Small Plates, Big Taste at Pincho

Small Plates, Big Taste at Pincho

I wanted to write about PIncho last week when I went there for the first time. Unfortunately, the food was so delicious that I started eating and forgot to take all but a single picture, and didn't have enough for a post. Luckily, after I raved about the food to a friend of mine at the Bohnenviertelfest, she asked if I wanted to go back again this week. The food was just as delicious as the first time, and I snagged enough photos to be able to give you a better overview of one of my new favorite restaurants in Stuttgart. 

Pincho is a new offering in Degerloch just to the south of the city center. I remember being really excited a few months ago when I saw the window dressings go up announcing that Pincho would serve wine and tapas. I've been to a couple of the Spanish tapas restaurants in Stuttgart and I've been disappointed in both. It's not that I'm a great connoisseur of Spanish food, it's just that I feel like I was quite spoiled when we lived in Charlottesville and used to frequent Mas Tapas. It may sound ironic that we found amazing tapas in central Virginia, but I should explain that the restaurant was owned by a Spanish expat chef who returns to Spain every year to find fresh ingredients and ideas for his restaurant. If you're ever in Charlottesville, it's one of the restaurants that you should not miss. 

Post-run Beer in the Castle Garden

Post-run Beer in the Castle Garden

On Sunday Matt and I joined a few of our friends and ran in the Stuttgart Color Run. It was a 5K run/walk/dance through the Neckarpark, and it was awesome! Part run, part Holi -- it was a very unique experience. We had tons of fun being goofy, healthy, and throwing colored powder at each other. When the race was over, we were tired and covered in colored powder, which is hardly the condition you want to be in to go out for lunch. Still, it was past 1:30 pm and we were all hungry. After some thought, we decided to go to the Biergarten im Schlossgarten. 

I've been to this biergarten several times. It's conveniently located in the middle of Stuttgart's 600-year-old green band that stretches from the Neues Schloss (new palace) all the way to the Neckarpar. Walkers, runners, and families frequently stop here for a beer or meal while out in the park or to enjoy the calming atmosphere surrounded by trees and green fields. For us, it was the perfect location because they have tons of outdoor, bench-style seating, meaning we wouldn't be out of place (or too messy) with our color-splashed appearance. 

German Block Party at the Bohnenviertelfest

German Block Party at the Bohnenviertelfest

For three days every July, the Bohnenviertel (meaning "bean quarter") in Stuttgart comes alive with music, food, and late-night shopping during the Bohnenviertelfest. It's a bit like a giant block party, and I love the celebratory atmosphere. The best thing about the Bohnenviertelfest is that many of the restaurants set up stalls and offer bites from their menu, so you can easily try several different kinds of food form the neighborhood's restaurants. 

The Bohnenviertel is one of the oldest areas in Stuttgart and covers about ten small blocks. It gets its name from the staple food of the area's population, which grew beans as a way to supplement their diet. The gardens have since been replaced by houses, but you can still stroll through the cobblestone streets of the Bohnenviertel and admire the quarter's old-time charm. We live right next to the area, and it's filled with secondhand bookstores, antique shops, private art galleries, jewelry stores, craft stores, and lots of cafés and restaurants. 

Recap: Beautiful, International Berlin

Recap: Beautiful, International Berlin

I've been to Berlin a few times now both for school trips and for pleasure. It remains one of my favorite cities that I've thus far visited, and I'd love to live there some day. The atmosphere is one of contrast between old and new, past and present, clean and rough. There's always something going on.

Its unique history post-WWII has allowed Berlin to reinvent itself in ways uncommon to other cites that are overwhelmed by their image. It has become a hotspot for the young, for artists, for immigrants, for foodies, for politicians, and for techies alike.

Lunch With a View at the Teehaus

Lunch With a View at the Teehaus

With the temperatures climbing here in southern Germany and the general lack of in-home air-conditioning, it can be a challenge to find a cool spot in which to relax. So when it came time to choose a spot for lunch yesterday, my good friend and I opted for the Teehaus (German for "tea house") at the top of Weißenburgpark. 

Stuttgart is shaped a bit like a bowl. The downtown area is located in the bottom of the bowl, while the rest of the city slopes upward from it. That means that while it might be boiling in the center of the city, it can often be a few degrees cooler along the edges. Weißenburgpark is on the rim of the bowl in Stuttgart Süd, so not only is it a bit cooler, but the added elevation often means it has a lovely breeze to help with the heat. 

Beer and "Imp Cake" at Wichtel Hausbrauerei

Beer and "Imp Cake" at Wichtel Hausbrauerei

When we first moved to Stuttgart, my husband and I stayed at a hotel in the Feuerbach area of Stuttgart so that he could be close to his work. While he was working, Leo (our beagle) and I spent a lot of time wandering around and getting to know the city. It was a great first couple of weeks and really helped me get used to our new home. One of the restaurants that we frequented on many occasions during this time was Wichtel Hausbrauerei. I loved this restaurant for two reasons: no-fuss German food and beautiful outdoor patio in the summer.

Last night we had the chance to return, and we found it to be as popular as ever. When we walked up to the patio around 18:30, we quickly saw that the tables were completely full. Not to be deterred from our nostalgic return, we waited for about five minutes when, to our luck, a couple who had paid finished their beer and left. 

Recap: Unforgettable Japan Trip Part 4 - Kyoto, Hiroshima, & Osaka Eats

Recap: Unforgettable Japan Trip Part 4 - Kyoto, Hiroshima, & Osaka Eats

This last part of my four-part recap of our winter trip to Japan covers some suggestions of what to eat in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka. This part was a little tricky to write because we ate a lot of informal meals over the holiday due to the shear abundance of available markets and festivals and the holiday closure of many more formal sit-down restaurants. We also only spent a day each in Hiroshima and Osaka, and didn't really have any meals specific to those areas (except one, which is noted).

That said, I was in heaven with the festival food, and discovered how much variety there is to Japanese cuisine; it's not all just sushi and ramen. I should note that I haven't done a very good job of recording all the candies and other snack foods that we saw on our trip, but I'm afraid my memory (and my camera's memory) have failed me there, and I'll just have to return in the future to blog about that!

Recap: Unforgettable Japan Trip Part 3 - Kyoto, Hiroshima, & Osaka Sights

Recap: Unforgettable Japan Trip Part 3 - Kyoto, Hiroshima, & Osaka Sights

After spending some time in Tokyo, we decided to board one of Japan's famous bullet trains and head down the coast. Since we had the time and wanted to see as much as possible, it made sense to use Japan's extensive train network to get around. There were many places that we wanted to see, and we ended up scheduling three days in Kyoto for New Years, as well as a day-trip to Osaka and a day-trip to Hiroshima using Kyoto as our base. We wanted to visit Kyoto in particular because it's known for the large number of temples in and around the city. Osaka became a destination point because it was another major city nearby, and Hiroshima made the list because we were interested in seeing a city that looms so large in American nuclear history. 

Sampling Delicacies from the Sea at the Hamburger Fischmarkt

Sampling Delicacies from the Sea at the Hamburger Fischmarkt

Every year in July the Hamburger Fischmarkt comes to Stuttgart. I really enjoy this fun festival from the city of Hamburg in the north of Germany, because it's one of the few times of the year when I can indulge in seafood. I grew up in the bay area of Maryland, so I really miss seafood in land-locked Stuttgart (especially Maryland steamed crabs). And although the style of seafood here in Germany is obviously different, the Hamburger Fischmarkt still satisfies my craving. 

This year, in an effort to get lots of good pictures for my blog, I tried a lot of the foods on offer. You can find just about every style of cooking at the fish market, including fried, broiled, sautéed, smoked, and grilled. This year I sampled the grilled calamari, fried fish and chips, and smoked salmon with kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes). Each was delicious in its own way.