Dining at the Alt Landstuhl

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

Homburger hof

In the courtyard

Typical German reads atypical menu

Alt Bier - hummmmm

Beauty is in the details

Homburger hof is dog friendly.  They even provide a water bowl

Mixed grill, with potatoes and herbed butter

Rump steak, smothered in onions and gravy, with bratkartoffeln

Schnitzel and fries

Scharf Käse - mixed vegetables, cheese, and hot peppers

Rondell 3  66424 Homburg, Germany

06841

Tele:  +49 6841 8090802

www.homburger-wirtshaus.de/

One of the first things you learn about Homburg Saar (pronounced Home-berk and not to be confused with Hamburg, in the far north) is that the Homburger hof is the only restaurant whose hours are dependable.  1000 to 0100 daily.  Period.  None of these closing at 1400, or not open on Wednesdays annoyances.  And yes, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Der hof is also the biggest building in town, so it’s tough to miss.  By the way, hof often means courtyard and I guess the crowded tables out in front count.

For the past few decades, it’s been owned by the Karlsberg Brewery, also located in Homburg.  But, that’s not the beginning of the story.  The building was completed in 1907 and has been a military headquarters and a hotel before the brewery bought it and made it a restaurant.

Ok. Ok.  All of that is fabulously interesting, but is it any good?  I like it!  When someone even whispers about going there, I come running.  Karlsberg beer is some of the best around, especially the Alt Bier, or beer brewed in the old style, with the fermenting yeast forming on top of the wort (wheat or barley mash).  What about top-fermenting yeast?  Less fizz.  Usually alt bier runs from 4.8 to 6% alcohol and for my money is smooth as glass.  The Karlsberg variety is at the low end of the scale. Reminds me of English ale, also made with top-fermenting yeast.  The color varies, but is predominantly a deep mahogany.  If you think all dark beer is a little bit harsh and rough around the edges, alt bier will teach your taste buds a new lesson.

What about the food?  Earthy and delicious.  There’s nothing startling on the newspaper menu, but you can order without fear.  Traditional and dependable.  I love the salads, the schnitzel, and the rump steak smothered in onions and dark gravy.  The bratkatoffeln (pan cooked potatoes) are not to be missed.

You said ‘newspaper’ menu?  Yep.  Looks like a newspaper.  Reads like a newspaper, with specials replacing the normal newspaper ads.  Speaking of specials, there’s a different one each day of the week, which gives you a price-break of a couple of euros.  But, even without the price-break, the Homburger hof won’t shred your budget.

When you go to the Homburger hof website, check out their recipes, most of which feature beer, including three types of beer soup!

Now you’ve done it.  A heavy thirst is rising like a tsunami. Time to kiss off the errands, bundle the wife into the car, and chill in the hof and people watch, while the alt bier does its magical, psychological work.  If you can't drink a beer right now, just keep repeating this mantra:  I don't need a beer to be happy...I don't need.....