Adolf Wagner

Whenever I told people I was going to travel to Germany on the first week of December, before our exams started, they would say I was crazy. For two simple reasons: because it's December, and because it was Germany. "Yes, it's going to be cold," I would say, "but I'll be fine."

Little did I know. The week before we left a cold front came in the country, lowering temperatures and bringing in snow. A lot of snow. Throughout the week, we would face hasher and harsher conditions... it seemed like the cold was slowly progressing to prepare us for our last day in Frankfurt - also the last day in Germany. After facing the coldest wind I had ever felt in Munich and a walking tour under snow for an entire afternoon in Berlin, we got to a sunny Frankfurt.

Frankfurt is different. It seems like the city is geographically set into centuries, by chunks. The part closest to the main station is the 20th century, with relatively tall buildings and a more sober architecture. When you turn away from the station and walk a little further down, you enter the 21st century, full of skyscrapers and modern buildings. After you pass that, the cutest town from the 18th and 19th centuries emerges, with little houses, churches and towers. It's crazy, but true. Also really interesting. So, that first day we walked along the city, observing the cute buildings and taking lots of pictures. It didn't take long for us to find a Christmas market.

 

Christmas tree in the middle of Frankfurt's market

I have to say, the Germans know what they're doing. Christmas markets are the most fun, wonderful Christmas things I have ever seen in my life. I love them. In Germany, they sell loads of sausage and Glühwein (mulled wine), along with artisan crafts and other types of food. Every single city we visited had at least one Christmas market, one greater than the other.

Glühwein

 Frankfurt's market was huge. It was so big we initially thought there were two different markets, very close to one another. Well, of our first day in the city, I have to say half was spent in the market. First because all the tourist attractions (read: churches) were along the market. Second because the food is cheap - and amazing. I had for lunch whole button mushrooms and onions, served in a creamy sauce with bread. Yuum. Unfortunately I was way too hungry to take a picture of it (that happens a lot, still haven't got used to registering every single meal I have...)

Sausage stand. Yes.

I could go on forever about Christmas markets. But I am here to talk about a restaurant in Frankfurt. As I have said, the cold seemed to be slowly progressing in degree, maybe to prepare us for that Sunday, the last day in Germany.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I woke up. There was snow - so much of it. Falling horizontally from the wind. I couldn't see anything outside. Ouch. Although we took our time getting up, taking showers and having breakfast, snow wouldn't stop falling, so we took to the streets and headed towards the Goethe house, a museum.

After three and a half hours of shelter from the cold in the museum, we decided to walk to a restaurant that was highly recommended by the guy at the reception desk in our hostel. By that time, it wasn't snowing anymore, it was sleeting. Yes, when it snows and rains at the same time. Great. Just great. We simply slowly walked, moaning and whining all the way to the restaurant, which was on the other side of the river. "This restaurant better be good and cheap" was all I kept thinking.

The restaurant on the outsite

On the inside

It was. We were expressly directed to order apple wine ("Don't order beer there, it's a waste of money") and something called Handkäse mit Musik (something to do with music) because they were two typical things from Frankfurt. We sat down in the large dining hall in a long table were a couple was seated on one end. I liked that about Germany. It is very common that people that have never seen each other sit at the same table, because the tables at restaurants there are generally wide and long. 

We did as we were told and ordered two apfelwein and a Handkäse mit Musik. The apple wine was delicious. It came in a soda glass, which made us think the guy had brought the non-alcoholic version to us - "why would he do that?!" - but no. That is just the way it's served. The Handkäse mit Musik is a local cheese topped with vinegar and onions, served with a slice of bread. Honestly, I didn't really like it. The cheese had no specific taste, leaving plenty of space for the vinegar and onion, which are not that different or delicious anyway. But it was worth trying. For the main course, I decided to go with sausage. Excuse me, I meant sausageS. Five sausages over a bed of sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Yuuuum... I like sauerkraut, although it has a pretty strong taste that one can get tired of during the meal. But potato and sausage and simply the perfect pairing for it. Because potato has the gift of breaking into its strength and delivering a more neutral taste, while the sausage compliments it. I loved it. I ate all of it (surprise, surprise.)

Handkäse mit Musik

Yes!

For dessert, I couldn't resist. It was my last day in Germany and I still had not tasted one single apple pie, a typical German dessert. So I ordered one. And it made me even happier than I already was. It was served with custard, a little warm. It reminded me of my grandma's apple pie, even though I usually ate that with ice cream - who would want ice cream in Germany anyways - instead of custard. I actually even prefer custard. It's delicious! It goes perfectly with the pie, because it's not strong, but it's also good for eating it by itself. I was so excited about eating the pie I almost ate it all before taking the picture... that would be a shame, look at how well presented and beautiful it is. 

Pure beauty

Meanwhile eating our main dishes and dessert, we kept the apple wine coming. I believe it only cost us 1.80€ a glass, and it was so good we didn't see the point in not drinking it. The long meal and the successive couple more glasses of wine we drank kept us sheltered from the snow and the cold for another good three hours and a half, when we finally decided it was time to go back to the hostel. 

What followed was a funny walk home after all the wine, with snowball fights and melt over cute children and babies in winter attire. Oh dear.

City: Frankfurt, Germany

Restaurant: Adolf Wagner

Food: Great

Service: Good

Price: €

Le Gil

Église Notre-Dame

After writing so much about other cities and feeling the suddenly creeping moment of my departure, I would like to post about another good restaurant in Poitiers. Although I haven't stayed long enough and haven't had the money that would allow me to try all the places I have passed by and interested me, I managed to have some good food here. Everyone seems to have a love/hate relationship with Poitiers, which in my opinion is this cute little French town (not so little, about 120.000 people) in the Poitou-Charentes region. When I arrived, Poitiers was all I imagined it to be and more. At the start I couldn't deal with the medieval buildings and look of things, I would squeal every five steps I took - I'm surprised I made any friends here at all. I live in the center of the town, in a very old building... next to me is a house from the 16th century and in the end of my street the Cathédral Saint Pierre, from the 13th century. It's so much history bundled up together that it takes some time to get used to. Now my friends and I joke that anything built from the mid 1800's is almost brand new. I mean there is a church from the 4th century here... how mind-blowing is that? 

I believe that it's only when people visit me that I am reminded of that early stage of amazement I was in the beginning. Unfortunately I tend to get used to the most stunning of views after living in them for a while - I would think most people do. So good thing for me my Brazilian friend that lives in London came to visit! Her excitement while we walked through the streets I am now so used to taking on every day made me revisit that same feeling. And I loved it.

Cathédrale Saint Pierre

I took advantage of the fact she was here and ate out a lot. One of the places I took her was Le Gil, a cute little bistro on the Charles de Gaulle square. Every day of the week they have a "plat du jour" for 8€, which isn't bad. I had eaten there before with my mom and the crème brulée was perfect - I risk saying the best I've had in France so far.

The first time, the choice of the day was a diced turkey in a creamy sauce, served with spaghetti, a tomato purée and spinach. The food was great! But the best part was the presentation. The plate was organized and the tomato and spinach came in little balls. I love eating out of beautifully set plates. Don't they say "We always eat first with our eyes"? Or is that only in my country? Well, I definitely eat first with my eyes. If the food looks weird or is badly presented, it will probably not taste as good as it is. If it is well-presented, maybe it might even taste better, just from the pleasure of looking at it. After the main course, we ordered a crème brulée which was divine! The crust was perfect and warm, the cream was cold and it all tasted incredible. That's why I went back again!

Preeetty!

When my friend was here, the choice was a kind of braised beef arranged in a stick, with diced potatoes and salad (some leafs in a sauce and some carrots). The meat was delicious, specially now that I eat so little of it - I only appreciate it more when I do. The potatoes were crunchy but not greasy, sprinkled with some herbs. The salad, well, it's salad. It's hard to say that salad is great. I felt the potatoes were a great combination with the meat sauce, which was strong, so they cleaned the palate a little. I loved it, my friend loved it, we were ready for the crème brulée! 

Preeetty again!

And it came, in all its glory. I knew what to expect, but she didn't. It was as delicious as before, except that they made a change - no whipped cream ball on top anymore! What the hell? So it looked kind of plain, but it was great. I just liked the presentation of the first one better. Below you will see what I am talking about... 

Before

After

See what I mean?! Crazy people, giving up on whipped cream ball, powdered sugar and the little green leaf. One would feel much more comfortable paying 5.90€ for the first crème brulée than for the second one, all because of the presentation. Anyway, the both were great. Both put a smile on my lips and filled my heart with joy. 

The desperation came later when my friend insisted we should go again so she could have another one, this time with some coffee. No deal! They are only served after food, as a dessert. Who are you, crazy person that wants to have dessert at five in the afternoon? The French have weird ways of serving sometimes... I don't get this strange rule. My friend was obviously very upset but became calmer after we bought some éclairs to drown our sorrows. Not bad.

I will definitely miss France. Not just the food, although OBVIOUSLY the food. The people, the feel, even the language. I was in Germany this weekend (post about sausage and glühwein coming!) and whenever I heard French being spoken I felt a little warmth feeling (little because come on, I was in Germany, there can never be a huge warm feeling, it's too cold). I will also miss the friends I made here, the people from all over the world and the whole experience of being in a different culture... And I will miss Poitiers! I am leaving Poitiers, but Poitiers will never leave me! "Aller Poitiers!!!"

City: Poitiers, France
Restaurant: Bistrot Le Gil
Food: Good
Service: Good
Price: €