Web Resources

Printable Version of Full Newsletter.

Page 1 | 2 | 3

DINING OUT
Cologne has so many museums and fun things to do but I was there to relax and catch up on my work. Besides, I'd already taken a Rhine River cruise, visited some museums and done the touristy stuff on previous visits. Lucky for me, my Kölsch friend Annabelle was in town and she took me to some local spots, including some of her favorite restaurants. Nothing too expensive, though. I used to think I wouldn't like the food in Germany because I'm a finicky eater but boy, was I wrong. I loved the food! There's a wide variety to choose from like Rievkooche (grated potato cakes) to Halver Hahn (half a chicken), some of my favorites!

DINING AT FOU
After I dropped my bags off in my room, I dined at Fou. It's located inside the Marriott and is popular with local businessmen and women. It's known as The Crazy Brasserie, as they have singing waiters at night. The chef is French but lived in Saigon for a couple of years so Fou features French-Asian cuisine. You've just got to love a place where you can order onion soup baked with Gruyere cheese or Tom Kha Gai, a traditional Thai soup with lemongrass and coconut milk. For lunch, I indulged in the delicious Tarte Flambée Traditionelle. It's from Alsace and is made with a very thin layer of dough and topped with sour cream, chopped onions and bacon. The highlight was when the waiters brought my meal to me on a bicycle! One was pedaling while the other was sitting in the basket holding the food. Check it out in my video below. The Brasserie Fou at the Cologne Marriott Hotel is open daily for lunch from 12pm to 3pm and for dinner from 5pm to 11pm. They definitely have a sense of humor. For reservations, call: +49 (0) 221 94 222 0.

FROM FOU TO FRUH
Last time I was in Cologne, I learned that many pubs and restaurants have friendly setups so diners can share tables. That's one reason that in this town, it's so easy to strike up conversation with strangers. One of those places is Früh. It's located just a couple of blocks from the Cologne Dom and is probably the most popular brewery/restaurant in the city. It's also the most touristy, so Annabelle wouldn't let me eat there. I like it because it looks like what I pictured a German restaurant to be like when I was a kid. But instead, we just had an overpriced Kölsch beer. Kölsch beer can be traced back to the 15th century. It's a light, top-fermenting brew that can only be created in the city. It is served by traditional Cologne waiters called Köbes and comes in tall, skinny glasses that keep the beer fresh and cold. The price of a beer is between 1.20 euro ($1.50) and 1.55 euro ($2), depending on whether you're in a tourist area or not. Brauhaus Fruh, Am Hof 12-14, Cologne; tel.: 49-0221-26 13 0.



OTHER RESTAURANTS
Other notable restaurants include Alter Wartesaal and the Delix Wine Shop. Alter Wartesaal is right next to the main train station and is very charming inside. It's not particularly touristy and is not as expensive as Früh. But like Früh, the menu is in different languages. On the other hand, the Delix Wine Shop on Friesenstr (tel.: 0221-126 02 00), does not have a translated menu. We sat outside and had a filling salad for 7.50 euro. The Germans are so strict with alcohol that the wine glasses actually have a line across them, where the amount is measured. I'm not sure why they do this but wine here is not expensive -- a fine glass goes for 3.30 euro, just one euro more than the small bottle of Panna water (2.20 euro). It was here, sitting outside, where I saw one of the coolest bikes around; it held 14 people plus a driver and bartender! Apparently it's used mostly for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

RHEIN TERRASSEN
Of course, I've saved the best for last. The perfect place for visitors or locals to celebrate a special occasion is at Rheinterrassen. It's located on the Rhine River across the way from the city, so diners have the most amazing view of the Cologne skyline, especially the Cologne Dom at sunset. I found the food to be just as good as the view. We started off with pumpkin soup, served in a hollowed-out pumpkin. I'm not even a fan of pumpkin but it was in season and I was told I simply had to try it. I'm glad I did because it was scrumptious. I should have just had that and the delicious bread as my meal because by the time my filet of beef came around, so tender I cut it with a butter knife, I wasn't even hungry. At the very least, come and have a drink at the bar or on the outdoor patio. Restaurant Rheinterrassen, Rheinparkweg 1, Köln; Tel.: (02 21) 65 00 43 21.

VIDEO
Here's a short Johnny Jet video of my trip to Germany. We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on YouTube.

NEXT WEEK
Next week we jump on the Autobahn and travel to a nearby country before flying back home to LA. I'll give you a hint; a specialty in the city where I spend the night is mussels and chocolate. What a combo!

1 | << PREVIOUS PAGE | 3

Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

*PLEASE tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!

All information presented here is accurate at the time of publication but prices, dates and other details are all subject to change. Please confirm all information before making any travel arrangements.

All images are the property of Johnny Jet Inc. and cannot be reproduced, in whole or in part, without our express permission. If you would like to reprint an image, please contact us at info@johnnyjet.com for image re-use rates.

Note: Hotel was provided by Köln Marriott Hotel




Copyright 2007 JohnnyJet, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.