers.

Alter Kohlhof offers a vast assortment of traditional German dishes.  The menu is elegantly and professionally designed and offers something for everybody.  There are various salads, home made seasonal specialties, vegetarian appetizers and main courses, and traditional dishes from the surrounding regions.  For dessert, there are different types of ice cream and a handful of cakes to choose from.  Included in the seasonal listings is also a special limited time dessert.  Impressively, Alter Kohlhof lists a variety of after-dinner drinks.  The standard drink menu includes your typical warm drinks – coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and such – as well as regular cold beverages.

Adding to the list of impressive features, Alter Kohlhof serves different specialties practically every month.  There is an Alter Kohlhof exclusive culinary calendar that describes special events and regional specialties served only during certain times of the year.  Ranging from wild game to traditional holiday foods, Alter Kohlhof is a great place to experience true southern German cooking.

Instead of trying one of the monthly specialties, I decided on traditional German dishes – Käsespätzel and Schnitzel.  Appealing about these menu offerings are the accompanying descriptions about being made according to grandma’s recipe.  Nothing like good old family tradition recipes! 

The Badische Rahm-Käs-Spätzle (Baden region creamy cheese spätzle) is offered as both a regular main dish, at 8,90 €, and as a small side portion for 6,90 €.  Simply put, this dish is a must!  The cheese sauce is rich, thick, and creamy.  As advertised, this dish is certainly not for those calories counters!  The spätzle egg noodles are firm and contrast with the creamy, thick cheese sauce.  Added amongst the noodles are crisp, sweet onions that have been sautéed until translucent.  The end result is a magnificent flavor combination that will have you dreaming about Käsespätzle for days.

Priced at 11,90 €, the Schweineschnitzel ‘Wiener Art’ (Vienna style pork schnitzel) is executed well.  The pork is pounded relatively thin and coated with a very heavy layer of breadcrumbs.  On top of the meat are a lemon, rind taken off, and a single parsley leaf.  The pork itself could use more salt and is a bit underwhelming, though, the schnitzel is served on a good amount of thick, rich mushroom gravy that provides all the essence required. 

Accompanying this dish are Rotkraut (pickled red cabbage) and geschwenkten Kartöffelchen (potatoes tossed in butter).  Served steaming hot, the pale red cabbage is the perfect side dish to the schnitzel.  With it’s slightly sweet nature and subtle crunch, it gives the schnitzel a good flavor.  It’s also served on the same plate as the pork, so the juices blend in well with the gravy. 

The round potatoes are cooked perfectly – not too soft to the point of falling apart, but also firm enough to hold its shape.  Garnished with chopped parsley, they are served in a small side dish.  Despite spots of butter being visible in the afternoon light, eaten alone the potatoes still seems lacking.

Desserts are not only simple, but also inexpensive.  Sweet tooths will not enjoy any of the cheese cakes, as German style cheese cakes are not typically heavy on the sugar.  However, the Käse-Kirsch-Streuselkuchen (cheese cake with sour cherries topped with streusel) is pleasing enough.  Eaten altogether, especially with the crumbed topping, the cake completes any meal wonderfully.  And at 2,00 € a slice, you won’t have to dig too deep into your wallet!

Be aware that as the weather gets better, many locals and well-informed visitors visit this place and thus the place can get packed quickly.  After all, it’s a nice escape from the overly touristy parts of the city down below.  Alter Kohlhof is a good find in the middle of essentially nowhere. 

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Summary:

Nestled away in Heidelberg’s mountainous region near the Königstuhl summit, Alter Kohlhof is a quaint, charming restaurant, country hotel, and winery offering a lovely escape from the hectic city.  The restaurant offers an extensive selection of traditional German cuisine, as well as seasonal offerings that will keep you coming back for more.  Pleasant atmosphere, both inside the restaurant and outside in the beer garden.  Excellent, friendly service.  Prices reasonable.

Overall – 5 stars

• Badische Rahm-Käs-Spätzle nach Omas Rezept – 5/5
• Schweineschnitzel „Wiener Art“ (wie bei Oma in der guten Stube) – 4.5/5
• Käse-Kirsch-Streuselkuchen – 5/5
• Service – 5/5

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www.alterkohlhof.de/

Q 7,16 68161 Mannheim

Color coded plates, topped with eye pleasing, intriguing bite sized morsels of food, steadily move down the line as patrons watch with amazement.  Even passers-by take a few moments to peek in through the windows to take in the show.  Is this some sort of assembly production line?  No!  It’s the conveyor belt at Sushi Circle, where sushi train style of service is implemented.  With the widespread popularity of sushi in Germany, it was only a matter of time before conveyor belt sushi made its way here. 

To my surprise, Sushi Circle was incredibly hard to find.  I was literally walking around in circles, going around the Q block in Mannheim, trying to find this particular sushi bar.  The problem is that the adjacent building is currently under construction.  Thus, the restaurant front is obstructed by scaffolding and made even more unattractive by the presence of a Porta-Potty.  The pedestrian sidewalk is also made narrower right in front of the place. 

With all of these minor setbacks, Sushi Circle is like a hidden gem tucked away from plain sight.  The interior is modern, well designed, and well lit.  The conveyor belt and surrounding counter seats are rightfully positioned in the center of the restaurant.  At each polished wooden seat, there is a graphic placemat presenting all of the featured types of sushi, along with their respective prices.  Bottles of Kikkoman soy sauce – original and sweet – are positioned all along the line.  Plates with sliced pickled ginger and dollops of wasabi are free and can be picked up off of the conveyor.  Sitting in one of the wooden seats, you are easily within reach of any plate.  The conveyor belt itself moves at a slow pace in a counterclockwise direction, making it easy to grab them.  In order to simplify the entire process, each plate has a specific color signifying a particular price.  For instance, food items on plates with a blue rim are 0,95 €, red plates are 1,95 €, and yellow ones are 2,95 €. 

The mere idea of a rotating conveyor belt with plates of well-presented sushi is truly a sight to see and definitely something to experience.   If you are not big on sushi, Sushi Circle still offers something for you.  Here, you can find soups (Miso soup or Udon noodles in soup), salads, yakitori, egg rolls, and samosas.  With the exception of the soups, which must be ordered separately, all of these items can be found on the conveyor.  If, for some reason, you are unable to find a particular type of sushi (perhaps another guest took the last plate), you can simply ask one of the sushi chefs behind the counter.  For dessert, there is a fruit salad plate, sesame balls, and also various muffins.  Muffins?  That’s right, Sushi Circle offers chocolate and vanilla muffins on the line. 

If the thought of a moving line of Japanese food still doesn’t appeal to you, Sushi Circle also has a special lunch menu for the extremely attractive price of 7,50 €.  Included is your choice of soup, 3 plates of any color, and unlimited tea (either green or Jasmine tea).

The chicken Udon noodle soup is served extremely hot.  The chicken broth is clear, but only mildly flavored.  Adding a little hint of soy sauce will provide that extra jolt of flavor.  The udon noodles are firm and cooked well.  Obviously, they aren’t homemade, but acceptable.  Included in the soup are small chunks of chicken breast, chopped green onion, and pieces of crisp red, yellow, and green bell peppers.  Overall, this udon noodle soup is decent, but you can find a more traditional bowl elsewhere.  It just tastes a bit westernized.

Some of the sushi plates include various types of Maki, nigiri, inari, and inside out rolls.  Unfortunately, the Sushi Circle here does not have any California rolls.  The Inari sushi had to be ordered from the sushi chef, but he was happy to make it.  Watching the sushi chef make it, you can see that the fried tofu skin pouch has been marinating in a dark soy sauce mixture for a while.  Although the inari isn’t as sweet as I had preferred, it is still delicious nonetheless.  Being freshly made makes it even better. 

One of the inside-out sushi rolls has cress herbs all around the outside, with crab meat and avocado stuffed in the center.  The combination is interesting and the flavor follows suit.

You can also find yakitori – grilled chicken skewers, glazed with a thick teriyaki sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.  Although 4 pieces may seem small, the flavor is concentrated.  The sauce is more savory than sweet and the sesame seeds add a wonderful dimension to the chicken.  One drawback is that the chicken is rather cold – it would be amazing served hot off the grill.

For dessert, you might want to try the sesame balls.  These little globes are made from rice flour and stuffed with a plum paste.  The inner core is only slightly sweet; the strawberry jelly and custard cream decorating the plate supplies even more sweetness to this treat.  Unlike some places, where they skimp on the filling, these pastries are fairly well crammed with delectable plum paste.

The service at Mannheim’s Sushi Circle is remarkable.  The German server is extremely attentive and always has a smile on her face.  She even visits a few times during the course of the meal to ask if everything is going well.  The Japanese sushi chef is also friendly and free to chat.  Today’s visit probably ranks as one of the best overall experiences in Germany in terms of service.

One potential problem associated with having prepared foods, including raw fish, sitting on a conveyor belt is the health hazards.  Sushi Circle addresses this by using a coded system, ensuring that food items containing raw fish are not kept longer than 2 hours on the line.  This guarantee is somewhat assuring, however for the other items, such as the chicken yakitori and even the sushi, it can still be a concern.  When the restaurant is not brimming with guests and there isn’t a fast turnover on the plates, the items can start losing their quality – the sushi can eventually become dry and the chicken even colder.

Nonetheless, Sushi Circle is well worth the visit.  Not only is the food exquisite and the service flawless, but the price of the lunch menu is unbeatable.  With the large variety of plates to sample, another visit is definitely foreseeable in the near future!

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Summary:

With 18 restaurants located all around Germany, Sushi Circle is a growing chain of sushi bar restaurants featuring rotating conveyor belt sushi.  In addition to a large assortment of sushi, Sushi Circle also serves other Japanese food, including soups, sashimi, yakkitori, salads, desserts, and tea.  Exceptional service, attentive staff. 

Overall – 4.5 stars

• Chicken Udon Soup – 3.5/5
• Inari Sushi – 4/5
• Yakitori (Chicken) – 4/5
• Inside Out Sushi (Crab Meat) – 4/5
• Sesame Balls – 4/5
• Service – 5/5

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www.sushi-circle.de/

Seckenheimer Strasse 81 68165 Mannheim

Despite another Vietnamese restaurant with ‘Saigon’ on its storefront, I was eager to go out and find a good place that does justice to phở here in Germany – even if it means having to travel great lengths for that one tasty bowl of white rice noodle soup.  The ongoing search takes me to the city of Mannheim to one of the handful of Vietnamese restaurants in the city – Little Saigon. 

From the outside, with its plain paint color, Little Saigon looks like any ordinary shop.  Without noticing the menu encased in glass, you may think it a specialty store selling exotic antiques.  Inside, though, the restaurant exudes a tropical vibe with the bamboo themed décor.  On the ceilings are various Asian ornaments.  The tables are elaborately set with folded napkins and a vase filled with flowers.  The dining room is simple, yet charming and lovely.

The menu here is quite extensive, well organized, and certainly appealing.  Written in Vietnamese with descriptions in both German and English, it is also pretty accessible.  There are specialties of the house priced around 15 €, as well as traditional Vietnamese soups, salads, and snacks.  Main courses include a plethora of chicken, pork, beef, duck, and fish dishes – even a fondue meal for 2 people!  For vegetarians, there are a few dishes specifically to meet your needs.  Traditional Vietnamese desserts and drinks can also be found on the menu.

For a neat little show, order the Vietnamese coffee, prepared traditionally in front of your eyes.  At 3,50 €, the coffee is pricier than the average brew, but this one is made with sweetened condensed milk.  The dark coffee is individually brewed in a glass cup using a Vietnamese drip filter.  As you eat your appetizer or mingle with your friends, you can watch the coffee slowly drip over the condensed milk.  After a while, one of the servers takes away the hot metal filter, leaving you free to stir the concoction and enjoy.  Alone, the Vietnamese coffee is strong, but with the sweet milk it is a true treat.  Now if only they served it with a cup of ice, the coffee would be even more enjoyable!

The first two items featured on the menu at Little Saigon are two variations of the popular Vietnamese rice noodle phở – one containing slices of beef and the other with strips of chicken.  You may order this soup either as an appetizer, which will set you back 6,90 €, or as a main entrée.

Upon service, the aroma of the chicken phở was truly authentic.  For a moment, it was reminiscent of Southern California phở eateries.  Glancing into the bowl, the soup looked clear but was teeming with various green vegetables, bean sprouts, and red onions.  Not a single piece of chicken and only a few strands of rice noodle were visible – not a good sign.   Sipping the broth for the first time brought on a major amount of displeasure.   The true essence of phở was masked by the overly aggressive amount of acidity already added into the bowl.  Although there was a good amount of chicken pieces under the cover of greens, both white and dark meat, and a small portion of firm rice noodles, the overall taste and flavor combination was off.  Essentially, the chicken phở is a sour chicken noodle soup.  Seriously, what is wrong with this region?  Can’t anyone find a tasty bowl of white rice noodle soup served with the garnishes on the side?  Add to it the hefty price tag and you will definitely be unsatisfied for the rest of the day. 

Fortunately, to alleviate the damage done to your wallet, Little Saigon offers a daily lunch menu with prices ranging from 6 to 9 €.  An order comes with your choice of the soup of the day (today it is spinach soup) or two vegetarian spring rolls.  The vegetarian spring rolls come with a light fish sauce based dipping sauce.  Despite being petite and barely filled, these rolls are hot, crispy, and bursting with flavor.  The small amount of vegetables and rice vermicelli packs a lot of flavor.  Of course, the delightfully light dipping sauce augments the taste superbly.

One of the items on the lunch menu is Gà Chiên Giòn – fried slices of chicken served on a bed of cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts in a savory Hoisin sauce.  Also on the plate is a small scoop of white rice and chopped green parsley garnishing the dish.  With the skin fried crisp and the meat juicy and succulent, the chicken is very well done.  The sauce is sort of reminiscent of the red sweet sauce served with Chinese BBQ pork, only it is not thick but watered down.  Allowing the meat to soak up the sauce softens the chicken, but gives it extra flavor.  Moreover, the rice becomes even more manageable after sitting in the sauce.  The dish is tasty and filling, but not overly impressive.

Despite the mixed reviews on the food, the service at Little Saigon is exceptional – the graceful waiting staff do not rush with the service and bombard the guests with dishes, rather they wait until you are finished with a dish (for example, the appetizer) and then proceed from there.  The workers are attentive and often bring a welcoming smile to the table.

Little Saigon has a great environment and extraordinary service.  Despite the moderate prices, the food is acceptable.  With a good selection of traditional Vietnamese cuisine, Little Saigon is worth paying a visit to experience a taste of Southeast Asia.

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Summary:

Situated near the Mannheim planetarium, Little Saigon serves up original Vietnamese cuisine in a quaint, relaxed dining atmosphere.  Excellent service.  Prices moderate.  Lunch menu daily.

Overall – 4 stars

• Vietnamese Coffee – 4.5/5
• Spring Rolls – 4.5/5
• Phở Gà (Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup) – 3/5
• Gà Chiên Giòn (Fried Slices of Chicken served with Rice and a Hoisin Sauce) – 4/5
• Service – 5/5

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http://www.little-saigon-restaurant.de/

Hauptstraße 170 – 172 69117 Heidelberg

One of the things I miss most about living in Southern California is the overabundance of Phở restaurants.  Around every corner, in practically every big city in the area, there is some sort of Vietnamese joint featuring this delectable rice noodle dish on the menu.  Not only is this noodle soup inexpensive, but also a good soul soother on a cold, rainy spring day.  Walking down the Hauptstraße here in Heidelberg, I was elated to find a Vietnamese restaurant a few steps away from the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) at market square.  Named Saigon Sonne (Saigon Sun), this Vietnamese restaurant has a few bright spots on this busy, touristy street.

Taking a step inside the single wooden door entrance, you won’t exactly feel as if you’re in an Asian restaurant.  That’s because the spacious dining room area is plainly decorated with various odds and ends – oil paintings, plants, and sculptures.  Aside from a few colorfully decorated conical straw hats hanging on the simple white walls, along with bamboo plants on each table, the dining atmosphere seems a little flat.  The tables are, however, covered by an eye-catching red and orange tablecloth that adds some style to the place.  Seating, for the most part, consists of dark wooden chairs.  The restaurant is a step up from basic fast food eateries, but also not the most impressive place to dine.

On the other hand, the menu at Saigon Sonne is anything but plain and ordinary.  There is a fairly large listing of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian dishes on the menu, ranging from braised, grilled, or fried meats such chicken, beef, duck, and fish, as well as vegetable stir fry entrées with rice.  There are also various fried rice and fried noodle dishes typical of Asian restaurants in Germany.  The list of appetizers includes traditional Vietnamese wraps and rolls such as spring and summer rolls.  Desserts include a couple of authentic sweets, but also standard Asian treats like fried bananas.

For starters, the Nem Tom is an excellent choice.  This Vietnamese spring roll is filled with a prawn stuffing, together with diced onions, chopped mushrooms, bean sprouts, julienne carrots, and rice vermicelli.  Accompanying the rolls is a brilliantly light fish sauce dip.  The rolls are served on a bed of green lettuce and herbs, including Thai basil and mint leaves.  Alone, the spring rolls are hot and crunchy and have a great flavor.  However, the cool lettuce and exotic herbs, along with the tasty dipping sauce, make the rolls a lot more interesting.  The Nem Tom can be ordered either as an appetizer or as a main dish.  The appetizer will set you back 5,00 €.

Unfortunately, there are only two types of phở offered on the menu – either with cooked chicken or beef.  You won’t find rare meat or beef brisket here, only beef flank or chicken breast.  Each one can be ordered as a starter (Vorspeise) or as a main course (Hauptgericht).  Both opinions, however, are fairly expensive – a beef phở appetizer costs 4,90 €, while the large bowl 9,90 €.  Considering that phở isn’t as popular or trendy here in Germany as it is elsewhere, these prices may seem reasonable to the local resident.  However, for the price you pay, the phở is fairly disappointing. 

Firstly, the beef phở broth is slightly cloudy and isn’t as rich as good phở broth should be.  It should be meaty and flavorful, but it seems watered down a bit.  Simply put, it fails to meet expectations.  The typical garnishes for phở – cilantro, basil, lime, bean sprouts and onions – are already added into the soup.  This is frustrating because the phở soup can be a bit too acidic for some.  On the plus side, the noodles are well cooked and there is a decent amount of beef floating around the soup.  At the bottom of the bowl, you can find traces of some of the signature seasonings used in making phở, which aren’t too powerful.  Condiments such as Sriracha hot sauce and Hoisin sauce are available upon request. 

Being the only Vietnamese restaurant in Heidelberg, Saigon Sonne does a decent job of serving up traditional cuisine to serve all the tourists visiting the city.  The service is great and quick to help.  However, for true culinary enthusiasts, the food may be a bit substandard.   Some of the dishes (such as the Nem Tom) are well executed and have me curious about the others, while there are some entrées that have me left scratching my head.  Tack on the high end prices and it’s even more difficult to swallow.  It’s a mixed bag, you just don’t know what the end result will be.

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Summary:

Located along Heidelberg’s Hauptstraße, Saigon Sonne is a Vietnamese restaurant serving up traditional and original Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisine.  A quiet getaway from the boisterous and congested main street.  Prices moderate.  Lunch menu featured daily.

Overall – 4 stars

• Nem Tom (Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Prawns) – 4.5/5
• Phở Bo Ha Noi (Beef & Rice Noodle Soup) – 3.5/5
• Service – 5/5

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Friedrichsplatz 1 68165 Mannheim

Tired of the typical, dull dining experience?  Want something new and fun?  Then Vapiano’s innovative approach to casual restaurant dining is the perfect place to enjoy freshly prepared Italian dishes in a modern, upscale atmosphere!  At Vapiano, you are in complete control of how you want your next Italian meal to go.  Looking for pasta with extra garlic and spicy chili peppers in your dish?  Simply inform the cook preparing your meal.  Vapiano prides itself on using only the freshest ingredients, which is definitely a plus when eating out.

When you first enter a Vapiano restaurant, you are immediately greeted with a couple of cashiers sitting behind a desk.  This is something you would hardly find in a typical European restaurant!  The individuals operating the front desk will welcome you warmly and hand you a ‘chip card’ that is used to record everything you order.  The service staff will briefly explain how everything works and then you are let go to choose exactly what you wish to eat. 

Once you have your card, you can grab a food tray along with silverware, napkins, and glass cups.  You won’t find any waiters here; Vapiano is all about self service.  Scattered around the restaurant are clearly marked stations where you can order pastas, pizzas, or salads (insalate).   There is also a bar station where you can order drinks and desserts.  At each food station, you simply tell the cook which item you want off the menu and he or she prepares it according to your own personal wishes, right before your eyes!  At the pasta station, for instance, you have an option of around twenty different homemade sauces / toppings to pair with about ten various varieties of pasta.  Here, they have pappardelle, spaghetti, penne, linguine, conchiglie, campanelle, tagliatelle, fusilli, as well as a couple of whole wheat pasta noodles.  All of the ingredients – the vegetables, the pasta, the pizza dough, and the cheeses – are fresh.  Once your dish is finished cooking, you simply hold up your ‘chip card’ to the scanner and the worker there records the items.  Payment takes place once you are done eating; simply present the card to the cashier at the front desk and pay.  This creative use of technology is quite interesting and a relatively new approach to casual dining.

The actual dining area is scattered between the various stations.  At this Vapiano location in Mannheim, there are two floors of seating.  During the beautiful spring and summer months, outdoor tables are also available.  The seating area near the bar is comfortable and typical of a café house.  Near the food preparation areas, the seating consists of bar stools around a wooden table.  At each dining table, there are bottles of various olive oils and pepper mills.

Some of the pasta sauces includes ones with meat, including chicken breast and strips of beef, and also seafood, such as scampi and crayfish.  The Granchi di Fiume is essentially chunks of crayfish meat in an exquisitely delectable lobster sauce.  Including the generous amount of crayfish, the pasta noodles are cooked with minced garlic, diced chili peppers (which are rather spicy), and a lively medley of vegetables including onions, sliced carrots, sweet green beans, and zucchini.  Parmesan cheese garnishes the top of the dish, creating a line through the center.  With pappardelle as my choice of pasta, the entire dish was very well presented and a wonderful meal.  The pasta is cooked al dente and absorbs the flavors of the sauce extremely well.  Moreover, the crayfish is delicate and firm and works well with the other flavors.

But then the entire meal ends disappointingly.  The desserts are not prepared or served by a specific pastry chef, rather, the sweets are plated by a server at the bar station – the same place you order hot and cold beverages.  Most of the desserts are what you would find in an Italian restaurant – tiramisu, panna cotta, ice cream, chocolate cake, and a Mascarpone Crème dessert.  The desserts have already been prepared well in advance; they are sitting in a glass display case, ready to be served.  Not only is this upsetting, but it clearly reminds you that this is also a corporate chain of restaurants.  The panna cotta, at 3,50 €, is a bargain.  Don’t be fooled by the inexpensive price, though – the taste is simply off.  The cooked cream is served in a glass flip storage jar usually reserved for keeping items for a long time.  This should have been a warning to begin with!  Although the panna cotta has bits of vanilla beans inside and is topped with a sweet strawberry sauce, the texture of the cream isn’t as smooth or creamy as it should be.  Rather than a light and delicate touch, the consistency is a tad rubbery and has a manufactured taste.  Even the strawberry sauce could use some work – where are the pieces of fresh strawberries? 

Overall, Vapiano’s unique concept is fun and refreshing.  Instead of following the traditional tableside service restaurant approach, Vapiano allows for a lot of flexibility and certainly caters to the requests of the individual.  Having the choice between different types of pastas is certainly a good way to attract potential repeat customers as the pasta-sauce combinations are endless.  Fresh ingredients and made-to-order meals are what make Vapiano stand out.  Now, if they would only do something about the desserts…

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Summary:

Utilizing an innovative and trendy approach, Vapiano is a worldwide chain of fast casual dining restaurants offering freshly prepared pizzas, pastas, and salads in a comfortable, upscale environment.  Combining self service with friendly assistance, Vapiano offers a truly unique dining experience.  Highlight: food is prepared fresh right in front of your eyes!

Overall – 4 stars

• Pasta Granchi di Fiume (Crayfish Pasta in Lobster Sauce) – 4.5/5
• Panna Cotta – 2/5

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www.vapiano.com/

Kettengasse 11 69117 Heidelberg

One word sums up Indian Palace: majestic.  The elegant ambiance inside this restaurant is extraordinary.  The chairs are uniquely crafted and designed and simply exude royalty; merely sitting in one gives you a feeling of extravagance and nobility.   You probably won’t find chairs like these anywhere else in Germany.  The numerous sculptures decorating the room, from wooden elephants to religious deities, continuously remind you of the rich Indian history and heritage.  Even the ceiling panels feature beautifully carved designs.  Pleasing Indian music, humming from the speakers, completes the authentic Indian dining experience.

The dining room correctly sets the mood and the food smartly follows through.  The menu here at Indian Palace is authentic, featuring numerous traditional Indian dishes.  You will find a pretty good list of soups and appetizers, bread and side dishes, tandoori specialties (tandoori refers to the tandoor clay oven used in the cooking process), and several chicken, lamb, and fish dishes.  For vegetarians, there is also a good variety of entrées to choose from.  The menu is written in Romanized Hindi, German, and English.  For seasoned diners looking for spicy Indian food, the kitchen will surely oblige to your wishes.  In fact, when ordering, I was asked ‘scharf?’ (German for spicy). 

As evident from the exquisite atmosphere, Indian Palace doesn’t do cheap.  Most of the main dishes hover around the 10 to 15 Euro price range.  Although the weekday lunch menu does include bargain prices, the portion sizes are a bit on the small side.  Don’t expect to share anything if ordering from this limited menu (which is offered during the week from 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.).

One of the items on the lunch menu is the Aloo Gosht.  At 7,00 €, this lamb and potato curry seems like a bargain compared to other items on the regular menu.  However, even with the accompanying basmati rice, the size of the dishes is less than ideal.  Both the curry and the rice are served in oval gratin dishes – not large at all.  Moreover, there are only a handful of lamb pieces and chunks of potatoes in the curry.   

On the plus side, the lamb meat is quite flavorful and has a nice texture.  It isn’t extremely tender, yet isn’t very tough either.  Furthermore, the meat does not have a gamey taste (which can be a negative or positive, depending on your tastes!).  Although I asked for a slight hint of spiciness, there wasn’t even a trace of heat present.  Service shines here as the server brings out a food warmer with candles to keep both the curry and rice warm as you progress through your meal. 

An order of the curry will more than likely satisfy your hunger, but I highly suggest considering one of the bread side dishes (such as the Tandoori Roti or Nan flatbreads) to accompany any curry in order to help soak up the sauce.  Priced at 1,50 €, the Tandoori Roti is an unleavened type of flatbread, made of whole wheat flour and baked in the tandoor oven.  The flatbread is crisp and flavorsome alone, but is a good staple accompaniment to the other dishes.  There is also a trace of butter on the bread upon service.

To drink, there are a couple of popular Indian tea specialties – Chai Masala and Kashmiri Tea.  The Chai Masala is spiced and aromatic.  Served in its own a tea pot and accompanied by a sugar dispenser, the chai is pleasant, though the spices can be intense.  The milk added in the Chai Masala adds a delightful taste in combination with the various spices.

To end your culinary journey into Indian cuisine, you may want to try one of the reasonably priced Indian desserts.  Whether it’s Firni (milk pudding) or Gulab Jamun (cheese balls), Indian Palace has it.  A popular dessert is Kulfi, a frozen treat similar to ice cream.  Unlike typical ice cream, however, Kulfi has a slightly different texture: it doesn’t melt so easily and remains fairly dense.  Here, this delight is homemade – the frozen dessert is cut into thin slices and served with sliced almonds, coconut flakes, and cream on the side.  Flavored with pistachio and cardamom, the Kulfi tastes wonderful.  Impressively, there are also red saffron threads hiding in the treat.  Can you say expensive?

Indian Palace may very well be one of the better Indian restaurants in the region.  With restaurants in Heidelberg and Mannheim, the owners and the chefs definitely know what they are doing.  Although Raja Rani has quick, inexpensive fast food Indian, Indian Palace does good, authentic, sit down and eat Indian.  Indian Palace captures the essence of Indian culture extremely well, from the ideal setting to the service, and concluding with the finely prepared food.  A pleasant overall experience can be had without traveling all the way to Southern Asia.

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Summary:

Off one of the side streets along Heidelberg’s Hauptstraße, Indian Palace boasts tandoori and various Indian specialties.  Experience the exotic and enchanting tastes of truly authentic Indian cuisine in a very fancy and appealing dining room ambiance.  Prices are moderate.  Service is more than satisfying.

Overall – 4.5 stars

• Chai Masala – 4/5
• Tandoori Roti (Tandoori Flatbread) – 4.5/5
• Aloo Gosht (Lamb and Potato Curry) – 4/5
• Kulfi (Frozen dessert) – 4.5/5
• Service – 5/5

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www.indian-palace.net/

S 2,2 68161 Mannheim

A friend of mine, a fellow culinary enthusiast, asked yesterday when I would try the top rated overall restaurant in Mannheim, according to several online outlets.   She’s been there numerous times and keeps idolizing it as the ultimate place to enjoy German cuisine.  It just so happens that I had planned on visiting this establishment on my next restaurant excursion, which happens to be today.  After all, I was in the mood for some delicious German food and Speisegaststätte Hemmlein perfectly fits the bill.   

Hemmlein is ideally situated in the Mannheim city centre, a short walking distance from the spacious Mannheim Marktplatz.  The restaurant does not stand along the busy streets, but close enough to them to attract hungry patrons and curious visitors alike.  The menu, which changes practically everyday, covers a good deal of authentic German food – the kind a traditional German mother would make for her family.  The entire place, ranging from the seating to the walls, the menu and the servers, are all old-fashioned.  Taking a simple glance at the single page menu (which is put inside a plastic sheet protector), you get the feeling that it has been done on an old typewriter.  Nothing fancy about it, but it gets the job done.  Heck, even the prices seem dated, which is a good thing.  This is probably one of the least expensive German restaurants in town, considering the portion sizes and quality of ingredients. 

The front of the house is adorned with a combination of old black & white photos, framed in antique picture frames, along with recently taken colored group photos.  There’s even a framed list of signatures – an obvious sign of the restaurant’s popularity.  Above the bar area, there are countless trophies – the mark of a champion.  Overall, Hemmlein is not the most eye-candy place to be, but that’s not the main focus here.

The food at Hemmlein certainly represents Germany well.  Here, you will find a variety of traditional and authentic German dishes – schnitzel, spätzle, sauerbraten, roasted meat dishes, etc… It’s always interesting to see how different restaurants serve up a simplistic, traditional dish that is schnitzel. 

Priced at 8,80 €, the Jägerschnitzel is certainly a bargain.  Two thick slices of meaty pork cutlets, coated in breadcrumbs and fried, are served in a delightfully rich brown mushroom sauce.  The pork pieces are well seasoned and massive enough to make up for the price itself.  A generous, but not overwhelming, amount of sliced mushrooms, browned and tender, top each piece of pork.  The combination of mushrooms and pork is, not surprisingly, tasty.  The juicy pork meat shines here and doesn’t get overshadowed by the mushrooms or gravy.

An order of schnitzel comes with a side dish of potatoes and a plate of salad.  Normally, you would be served fries with schnitzel here, but I highly recommend substituting them for Bratkartoffeln (Fried Potatoes).  They are better than most, simply dissolving upon entering your mouth.  The edges of the potatoes are crunchy and crisp, while the insides are buttery and delightful.  A completely simple side dish done right.  The salad isn’t anything special, merely small portions of various veggies to meet your daily requirements.  A salad at Hemmlein consists of bite-sized pieces of green lettuce, white and red shredded cabbage, crisp shredded carrots, and corn and red kidney beans that seem to have come out of a can.   I’ve seen this assortment multiple times at other restaurants.

If you happen to still have room for dessert (which most people won’t due to the mammoth portions here), I highly suggest the apple sweets.  The 3,50 € Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) comes with a generous amount of whipped cream and three small scoops of vanilla ice cream.  Simply put, it looks like something that belongs in an ice cream parlor.  The apple strudel is warm and smells great, the pastry jacket is probably the best part.  The filling needs some work as the slices of apple weren’t necessarily sweet.  Eaten together with the cold ice cream, however, the apple pastry is such a pleasurable experience.  

Mannheim seems to have some of the best restaurants in Baden-Württemberg.  Not only are the portion sizes more than generous, the price ranges are on the low end and the quality of the dishes is kept at a sophisticated level.  Hemmlein perfectly fits this model.  Even though the owners take a simplistic approach to the other aspects of the restaurant, the food remains the core focus here. 

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Summary:

Despite taking a no-frills, simple approach, Hemmlein is one of the best overall German restaurants in the Rhein-Neckar region serving up a large selection of German dishes that are traditionally cooked and served fresh.  Rustic and old-fashioned, Hemmlein features a nice dining atmosphere.  Extremely inexpensive.  Very friendly, warm service.  Reservations recommended.

Overall – 5 stars

• Jägerschnitzel – 4.5/5
• Bratkartoffeln (Pan-Fried Potatoes) – 5/5
• Apfelstrudel mit Eis und Sahne (Apple Strudel with Ice Cream and Whipped Cream) – 4.5/5
• Service – 5/5

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Hauptstraße 210 69117 Heidelberg

Don’t judge a book by its cover.  This very common idiom certainly applies to restaurants too.  A simple glance at Ristorante Cavallino Bianco and you may think this place sells Christmas decorations or holiday ornaments.  The green, white, and red exterior gives off quite a festive feeling not commonly associated with fine dining.  But take a closer look at the glass display case and you will find a menu – an Italian menu.  It immediately becomes apparent that the color scheme is exclaiming Italian national colors as opposed to Santa Claus!

Take a step inside and you immediately feel welcomed.  Soothing Italian music transports you to Venice, sitting in a gondola, taking in the beautiful scenery.  The dining room walls are a sharp contrast to the childish exterior – they are a mature, warm, and friendly peach hue.  Tables are draped in clean, white tablecloths, surrounded by cushioned wooden chairs.  Each table is further decorated with a beautiful flower in a vase and a candle.  Wine bottles and olive oil containers line the walls all around.  Overall, the dining room is sophisticated, orderly, and elegant.  Completing this superb dining setting are the professionally dressed and attentive servers.

The menu at Ristorante Cavallino Bianco is typical Italian.  You will find various pastas, as well as grilled meat specialties.  There is also an extensive selection of seafood dishes.  As it’s currently nearing the springtime, fresh mussels and seafood are featured items.  Compared to past experiences at Italian restaurants in Germany, Ristorante Cavallino Bianco does not provide guests with the complete Italian dining experience.  No complimentary bread or salad accompanies the meal, which can be disappointing.  Instead, you simply get what you order.

The Risotto frutti di Mare, priced at 10,50 €, is a delicious seafood risotto.  The rice is cooked well – the grains are creamy and slightly chewy.  This creamy texture goes great with the varied textural combination of the seafood.  You will find countless chunks of clam meat, squid, a baby octopus, four mussels, and tiny shrimp scattered throughout the risotto.   

Whether it’s the luxurious, smooth texture of the octopus tentacles, the firmness of the shrimp, or the slightly chewy consistency of the squid, the seafood greatly complements the soft and creamy nature of the risotto rice.  The flavors of the sea get absorbed into the rice quite well, creating a rich overall flavor.  Also hidden among the grains of rice are slices of softened garlic, providing bursts of tang to the dish.  Unfortunately, you will also find some of the seafood slightly gritty – certainly unappealing.

Desserts are also your standard Italian delights – tiramisu, Italian ice cream, and panna cotta.  Many of the desserts seem overpriced, such as the panna cotta at 5,50 €.  But how could you not be tempted by Italian desserts?   The panna cotta is a delectable treat.  It has a rich and smooth texture.  Served simple and direct with a wild berry sauce, the combination of the cream, milk, and sugar is perfect.  For me, the seeds in the berry sauce were off-putting.  But aside from that, the panna cotta is a delightfully refreshing way to end any meal.  

Of course, Ristorante Cavallino Bianco offers a selected number of wines to go along your meal.  Unsure of wine pairings?  Just ask the waiting staff for some advice.  As an alternative, there are hot drinks, in addition to cold beverages.  What’s a classic Italian dining experience without cappuccino?

It’s such a shame that, on a gorgeous Friday afternoon in Heidelberg, there was no one else present at the restaurant.  Maybe it’s the location near the end of the Hauptstraße that makes it unattractive to diners.  Nonetheless, Ristorante Cavallino is a decent choice for Italian food in the Heidelberg Altstadt.   The service is excellent and attentive; the food flavorful. 

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Summary:

One of the few Italian restaurants along Heidelberg’s Hauptstraße, Ristorante Cavallino Bianco is a great Italian eatery serving up a respectable amount of true Italian dishes.  Cozy dining environment, good attentive service.  Prices are moderate.

Overall – 4 stars

• Risotto frutti di Mare (Seafood Risotto) – 4/5
• Panna Cotta – 5/5
• Service – 5/5

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N 2,4 68161 Mannheim

The beef gyros come, swamped in a creamy, red Metaxa sauce and enveloped in bubbling cheese on top, sizzling in a cast iron skillet – the aroma simply irresistible.  The black pan is so hot that the edges continue to sputter for a good few minutes after being placed on the table.  The waiter cautions not to touch the scorching skillet.  Accompanying the main star of the meal is a small side dish filled with house cut fries, crunchy and perfectly cooked, and a scoop of tomato vegetable rice, soft and bursting with flavor.  Finishing off the meal comes a slice of house made cake for dessert, a wonderful end to a dreamy meal.

It’s the baked gyros dish at Restaurant Dionysos, an item listed on their daily lunch menu for a mere 8,50 €.  Each item on this day menu, offered from 11 A.M to 5 P.M, is also served with a cool mixed salad that invigorates diners before the main entrée comes to the table.  All of the items served here are typical Greek dishes, traditionally prepared with Mediterranean flair.  Not only does the food capture the taste of Greece, the restaurant itself is a sight to see.

From the outside, Restaurant Dionysos looks expensive – like a Michelin quality, fine dining restaurant.  The wall sized glass windows are simply inviting and welcoming; it plainly screams to people to take a peak inside at the impressive décor and dining area.  Inside, the atmosphere is impressive and pleasing.  The open spaced area is highlighted by the Greek style columns, reminiscent of Ancient Greece.  There are countless statues throughout the dining area, as well as green vegetation that bring life to the entire area.  Near the back of the restaurant is a grand piece of artwork depicting an old Greek tale.  Okay, maybe not, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.  Each table is finely equipped with a calm blue tablecloth, in addition to a single burning candle.  The polished, crafted wooden chairs are padded and comfortable and relaxing.  Overhead chandeliers provide additional light to the room.  Adding to the Greek experience is soothing music playing from the speakers.  Hearing tunes from a bouzouki brings back memories of good times I had with a Greek friend.  It feels like Athens and you can’t help but smile.  Heck, even the napkins are finely decorated and provide a quick lesson in the Greek language for curious diners.

Overall, the food itself is likewise impressive.  For starters, the salad is crunchy and refreshing, although not characteristic Greek.  Missing are the olive oil dressing and feta cheese you would normally associate with Greek salad.  Instead, the mixed salad comes with white cabbage, freshly shredded carrots, red kidney beans, corn, and a single unpitted green olive in a creamy dressing sauce.  The white cabbage glistens in the afternoon light, the carrots also a vibrant orange.  Probably more German than Greek, but, hey, it’s eye candy and delicious at the same time.  Plus, the portion size is decent.

Next come the gyros, baked in the Metaxa sauce.  Metaxa is a distilled spirit, a blend of brandy and wine.  The sauce itself does wonders to the meat, providing extra flavor to the tender beef.  If you thought gyros and tzatziki was a good combination, wait until you try it with the Metaxa sauce!  At Dionysos, the Metaxa sauce is creamy and slightly peppery – but not spicy at all.  The flavor is definitely concentrated and very effective. 

Alone, the gyros are wonderfully cooked and seasoned well.  Each piece of meat is juicy and extremely tender.   But the sauce takes it to an entirely new thrilling level.  The cheese adds that thick, gooey texture, complementing the pleasant taste of the sauce and meat.  Hidden in the dish are chopped onions and green peppers, perfectly softened by the baking process.  Of course, the best part is the crusty little bits of cheese and sauce stuck on the side of the skillet.  It takes effort to scrape them off, but it’s well worth the struggle.  Simply put, the gyros dish is simply to die for!  The portion size is more than generous, with a good amount of meat; you will be savoring each piece until the very last bite.

To end the day menu meal is a respectable sized slice of house made cake.  There is a thin layer of chocolate on top and a layer of fruit pudding sandwiched between two levels of delicate cake.  It is somewhat difficult to discern exactly what the middle layer consists of.  Asking the waiter for the name of the cake yielded no definite answer – it is merely a cake made by the kitchen staff.  Although it is not exactly Greek, it is a great end to a grand Greek meal.

If you’re unfamiliar with Greek cuisine, the lunch menu is probably the best way to experience the Mediterranean flavors.  Reasonably priced and generous in size, it’s as if you’ve died and gone… to Athens!  Καλή όρεξη!

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Summary:

Located in the Mannheim city center near city hall, Restaurant Dionysos is a fabulous Greek restaurant offering a wide assortment of traditional Greek dishes.  Quality selection of Greek wines, in addition to a handful of beverages.  Pleasant atmosphere, impressive dining room.  Outdoor seating during the summer months.  Great service. 

Hours: Everyday: 11:00 AM – Midnight

Overall – 5 stars

• Gyros überbacken nach Dionysos-Art (Gyros baked with Cheese and Metaxa Sauce) – 5/5
• Fries – 5/5
• Rice – 4/5
• Salad – 4/5
• Service – 5/5

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http://www.dionysos-mannheim.de/