After moving to Stuttgart, we perhaps ironically discovered not only German cuisine, but also African cuisine, most notably Ethiopian. I say "African cuisine" with the full knowledge that Africa is a huge continent with a great variety in its cuisine from coast to coast, and yet I'm still just starting to learn what that variety looks like. Thanks to several trips to Ambiente Africa in Stuttgart-Mitte, I'm continuing my adventure through Africa one dish at a time...
Last night after the heat of the day had subsided, we decided to get some dinner while checking out the Afrika-Festival at Erwin-Schoettle-Platz in Stuttgart West. I'd seen the festival advertised for some time now, and wanted to see what it was all about.
We decided to take the u-bahn to Marienplatz and walk up to stretch our legs some. As we approached, the slow trickle of pedestrians around us increased to a steady stream, and we could hear the up-beat rhythm of an African tune blaring from a distant loudspeaker...
Even though the last street food market turned into a bit of a fiasco, I entered the dates for their second event in my calendar as I rarely pass up a food-focused event. The second market took place this past weekend at Turlenstraße 2 in the Mitte. Right away the location was much better. Instead of the winding path through the train tracks that I took to get to the first market, this one was located right across the street from the new Milaneo mall. The signage was also much better with large, bright green announcements along the entrance.
The venue was a bit like the bottom level of a parking garage with all of the food trucks and stands set up inside. There was a desk set up at the entrance where they required a 2€ entrance fee. When we arrived on the first night, Friday, we noticed a group of Mexican dancers by the entrance putting on a show. It was a very festive atmosphere, although much quieter than the first market. By comparison, there was hardly anyone there. The lines to most of the food stands were only three or four people long at most, and there were plenty of picnic tables set up around the venue for people to stop and eat. There were about 30 different stands set up in total, and we ended up going to the market on both Friday and Saturday night so that we could sample as much as possible...
With family in town over the holidays, we were looking for a place that could comfortably feed all six of us, especially one that might be new for our guests. After some thought, we decided to take everyone to Injeera, one of several African restaurants in our area. I've been to Injeera on a couple of occasions now, and always love trying their sampler platters at the Bohnenviertelfest that's held every summer in the neighborhood.
Though there's more variety at some of the other African restaurants, I really like the Ethiopian focus and quality of the sauces at Injeera. And though the menu might be a bit less varied, they do what they do really well...
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.
