Features

Eating out in Strasbourg

1 Nov 2006 by intern22

Mark Caswell piles his plate high with Alsatian delights and finds Strasbourg’s historic winstubs, Michelin-starred restaurants and underground caverns have more to offer than sauerkraut and foie gras.

In recent years, the city of Strasbourg has become synonymous with the European Parliament and high-profile rulings at the European Court of Human Rights. The monthly meetings of MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) do much to keep the capital of France’s Alsace region in the public eye, but the casual visitor is more likely to be attracted by its architecture, local wine tours, and distinctive cuisine.

Thankfully the futuristic buildings of the European Parliament have been sensibly located outside the city centre or  “Ile de Strasbourg” (an island formed by the splitting and reconverging of the River Ill), which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. This has helped preserve not only the beautiful 16th-century buildings that crowd the pedestrianised streets, but also the large number of traditional restaurants that lie within them.

Fast-food restaurants take a back seat in a city where the  “winstub” rules – the winstub is a small, often family-run eatery that serves traditional Alsatian cuisine in a cosy atmosphere. Winstubs first sprang up as a kind of early wine bar while Strasbourg’s imposing cathedral was being built, and have since evolved into the showcases for Alsatian gastronomy that they are today.

There is no doubt that Strasbourg’s cuisine has been heavily influenced by its proximity to Germany – indeed, between 1871 and 1918, and again during the Second World War, Alsace was annexed by its neighbours. The result today is a cuisine rich in meats, patés, and of course the staple German dish of sauerkraut (pickled cabbage). So ubiquitous is this dish throughout the Alsace region (75 percent of the French production of sauerkraut comes from Alsace) that the phrase A L’Alsacienne on a menu usually means  “with sauerkraut”.

The presence of three languages in Strasbourg (French, German and Alsatian) means that deciphering the menus can build up an appetite in itself. Foie gras, the famous duck liver paté invented in Strasbourg in 1780 by the chef for the military governor of the city, is known as ganslewer in Alsatian and gansleber in German, while a local favourite tarte flambé (a thin pizza-like dish typically covered in cream, soft white cheese, bacon pieces and onion) is often referred to by its Alsatian name flammekueche. Slightly easier to recognise though are pretzels (bretzels in Alsatian) which have been baked in Strasbourg since the 12th century.

Once you get past the language barrier you will find a wealth of rich cuisine, all screaming to be washed down by locally produced beer and wine – Riesling, Sylvaner and Gewurztraminer are among the wine varieties harvested in Alsace.


Chez Yvonne

10, rue du Sanglier, tel 33 3 8832 8415, chez-yvonne.net

Winstubs are found throughout the city, but for one of the best, head to Chez Yvonne, located in a narrow side street a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral. Dating back to 1871, it has been frequented by dignitaries such as Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder, but retains an unpretentious feel. The four charming  “stubs” (rooms) are decked out with carved dark wooden chairs depicting faces and animals, while in the ground-floor lounge Le Sanglier (wild boar) stands a huge bronze sculpture of, yes, you guessed it, a wild boar. Specials are presented on chalk boards and include interesting dishes such as foie gras d’oie poelé à la rhubarbe et aux fraises – fried foie gras with strawberries and rhubarb. Coq au Riesling is a local delight here, the distinctive flavour of the wine complementing the chicken and its side serving of Spaëtzle; a creamy pasta dish that literally means  “little sparrow” in German, perhaps because the pasta resembles wriggly worms, although thankfully in appearance only. Starters from E10 (US$12.56); mains from E15 (US$19).


Caveau Restaurant Gurtlerhoft

13, Place de la Cathédrale, tel 33 3 8875 0075, gurtlerhoft.com

Of course, winstubs, dozens of them as there are, are not the only culinary choice in Strasbourg. Eating out can also mean going  “sous-terrain” in this city, with several restaurants located underground, in the cellars of the 16th-century buildings. One excellent example is Caveau Gurtlerhoft, situated on the main square in the shadows of the cathedral. You might wonder why anyone would choose to eat underground when the views of the cathedral from the square are so stunning, but visit Gurtlerhoft and you will be rewarded with a cool cave setting, and a menu of hearty dishes. Baeckeoffe is the Alsatian equivalent of a Lancashire hot pot – a three-meat casserole (beef, pork and lamb) marinated in white wine and topped with sliced potatoes. It is the perfect winter dish and is very popular with locals. Gurtlerhoft also does a fine line in tarte flambés, both sweet and savoury and all presented on a wooden serving block, as per tradition. When I left, the cellar was packed, so reservations are recommended before you go below. Starters from E6 (US$7.54); mains from E9 (US$11.31).


Restaurant L’éveil des Sens

Rue des Dentelles, tel 33 3 8832 8101, eveil-des-sens.com

Scattered among the traditional restaurants is the occasional contemporary fare, and there’s no better example than L’éveil des Sens: literally “awakening the senses”. This cosy fine-dining restaurant is situated in the most picturesque area of Strasbourg, La Petite France, where the river splits into four before rejoining a few hundred metres down, creating a maize of alleyways and bridges including the famous Ponts Couverts (covered bridges) which once stood guard against invasion.The menu has a typically French feel to it, with Escargot de Bourgogne aux herbes fraîches (Burgundy snails in a fresh herb cream) among the choice of entrées. Several of the dishes include white asparagus, grown in the Alsace region since the 16th century, and there is an impressive wine list, with a range of Reisling, Gewurztraminer and Crémant D’Alsace (locally produced sparkling wine). Choose a table near the window and spy on fellow tourists as they meander through Little France. Set menus: one course E17 (US$21.36); two courses E27 (US$34).


La Cloche à Fromage

27, rue des Tonneliers, tel 33 3 8823 1319, cheese-gourmet.com

As with the rest of France, the Alsace region is big on cheese, with Munster the locally produced variety. A mature, soft cheese, you will probably sample it without knowing, as many of the tarte flambé recipes use Munster as part of their toppings. If cheese is your thing, visit La Cloche à Fromage (cheese bell). It holds the record for the world’s largest cheeseboard – weighing a staggering 800kg – which is on view by the entrance. The menu includes over 200 varieties of cheese from France and beyond. Choose from fondues, raclettes (oozing melted cheese scraped – racler is French for scrape – onto the plate served with potatoes, dried meats, pickled onions and gherkins) or meat and fish dishes cooked with various cheeses. This restaurant is not for the lactose-intolerant. Set menu is E25 (US$31.41). If you get hooked, the same company has a shop across the road with a huge array of cheeses, including goat and ewe varieties.


Au Crocodile

10, rue de L’Outre France, tel 33 3 8832 1302, au-crocodile.com

For those of you with a large number of euros burning a hole in your pockets, Strasbourg also has two Michelin-starred offerings to tempt you. Centrally located Au Crocodile takes the unusual measure of each year creating its menu around a specific theme. This year, Emile Jung, the restaurant’s owner and head chef, has chosen Mozart as his inspiration, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Mozart spent three weeks in the city – indeed Strasbourg’s church of St Thomas still houses the organ on which he played in 1778. Le Menu Amadeus (E113/US$142) includes wonderfully titled courses such as Le Souffle D’Amour de Cosi Fan Tutte and Le Coup de Coeur de Don Juan which I won’t do injustice by translating. Foie gras is a speciality here, and visitors can buy slices of Emile’s recipe to take away.


Restaurant Buerehiesel

4, Parc de L’Orangerie, tel 33 3 8845 5665, relaischateaux.com/buerehiesel

Further afield, Buerehiesel (part of Relais & Chateâux) is a three Michelin-starred restaurant located in the northeast of the city, close to the European Parliament and within the Orangerie Park. The gabled, half-timber building was formerly a farmhouse, and visitors can dine on Antoine Westerman’s Alsatian creations under the stars in the restaurant’s conservatory.

Seafood features strongly, with lobster, turbot and bar de ligne (line-caught sea bass) all on the menu, while for meat lovers intriguing courses such as Pigeon d’Alsace farci aux Féves et Morilles Fraîches (Alsatian pigeon stuffed with broad beans and fresh morel mushrooms, E64/US$80.41) sit alongside more conventional veal and lamb dishes. Set menus start from around E100 (US$125.65). For those looking to recreate what they have tasted, the restaurant also runs individual and group cooking classes and tours of its kitchens.


FACT BOX

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Hannong

15 Rue du 22 Novembre, tel 33 3 8832 1622, hotel-hannong.com

This 72-room hotel is about five minutes’ walk from the cathedral and is on the L’Ile de Strasbourg. Each room has a different design and all have wired internet access, with Wi-Fi available in the lobby, bar and meeting spaces. The hotel offers leisure activities for groups of six or more delegates, including bicycle tours and wine-tasting.

PRICE: E105 (US$132) online for three nights in a Superior Room in late December.


Sofitel Strasbourg

4 Place Saint Pierre le Jeune, tel 33 3 8815 4900, sofitel.com

Located a few blocks north of the cathedral, this 153-room hotel boasts a restaurant overseen by Michelin-starred chef Antoine Westerman (who is also responsible for the menu at the Buerehiesel, see main article). There is Wi-Fi access in all rooms, and the hotel has 14 meeting rooms that can take up to 220 theatre-style.

PRICE: E195 (US$245) online for three nights in a Classic Room in late December.


Hotel Regent Petite France

5 Rue des Moulins, tel 33 3 8876 4376, regent-petite-france.com

It is situated in the picturesque Petite France district of Strasbourg. All 72 rooms have views of the old town and/or its canals, and are modern in design (in contrast to the centuries-old exterior). Facilities include a sauna, gym, three meeting rooms, and a restaurant overlooking the river.

PRICE: E199 (US$250) online for three nights in a Superior Room in late December.

GETTING THERE

London-Strasbourg Served by Air France from Gatwick. Or take Ryanair from Stansted into nearby Karlsruhe Baden Airport (there is a bus service from here to the city centre coinciding with Ryanair’s flight schedules). Return fares with Air France: Economy Class from US$181, Business Class US$1,173. Return fares with Ryanair start from US$49.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit ot-strasbourg.fr


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