Dusseldorf - Kikaku - Sushi fit for the Emperor

If you have a craving for excellent sushi and other Japanese delicacies but you don’t have the budget to fly to Tokyo for the weekend, this is the place to go. This restaurant was started by Mr. Ito who brought sushi to Europe in the 60s. Not only did he serve sushi to Emperor Akihito, he was decorated by the Emperor for having promoted Japanese cuisine throughout Europe. With such an impressive history, you can be sure of experiencing genuine traditional Japanese dining without the 12 hour flight. Be sure to try the fatty tuna sushi called Chu-Toro and O-Toro. This is probably one of the few places that serves this outside of Japan. Fatty tuna meat comes from a relatively small section of the tuna close to the tail and therefore is not commonly available. Also if you are planning a visit it would be wise to reserve your table in advance. The website has a convenient reservation form. We were there on a Monday evening and the place was packed! And if you happen to be in Dusseldorf airport, Kikaku also has a sushi stand there. So if you fancy a snack before boarding your flight, why not opt for a healthy and tasty sushi roll?

2023 update - sadly, the owners of Kikaku decided to close the restaurant during the covid pandemic.

Nijmegen - Wally - They care about burgers

Wally is not kidding about how serious they are about their burgers. ‘We care about burgers’ is stated prominently on their web page. And more importantly their obsession about burgers is what you taste. Some people might balk at the price tag. A typical burger here was going for 9.50 euros when I was last there. And that’s without their delicious fries, the side salad and the proverbial ‘five-dollar milkshake’. That adds up to around 20 euros for the complete meal. So it’s not the type of place you should go to if you’re nursing your last bit of cash at the end of the month. And yet in their defense, they don’t make any compromises when it comes to quality. And quality can only be had with a price tag.

I have never been let down by them. Just the first bite in the succulent juicy burger oozing with their mustard-mayonnaise and melted cheese is such a treat. 

http://www.restaurantwally.nl/

Nijmegen - De Hemel - Is heaven a biergarten with good food?

The name ‘De Hemel’ translates as ‘Heaven’ or ‘the sky’. Religious connotations aside, I prefer to think of this name refers to the space this brewery occupies, so near to the bustling central square of Nijmegen yet tucked just a street away in a cocoon of peace. And of course, there’s the beer and food that graces this heavenly sanctuary. My first visit was for a coffee with a colleague in the evening under the blooming cherry trees.  The cherry blossoms lit up by the party lights strung in the trees gave the terrace a lovely dreamy quality. Then returning on the King’s birthday with a friend, we sat down in the sun for a lunch comprising of a grilled cheese sandwich, jalapeno burger sans bread and steak fries. The rich juicy burger is shown here without the bun because I personally need to avoid bread. So I missed out on testing the quality of their bread. However, my friend who had the grilled cheese sandwich testifies that the bread they serve is excellent. He also enjoyed the glass of ‘Luna’, one of the De Hemel beers. Not being a beer drinker myself, the brews are lost on me. However, beer-drinking friends all appreciate the various brews which are listed on a dedicated menu page. It is also possible to book special beer tastings and tours of the brewery.  Note: the brewery building actually houses another restaurant that hosts lazy weekend brunches as well as serving lunch and dinner. When the terrace is open and you have a preference for the one restaurant or the other, make sure you are sitting in the correct section of the garden. The terrain is divided between the two establishments and the boundaries are not that clear.

http://www.plaats1.com/

https://restaurantdehemel.nl/nl/

Goch (Asperden) - Swan - Good ol' traditional German food

Traditional German food, hearty and generous, sums up the Swan. My favorites are the Haxe which looks like something Astrix and Obelix would feast on and the Holzfeller steak. For those of you not familiar with German food, Haxe is roasted ham hock, the lower part of a pig leg, just above the ankle. Because the haxe is roasted, the inside is tender meat and the outside crispy crackling. Typically this appears on the menu at the time of the October Fest season. The other favorite, the Holzfeller steak, literally is the lumber jack steak. It’s a tasty pork chop topped off with a mountain of fried crispy onions. If this is not what you fancy, no worries. What German village restaurant would not have schnitzel? And of course there a several choices for seafood lovers as well as salads.

http://www.zum-schwan-goch.de/

Goch - Steak Brothers and Kox - Dry-aged beef and more

The Steak Brothers are serious about meat and proud of it.  Since they also run Kox the butcher shop down the street from the restaurant, the shortest line from supplier to table is guaranteed. At Kox they sell quality meats, hams and sausages as well as traditional soups like pea soup. Actually the French word Charcuterie better describes their shop since there’s a lot more than just pork chops and cuts of beef. If you don’t feel up to preparing the meat yourself, the Steak Brothers can serve everything from insanely large juicy burgers to prime steak. And this is not just any kind of steak but proper dry aged beef. My personal favorite is the rib eye steak.
http://www.fleischerei-kox.info/
http://www.steakbrothers.de/

Kevelaer - Thai Rin Raum – Freshly prepared Thai curries to go

Sometimes authentic Asian food can be found in the weirdest location. Just outside the Edeka parking lot in Kevelaer, there’s a small mobile restaurant with fresh Thai curries and noodles. Yes, literally in the middle of nowhere by the road. And yet, people flock to this place from far and near to get their Thai dinner take out. There’s some seating next to the caravan with protection from the elements but most customers go for the take out. On a sunny summer day, we sat down for a Thai road side picnic. I usually alternate between Pad Thai noodles and a Thai curry. They also have a mean tamarind sauce stir fry. Everything is prepared on the spot as you wait. And for all this quality fresh Thai home cooking, they don’t charge an arm and a leg. Seriously is there anywhere else where you can have a generous serving of steaming hot Thai curry with rice for around 11 euros? I’m not kidding. Check out their online menu.

http://www.thairinruam.de/thai-rin-ruam.html

2023 Update: They changed to take aways only.

Weeze - Alpago - Italian ice cream heaven

Great family-run Italian ice cream café. They actually close down for the winter season and go back to Italy. I don’t blame them considering how miserable and cold the winters are in this region. And every spring they open their doors to serve great ice cream. In summer, long lines are proof of their quality. My favorites are a very dark chocolate ice cream combined with a raspberry sorbet. Both are incredibly rich in flavor and proof of all the good ingredients that go into the making of their ice creams.

http://www.eiscafe-alpago.de/

Rees - Inselgasthof Nass - Inland haven for seafood !?

Fish? This far inland? Most will not expect a good seafood restaurant in this region and Nass defies that prejudice. Beware that the dishes are not only delicious but also hefty in size. So skip your breakfast and lunch to prep yourselves. At the time I was writing this, I couldn’t find the photographs of the dishes I ordered. So you’ll have to use your imagination. What I enjoyed most and definitely will order a double portion on my next visit are the scallops in dill cream sauce with wild rice. And last but not least the restaurant is set in an idyllic location on the banks of the Rhine.  Not quite the source of the fish they serve but they are near water.

http://www.inselgasthof-nass.de/

Tokyo - Sushi Zanmai Bekkan - Imperial quality sushi that doesn't max out your credit card

When it comes to sushi in Tokyo, there’s a wide range of dining options. There are fast food joints and conveyor-belt sushi stores on one of the spectrum and Michelin star restaurants like Jiro in Ginza on the other end. And while my family in Tokyo is spoiled for choice, Sushi Zanmai Bekkan is where they go – right around the corner from the old Tsukiji fish market, tucked down a side street. And in particular they seek out the company of Sushi chef Eiji Shibata who not only serves great sushi but entertains guests with witty conversation and his vast knowledge of the sushi trade.

Since Eiji Shibata has worked in Dusseldorf at the famous Kikaku (see my other blog entry, link below), he speaks some German and English which is a godsend for foreign customers. During the 1990s when he worked in Dusseldorf, under the tutelage of master sushi chef Ito, he's served sushi to Emperor Akihito. In my opinion that is a great sign of quality that outshines a Michelin star.

There’s a fair amount of cheerful shouting going on as staff greet customers entering and thank departing customers. And do not be alarmed when this shouting goes up a notch. Once in a while, one of the sushi chefs will take a net and extract a fish from the large aquarium at the back. The fish – still flapping – will be held up high and displayed while a chef announces which type of fish it is. In response, eager customers start yelling back orders as the poor fellow meets its untimely end. That unfortunately is how fresh sushi is made. 

The best seats are at the counter where you can see all the action. You can try asking for a seat by Eiji's section if he is on duty.

Note: Sushi Zanmai has numerous locations in that neighborhood. All are equally good and one is even open 24 hours. The Bekkan location just happens to be our family favorite.
Unlike some sushi joints which quote prices that fluctuate with the going market price, Sushi Zanmai is clear about pricing. The price on the menu is what you pay, no surprises.
And they have attractive sets for around 30 euros.

2018 Update: Tsukiji outer market with the fish shops is still operational. However, the inner market where the auctions are held has been relocated to Toyosu.

2023 Update: Please check opening times prior to planning a visit. You might even try asking hotel staff or a friend to call and see if you can reserve a counter seat in Eiji's section.

https://kiyomura.imachika.com/store/2

Nara - Nara Hotel - Exquisite ambiance of the Meiji era

This beautiful hotel is located right on the edge of Nara Park, home to the sacred deer who freely roam there and the monumental temples. Built in 1909 as a guest house for visiting foreign dignitaries, the hotel boasts an impressive lineup of distinguished guests ranging from royalty to movie stars. For our family, this hotel was the preferred lodging for my father in his student days. An extravagance that I’m not sure if I should be proud of or embarrassed about. More recently we stayed there on a family vacation. The turn of the century architecture shows the Meiji era style where traditional Japanese elements were married with the new influx of Western influences. To this day, the hotel embodies the meeting of two cultures. Guests can dine grandly in the restaurant with a choice of top Japanese or French cuisine. The photo shows the roast lamb served on the night of our stay. And the next morning, we were spoiled again by breakfast served to order with enough choices to satisfy the most demanding diva.
http://www.narahotel.co.jp/eng/history.html

Tokyo - Din Tai Fung - Little dragons in a bun

This is the Walhalla of the xiao long bao. Din Tai Fung is located on the 12th floor of the Takashimaya department store in Shinjuku. Go well in advance of the time you really want to eat because there's usually a long line that wraps around the corner from the entrance and down the hall. Once inside you have to order the xiao long bao. Xiao long bao are dimsum dumplings with a meatball and hot soup inside. The name translates literally as little dragon in a bun... a name that is rather fitting because eating these directly as a whole will result in burning your mouth.

First you need to add the dip sauce (vinegar and/or soy sauce) to the small plate of fresh ginger. Next, you place the dumpling in a small bowl or the spoon and carefully break the skin to let the soup leak out first. Dip the dumpling in the vinegar and place some ginger on it before popping it into your mouth. Finally, drink up the soup. I’ve also seen articles stating that the only correct way to eat this delicacy is to nibble a small hole and first suck out the soup. I prefer the first method because I don’t fancy burns.

Although xiao long baos are their specialty they also have other dumplings like the spicy pork and shrimp dumplings as well as my favorite fried chicken and jelly fish salad featured in the photograph.

https://www.dintaifung.com.tw/eng/store_world.php?cid=2

2023 Update: Try the Din Tai Fung branch near Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit. Every time I was in the Shinjuku Takashimiya Branch, I faced long queues to get a table. Had better luck getting a table at the Tokyo Station branch.

They have branches all over the world in several Japanese cities. So check out their locations via the link above.

Goch - Terschlusen - Schnitzels, spareribs and fries

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.

http://www.heidestuebchen.de