Goch - Khan, Mongolian - Chinese Wok and Buffet
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 13.80
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 heap a plate with your
favourite 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/
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/
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..
Goch - Terschlusen - Schnitzels, spareribs and more
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
Kevelaer - Thai Rin Raum – Freshly prepared Thai curries and more
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 8 euros? I’m not kidding. Check out their online menu.
Kleve - Comce - Turkish delight
This is Turkish cuisine freshly prepared right before your eyes. The extensive menu features a variety of meat grilled on skewers as well as special dishes such as tender pieces of lamb smothered in cream and fresh mushrooms. The special starter plate is a great way to kick off dinner. For those who are not familiar with Turkish food, the plate offers a nice palette of dips as well as goat cheese fried in crispy filo pastry as well as rice in wrapped in grape leaves. Prices are very reasonable for the great quality that is served. They also offer a lunch special on weekdays as well as Turkish pizza for those in need of a quick snack.
Kleve - Wissing - Schnitzel paradise
They call themselves 'schnell restaurant'. However I wouldn't quite place them in the same category as the big M. Sure, when you enter the restaurant, there's the takeaway counter and the fragrance of French fries. But step in further and you see the back of the restaurant is a modern large seated-dining area. And there are over 30 flavors of schnitzel on the menu with every imaginable sauce and topping. Some days, that is the ultimate comfort food. The perfect schnitzel and a serving from their salad bar. A bit of responsible-choice greenery goes a long way towards balancing the meal.
Rees - Inselgasthof Nass - Fish on shores of the Rhine
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.
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.
