Thursday, 6 November 2014

Lappi Ravintola, Helsinki, Finland

Ever since visiting Salla, Lapland, for a dog sledding holiday some ten years ago, I got hooked on reindeer and elk dishes. This year, we didn't manage to get that far North, but Lappi in Helsinki offers a taste of the Arctic. The cozy woody interior felt just like Salla. We started with a salad of salmon followed by the roast elk and reindeer special that was just so tender and delicious. Although the dishes are expensive compared to prices in Salla, I guess the transportation cost and effort to haul down elk and reindeer meat to the South justifies the price. Check out the Helsinki page for more immer-gut-essen places.
http://www.lappires.com/

Wednesday, 5 November 2014

Bosbrasserie in de Sluis, Reindersmeer near Bergen, Netherlands

Perfect location to start or end the 8 km hike around the Reindersmeer lake. My friends and I prefer to end our nature hikes at this restaurant. It’s a bit difficult to walk at a brisk pace on a full stomach. Favorites here are the tuna sandwich, the schnitzel special, ice cream in the summer, warm fresh waffles with cherries and savory or sweet pancakes. Prices are reasonable with sandwiches and ice cream in the 6 euro range and warm meals costing about 12 to 15 euros. On a sunny day, there’s plenty of tables out on the terrace overlooking the water. This is also a dog-friendly establishment.

The architecture of this establishment is also rather clever. The building straddles the old canal locks thus affording it unobstructed views out over the canal on one side and the lake on the other side. Both ends of the building feature a permanent exhibit on the local wildlife.

Sunday, 12 October 2014

Terschlusen - Schnitzels, spareribs and more, Goch, Germany

This family establishment has been around for decades. Friends of mine who grew up in Goch who are now in their fifties remember eating here when they were kids. The place itself is like a seventies time capsule with furnishings which seriously date back to that era.
Never mind the interior, what strikes you on most days is how full and bustling the place is. The entrance area is usually packed with people waiting at the counter for their takeaway meals with more waiting at the bar for a table to free up. Sometimes the wait for a table can be as long as half an hour. And that is not surprising when you see the assortment of mouth-watering schnitzels they have with every imaginable topping. Every time I come here for a quick meal, I am torn between ordering their tasty spare ribs and one of their schnitzels, like the wild mushroom cream sauce schnitzel which is a personal favourite. A serving of spareribs goes for just over 7 euros and the schnitzels range from 5 to 7 euros for the small ones. And believe me, their small-size schnitzel would be considered large elsewhere. I never had the courage to take on one of their large schnitzels. Fries, potatoes and a side salad or cooked vegetables all cost extra but only a few more euros. Even when it's busy, the meal you eventually get is very much worth the wait.

Friday, 3 October 2014

Ludwig Museum Restaurant and Cafe, Koln, Germany

Just around the corner from the central station, this restaurant cafĂ© of the Ludwig Museum offers a surprising lunch deal. For under 10 euros, we enjoyed roast pork with lashings of sweet savoury sauce served with delicious roast potatoes. The meal even included one non-alcoholic beverage. On a sunny summer day, diners can sit out on the terrace which is tucked away in the back of the museum. Despite the proximity to the station and the heavy traffic, the restaurant provides an oasis of tranquillity. You don’t need to pay museum entrance fees to lunch here.



Brauhaus Fruh, Koln, Germany

This is a great place to hunker down for down-to-earth traditional German cooking. My favourite is the formidable eisbein, boiled pork shank served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. They also have specialities such as herring (seasonal dish) or raw tartar steak served with fried onions, cream cheese and herbs, And of course they have a number of dishes featuring sausages. A good warm meal costs between 10 to 15 euros. Since I’m not a beer drinker, I can’t say much about their main product. Yet judging from the litres being consumed by other guests, I think their beer is also excellent. On a personal note, I forgot to photograph my eisbein. By the time I remembered, all that was a left on my plate was the bone. I did take photos of the salad with herring and the steak tartar with fried onions...but the photos don't quite convey how good these two dishes were. If you're in the area of Koln and the cathedral, just give this place a try. 

Den Tol, Velp, Netherlands

Forget regular pancakes with melted butter and maple syrup. This restaurant redefines pancakes as fine dining in a beautifully styled setting. Den Tol serves savoury and sweet pancakes in candlelit ambiance.
The pancake I was served had a delicious crispy crust and was filled with pork loin chunks in pepper cream sauce. All their speciality pancakes like the one shown here are served with a side salad.
Prices were also reasonable with simple sweet or savoury pancakes in the 10 euro range and speciality pancakes in the 15 euro range. They are also located in Beuningen and Plasmolen, both near Nijmegen.

Friday, 19 September 2014

ABC American Buffet Corner, Velp, Netherlands

Crazy buffet combination of 9 buffets: grill house offering everything from steak to spare ribs, fish grill with all kinds of fresh sea food, Chinese wok and buffet, Sushi buffet, Salad bar, Soup bar, Bread counter, Italian buffet with fresh pasta and pizzas and a seriously huge sweets corner with cakes, ice cream, fresh fruit, pancakes and waffles made to order and even cotton candy.
This is especially suitable of large groups where there's no agreement or compromise possible between the different tastes. Here you can keep both vegetarians and carnivores content. Meat and potato people can dine next to the adventurous types who don't scare away from sushi. Beware of sugar-induced hyperactivity when you bring along kids. They will usually entrench themselves in the dessert section alongside sweet-toothed adults.
You do need to reserve. All you can eat including non-alcoholic beverages is about 26 euros.
http://www.abcrestaurants.nl/


Sunday, 31 August 2014

Khan, Mongolian - Chinese Wok and Buffet in Goch, Germany

Large selection of meat, fish and vegetables as well as Chinese dishes. Includes special items such as kangaroo and scallops. Very affordable. All you can eat for 14.90 euro per person. Drinks are charged separately.

I posted this earlier without a photo. This evening after enjoying yet another dinner with friends, I finally remembered to take a photo. The buffet on the left features Chinese dishes, dim sum, fruit and dessert. The buffet on the right offers a huge selection of fresh vegetables, seafood and meat for the Mongolian grill at the far end. This is the fresh wok buffet which allows you to heap a plate with your favorite vegetables and seafood/meat topped off with your choice of seasoning (freshly chopped garlic, ginger, red peppers and a choice of sauces). When you're finished assembling your wok plate, you simply hand it over to the wok chef standing at the grill. Moments later, the sizzling hot wok meal is brought over to your table.
http://www.khan-goch.de/