Thursday, September 30, 2021

Hiking in the Allgäu, Bavaria, May 2020, Germany


 
Pictures: Hiking in the Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany, May 2020

In May 2020, following the first covid wave, Annette and I spent a couple of days in Bad Hindelang, Allgäu, Bavaria, at Hotel Prinz-Luitpold-Bad. This was immediately after the first corona wave and the first lock-down. Actually, we were among the first three guests to check-in at the hotel after several months of closure.
 
Annette`s father, many, many years ago, used to go to Bad Hindelang, in the later years with Annette, for hiking. Also for us, this was a hiking trip. We went to Oberjoch, Obersdorf and the Kleine Walsertal for our hiking tours. 
 
We had booked half-board and ate once at a Michelin-starred restaurant, the Das Maximilians in Obersdorf. I have written about it here: Dinner at the 1 Star Michelin Restaurant Maximilians in Obersdorf, Allgäu, Germany
 
Hotel Heinzler am See, Immenstaad, Lake Constance
 
On our way to Bad Hindelang, we spent one night at Hotel Heinzler am See in Immenstaad at Lake Constance (Bodensee). It was also their re-opening night after the covid-19 lockdown and we were among their first guests to check in. We were even filmed by a TV crew. Immenstadt is in Baden Württemberg and Bad Hindelang in Bayern; the latter eased the covid restrictions for hotels a day later than the former.
 
Overall, the covid restrictions were considerably less draconic at Heinzler am See. Importantly, the restaurant was open and we had a nice dinner there, with the waiters wearing masks and social distancing seating.






We enjoyed a wine from Weingut Aufricht, one of the leading producers at Lake Constance and in walking distance of the hotel. 
 
See: The Music of the A Cappella Ensemble "Männer und Tenöre" and the Wines of Weingut Aufricht, Lake Constance, Baden, with Manfred Aufricht - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/.../the-music-of-a... cc Annette Schiller Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours

Lindau

On our way from Immenstaad to Bad Hindelang, we stopped for lunch in Lindau, arguably the most beautiful town at Lake Constance



Hotel Prinz-Luitpold-Bad in Bad Hindelang



 

Hiking in the Allgäu

On some days, we started the hiking tour at the hotel, on others we drove a bit and started our hing tour there. In addition to Bad Hindelang, we went to Oberjoch, Obersdorf and the Kleine Walsertal. 











Restaurant Miximilians 

We had booked half-board and ate once at a Michelin-starred restaurant, the Das Maximilians in Obersdorf. I have written about it here: Dinner at the 1 Star Michelin Restaurant Maximilians in Obersdorf, Allgäu, Germany





schiller-wine: Related Postings  

Dinner at the 1 Star Michelin Restaurant Maximilians in Obersdorf, Allgäu, Germany

The Music of the A Cappella Ensemble "Männer und Tenöre" and the Wines of Weingut Aufricht, Lake Constance, Baden, with Manfred Aufricht - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/.../the-music-of-a... cc Annette Schiller Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours

Returning to Cahuita in Costa Rica - on the Carribean Side - after 31 Years

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Announcement: Renaissance of the Terroir in Germany. Back to the Roots - Wine Tasting Seminar lead by Annette Schiller at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA

An Amazing Week in Nicaragua, Central America, with Beer, Rum and Wine



Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Restaurant SchauMahl as good as ever (and even better?) - New Chef Sascha Ferstl back to his Roots, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, Germany





Pictures: Restaurant SchauMahl as good as ever (and even better?) - New Chef Sascha Ferstl back to his Roots

The Frankfurt Gourmet Group, a group of 8 foodies that meet on a monthly basis to wine and dine together at interesting restaurants or at home, went back to Restaurant schauMahl in Offenbach. We have been meeting now for about 10 years. Among the restaurants we have gone to more often than to others is Restaurant SchauMahl in Offenbach. The French would say "c`est notre cantine". 

Initially, Christoph Kubenz introduced us to bistronomics cuisine – rather sophisticated cooking in a basic bistro-like atmosphere.  

See: 

The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

Then, for a long time and until recently, Björn Andreas cooked with an Asian spin at a level that was 15 and 16 points worth in the Gault Millau Guide Deutschland. Interestingly, and difficult to understand for me, the Michelin Guide Deutschland never awarded Björn Andreas a star. 

See:

Winemaker Dinner with Christoph Wolber of New-wave Producer Weingut Wasenhaus, Baden, at Schaumahl, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, 16 Points Gault Millau, Germany  

Now, Sascha Ferstl is the new boss at the stove in the SchaumMahl while Björn Andreas is introducing the Frankfurt foodies to Japanese-French fusion cuisine at Imori in Frankfurt downtown. 

Chef Sascha Ferstl

Sascha Ferstl was born in Bremen and studied medicine up to the physikum. But he has always been passionate about working on the stove. Before taking over the kitchen of Restaurant SchauMahl, his career took him to various restaurants and hotels across Austria and Germany, initially Michelin starred restaurants and later large hotel restaurants. 

Recently he was head chef at the Hilton Hotel Mainz and at the InterContinental Hotel in Vienna. 

In the earlier years of his career and for many years, however, Sascha Ferstl cooked at the Michelin star level. His career began more than 20 years ago in Lech am Arlberg in the Michelin starred restaurant of the Hotel Gasthof Post. After his apprenticeship, he went to the Marcobrunn Restaurant at Hotel Schloss Reinhartshausen in Eltville in the Rheingau, where he worked with Chef Alfred Friedrich, a top gun in the German restaurant scene. Alfred Friedrich was for 3 years souschef at Eckart Witzigmann's Aubergine (3 stars Michelin) in Munich. He also worked with Jörg Müller (3 stars Michelin) on the island of Sylt. Then Sascha Ferstl moved to the Hotel Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim to Chef Patrick Kimpel (1 star at the time), where he worked as garde-manger. In 2008 Sascha Ferstl became chef de cuisine in the 2 star Michelin Hotel Restaurant Hanner in Austria. 

Now, after several years heading large hotel restaurant kitchens, Sascha Ferstl is back to his roots: sophisticated haute cuisine cooking. And the Frankfurt Gourmet Journal Biss has high expectations and writes: "Offenbach finally wants its first star." 

Dinner

Yesterday evening, the food of Chef Sascha Ferstl was as good as ever (or even better?) as was the Service of General Manager Esra Egner and Sommelier Raffaele Fazio . Some of us had four courses for Euro 72 and some had five courses for Euro 84 as well as 10 bottles of wine. Including tip that came to Euro 160 per person. Annette, Petra and I left at 2:00 in the morning after an outstanding dinner. I am not sure what Dirk did as he is currently helping a winemaker in Rheinhessen in the harvest that just started in Germany and had to get up at 4:45 in the morning. 

The next dinner, in October, is at Restaurant 360 Grad in Limburg (1 Michelin star; Chef Alexander Hohlwein). Unfortunately, I will be in the US in October and not be able to participate.

Dining and Wining

Aperitif


Thunfisch, Basilikum, Linsen, Teriyaki, Curry

Menu

Bachsaibling


Gänseleber, Sellerie, Waldbeeren


Wantan Tortellini



Kabeljau

Kalbsrücken, Pfifferlinge, Lavendel

Schweinebäckchen


Tête de Moine


Schokoladen Krapfen


Petits Fours

SchauMahl Team




Dirk & Christian



Postings about SchauMahl on schiller-wine

15 Gault Millau Points in Offenbach – Restaurant schauMahl, Germany   

The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany

The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

Winemaker Dinner with Azienda Agricola Foradori (Trentino, Italy) at SchauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

Winemaker Dinner with Sebastian Fürst, Weingut Fürst, Franken, at Schaumahl, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, 16 Points Gault Millau, Germany

Winemaker Dinner with Christoph Wolber of New-wave Producer Weingut Wasenhaus, Baden, at Schaumahl, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, 16 Points Gault Millau, Germany

Restaurant SchauMahl as good as ever (and even better?) - New Chef Sascha Ferstl back to his Roots, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, Germany