Go There #002 Restaurant Cafe Denne, Kiedrich (Rheingau)

Since I had no particular place to go, I decided to continue exploring the Rheingau. Kiedrich is a convenient jumping-off on the way into or out of the Rheingau, with quite a few good restaurants for a pre-wander lunch or a post-wander dinner. Having had two schnitzels, two burgers, greek, indian, and other sinful things to eat last week, I decided to eat a "light" lunch. I put that in scare-quotes because this is what I had ...

Salmon smothered in a cream sauce. Ok, not so bad, but what you don't see are the Rosti (fried potato cakes that would resemble what some Americans would call ... forgive me my German friends ... Hash Browns, but very good ones) that all of this is sitting atop. I was still doing OK up to this point.

This is the kind of place I can take my mother or sister when they visit -- It appeals to women, with the menu including a few interesting soups and salads and lighter fare. They also have Schnitzel if you are so inclined.

As I sat there having a late lunch, a number of the older women of the town came in to pick up their cakes and torte for the afternoon coffee break. And since it was a bit cooler today and there was no real outside table service, I found myself sitting facing the door and taking all this in. Germans have this habit of greeting total strangers, which still occurs in parts of the US, but after living a decade in New York I had grown accustomed to strangers leaving me to eat in peace. There was some of this greeting-stuff in Frankfurt, but usually only if the person was sitting down directly next to you or trapped in an elevator with you. Here, as I sat, practically every old lady who came in the door wished me "Guten Apetit" as I was savoring my lunch. It is a smaller town, indeed.

They have excellent cakes as you might be able to see from this poorly lit shot ... I try to shoot without flash, because people think it is odd enough that you are photographing your food.

I would ordinarily have skipped dessert and pick it up down the road, but I was sold by this little scene. The kids were really more interested in the pralines, which the Konditor informed the mother were filled with alcohol ... I don't know if he was giving her a warning or a tip.

I decided to have what I would have called "Death by Chocolate." It turns out that this was the Whiskey Torte. Hmmm. Thick chocolate drowned in Whiskey. Two of my favorite things in life. So I had that with a shot of espresso. When the Partnerin saw that, she said "You had coffee!" I never do that. It was just that kind of day.

Salmon with Rosti smothered in cream-sauce and accompanied by Salad, a glass of Coke, a Whiskey Torte, and an Espresso came to EUR 13.45, which was rounded up to 15.00.


Go there!

Oberstrasse 22
65399 Kiedrich
Tel (06123) 4979

50° 02' 28" N
08° 04' 55" E

They are closed on Mondays.
Tuesdays to Saturdays, open 12:00 to 18:00
Sundays & Holdidays, open 10:00 to 18:00

Yes, I will get to other towns ... so many restaurants, so little time, especially if I keep chowing down schnitzels and burgers.