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| Wonderful Potato Soup |
These days you can search in vain for an old style German
eatery. Used to be a Gasthaus on
every corner, redolent with farmers’ omelets, schnitzels, and roasted
potatoes. The restaurants are
still around, but times change. The
world turns. Some of my old
favorites changed owners and now sell Greek food. Is it my imagination or is the world spinning faster, with
traditional German restaurants flying off the edges?
All the rage is mediocre Italian, which is bad enough. But, to shock the Kaiser even
more, the most popular fast food is Doner Kebab. No wonder.
Germans don’t flock to fast foods, or if they do it’s to grab a fresh Brotchen with salami and cheese at the local Backerei. Won’t find a Mickey D or King of the Burgers flashing their
lurid lights and showing off their arches on every street.
I’m not hard to please, contrary to what my family says, but
I do search for the exceptional.
Found a great spot. Alt
Landstuhl reaches right into the heart of my hunger. It is German to the core, with dark wood paneling, a stone fire pit
in the center, heavy pewter goblets and pitchers, and a good charge of old
style beer and wine. Alt
Landstuhl’s been sitting in the town of the same name for decades. Always was famous for the potato soup
and succulent Chateaubriand. Still
is. There’s a touch of comfort in
constancy, a streak of lunacy in change.
You want to start with the potato-bacon soup. Creamy. Mouthwatering.
The vapor sweeps by you first and your spoon soon has a mind of its
own. A good second choice is the
French onion soup, crusty and cheesy on top, bubbling underneath.
For the main, don’t screw around. Go for the Chateaubriand for two. I know you’ve heard the name, Chateaubriand. What is it exactly? Short answer: Thick slices of tenderloin, cooked to your order and cut at
the table. But, there’s more to
the story.
I always enjoy
a slice of history, especially while I’m scarping down medium rare slices of
Chateaubriand, resting on a pool of succulent brown demi-glace, and crowned
with a buttery, rich Béarnaise sauce.
Just in case you’re short on calories, there’s also a platter of
vegetables and potatoes to fill the odd space in your short-lived diet.
About the history of Chateaubriand - from the Larousse
Gastronomique (the French culinary Bible – Julia Child was only an apostle) the
steak first graced the table of Françoise-René de Chateaubriand, who served
Louis XVIII in various diplomatic capacities. Originally cut from the sirloin, tenderloin soon became the cut
of choice. That’s enough
talk. My mouth is watering and I’m
beginning to drool in my wine.
Anyway, my meal was just prepared for me at the table and I
need to dig in, or risk the wrath of the Mistress-of-the-Saber. “Just a little more wine, please.” Oh, yeah, the house red, sold by the
liter, is beyond delicious.
Address: Schützenstraße 12, 66849 Landstuhl, Germany Phone: +49 6371 3003
Oh man - I last ate there 15 years ago, and probably had the same selections as you. The Chateaubriand was indeed superb.
ReplyDeleteAlt Landstuhl was our favorite spot Billy; especially since Jeff and
DeleteI lived directly across the street from them. It really broke my heart when my daughter sent me that text.
My favorite restaurant to dine at back from 1981-1987. Best food in town, wine in real silver goblets. There was also a beautiful blonde waitress back then I always had a crush on when I’d go in. I miss that place.
ReplyDeleteAt least once a month or so we would treat ourselves to the Chateaubriand there between 90 to 92
ReplyDelete