Dusseldorf in Three Days

Altstadt Restaurant, Dusseldorf

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Restaurant | "Good Value in the Altstadt"

Altstadt Restaurant, Dusseldorf Photo - Altstadt Restaurant, Dusseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

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Choosing a restaurant in Dusseldorf is no easy task, but for the right reasons. There are so many to choose from and, I have to say, that most looked to be very good with appealing offers and friendly staff trying to persuade you to go in to eat. On a reasonably warm April evening we took our time making a choice and as a result found that most outdoor tables were occupied so when we’d decided on the AltStadt restaurant we had to take a table indoors. We didn’t mind too much though we did have to take the table furtherest from the door and as a result felt a little cut off from the rest of the restaurant. The interior may be a little dim and dated but it was comfortable and we were quite ...Read More

Choosing a restaurant in Dusseldorf is no easy task, but for the right reasons. There are so many to choose from and, I have to say, that most looked to be very good with appealing offers and friendly staff trying to persuade you to go in to eat. On a reasonably warm April evening we took our time making a choice and as a result found that most outdoor tables were occupied so when we’d decided on the AltStadt restaurant we had to take a table indoors. We didn’t mind too much though we did have to take the table furtherest from the door and as a result felt a little cut off from the rest of the restaurant.

The interior may be a little dim and dated but it was comfortable and we were quite happy especially when we found that, as well as traditional German dishes, the restaurant serves a number of Balkan grill specialities. I must admit to being sorely tempted to order the cevapcici but, as a regular visitor to Slovenia and the rest of the former Yugoslavia it’s a dish I eat regularly so I eventually resisted the temptation and chose something else.

While there are some non meat dishes on the menu, those who eat neither fish nor meat will find the choices here fairly limited and might be better off looking at one of the nearby ethnic restaurants that would be more likely to offer meat free choices. I liked that all of the main courses came with accompaniments so you didn’t have to order any extras. The menu was in German with English translations.

I chose a schnitizel – veal – with boiled potatoes and white asparagus with a hollandaise like sauce and ..and very good it was too. The breadcrumb coating was lovely, light and crispy just as it should be. The asparagus was perhaps a tad overdone but good all the same. The schnitzel was much smaller than I am used to but that was no bad thing as I was able to polish it all off and I didn't feel fit to burst afterwards.

Himself chose roast pork with warm sauerkraut. There was plenty of meat and it was beautifully cooked, very juicy and tender. The sauerkraut was tasty without being too overpowering. For British tastes it lacked a potato or rice accompaniment, even though this is a common dish in Germany.

This may not be an ultra smart restaurant but it's cosy and comfortable and it seemed to be very popular with the majority of the tables taken while we were there. A few people seemed to be regulars, always something reassuring to note.

We paid about €22 for two mains and drinks and felt that it was a fair price given the location, the good service (certainly very prompt and attentive) and the food quality. Highly recommended for a modetly priced meal of traditional German food.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 16, 2012

Altstadt Restaurant, Dusseldorf
Berger Str. 17
Dusseldorf, Germany
0211 / 32 52 28

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Ponte Vecchio

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Restaurant | "Fishy Bargains in Düsseldorf"

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To say that Düsseldorf diners are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants is an understatement. In the city centre there are streets and streets of restaurants and cafes representing cuisines from all over the globe and we found making a decision very difficult. On our first night we had eaten in a German restaurant (that also had a few Balkan specialities on the menu I was interested to note) and for our second night we wanted something different. After some discussion we plumped for Ponte Vecchio, an Italian restaurant in a narrow lane just off Berger Strasse. Most Düsseldorf restaurants have conveniently placed menus outside but it was the specials listed on a chalk board that gr...Read More

To say that Düsseldorf diners are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants is an understatement. In the city centre there are streets and streets of restaurants and cafes representing cuisines from all over the globe and we found making a decision very difficult. On our first night we had eaten in a German restaurant (that also had a few Balkan specialities on the menu I was interested to note) and for our second night we wanted something different. After some discussion we plumped for Ponte Vecchio, an Italian restaurant in a narrow lane just off Berger Strasse.

Most Düsseldorf restaurants have conveniently placed menus outside but it was the specials listed on a chalk board that grabbed our attention. These started at around Euro8 and went up to around Euro16; in contrast main courses on the a la carte menu started around the Euro16 mark so the specials certainly seemed to offer good value. This isn't a pizza/pasta joint, although pasta is served in some dishes but with meat or fish, rather than on its own with a sauce.

We took an outside table as it was a very warm evening but later regretted this move when smokers sat at the table next to us and smokers who were dining inside the restaurant came out for a cigarette. If, like me, you really don't like people smoking near you while you're eating, you have no choice in Düsseldorf but to dine indoors.

We could see that the restaurant was quite busy inside and we could only see one waiter frantically dashing around. However we weren't in any great hurry and were happy enough to wait until he got to us. The menu was classically Italian but there appeared to be an emphasis on fish, especially among the specials. We decided against starters but a plate of delicious crunchy toasted ciabatta dripping with garlicky oil was brought to us anyway and kept us going until our meals arrived.

I picked the pangasius, or Vietnamese river cobbler - a white fish - served in a white wine sauce served with taglierini (a slimmer version of tagliatelle) with peperoncini. Himself chose the 'Rotbarsch' (which several online sources state is 'ocean perch') in a Provencal sauce and a little heap of sautéed potatoes. We ordered a mixed salad to share which we picked at before the mains arrived, though it was a generous serving and there was still plenty to eat with the meal.

Once the orders were taken it took a while for our drinks to come but once another high speed waiter joined the other one, things started to move. The garlic bread appeared along with our drinks, a Rhenania Altbier for Himself and a simple bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water for me.

The main courses were not far behind. My fish fillet was beautifully cooked and smothered in the delicious sauce which was creamy and well seasoned but still had a tang from the wine. There was a generous serving of pasta tossed in a simple sauce of ever so slightly spicy peppers, herbs and oil. The only thing missing was some extra bread to mop up the sauce.

The rotbarsch was also good, nicely cooked with the fish flaking away with the gentlest of touches, but it was the rich Provencal sauce that was the highlight of the dish; it was a very simple tomato sauce but the flavour was excellent and it contained only a handful of herbs to finish it off. A few little piles of just wilted spinach (or similar green vegetable) added some colour if not substance. The golden potatoes were delicious and I couldn't help taking a few to dip in my sauce.

We declined dessert or coffees primarily because a group of diners had come outside to smoke but I did see the desserts being served inside the restaurant and they did look delicious, especially the tiramisu.

I can't really comment on the restaurant interior as I only went inside briefly to use the toilets but I did notice that it looked quite simple with plain walls and a wooden floor. There was a steady stream of customers and, judging by the way the waiters interacted with some diners, a few appeared to be regulars.

The total for two mains, a mixed salad, and two drinks came to a shade under Euro28 (approximately £24.74 in April 2011) which seemed reasonable in comparison with prices at other restaurants in the city centre and given the prices of dishes of Ponte Vecchio's main menu, and when you consider that the main courses were actually a full dish and did not require any additional accompaniments.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 23, 2011

Ponte Vecchio
Wall Strabe 5
Dusseldorf, Germany 40213
0211 / 32 97 15

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Mercure Duesseldorf Seestern

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Hotel | "Mixed Messages at Mercure Seestern"

Mercure Seestern - suite bedroom Photo - Mercure Duesseldorf Seestern, Düsseldorf, Germany

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Courtesy of a well known travel website, I had at my disposal two nights accommodation free of charge in a suite in Dusseldorf's Mercure Am Seestern. It's worth mentioning that my first attempt to redeem the offer resulted in a terse email telling me they wouldn't honour my voucher. After discussion with said website I tried again and this time I was sent an email confirming a stay of one night; after another exchange of emails I received confirmation of a reservation for two nights. We were flying in to Dusseldorf Airport and I checked the hotel website to see how to reach the hotel from there. The website mentioned a free shuttle service so I contacted the hotel by email, advising them o...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 23, 2011

Mercure Duesseldorf Seestern
FRITZ VOMFELDE STRASSE 38
Dusseldorf, Germany 40547
49-49-530760

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Loewensenf Mustard Museum and Shop

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Attraction | "Dusseldorfer Loewensenf - Not to Be Sniffed At"

The Loewensenf Mustard Shop Photo - Loewensenf Mustard Museum and Shop, Düsseldorf, Germany

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With a giant fibreglass mustard pot standing at the front doors, Dusseldorf’s Mustard Museum is easy to find. It’s actually situated at the back of the Loewensenf mustard shop on Bergerstrasse, a minutes walk from the Old Town Hall in the heart of Dusseldorf. To be fair the museum is more of a lure than a genuine attraction – quite simply, they want to entice you there in the hope you’ll buy some mustard; however, the miniature exhibition about the methods used for processing the grains and turning them into a jar of mustard is nicely put together and actually very interesting. The Loewensenf company has been associated with Dusseldorf since the thirties but actually originated in what is ...Read More

With a giant fibreglass mustard pot standing at the front doors, Dusseldorf’s Mustard Museum is easy to find. It’s actually situated at the back of the Loewensenf mustard shop on Bergerstrasse, a minutes walk from the Old Town Hall in the heart of Dusseldorf. To be fair the museum is more of a lure than a genuine attraction – quite simply, they want to entice you there in the hope you’ll buy some mustard; however, the miniature exhibition about the methods used for processing the grains and turning them into a jar of mustard is nicely put together and actually very interesting.

The Loewensenf company has been associated with Dusseldorf since the thirties but actually originated in what is now the French city of Metz. After the First World War the Lorraine region was incorporated into France and so Otto and Frieda Frenzel moved their vinegar and mustard factory to Dusseldorf. At the time Dusseldorf was a noted centre for mustard making. Loewensenf is apparently associated with quality and the company boasts a number of firsts - their "Extra" variety, for example, was the first to be vacuumed packed in a glass jar.

There’s no admission charge for entry to the museum, you just enter through the shop entrance and the exhibition occupies the rear half of the premises. There are examples of the different types of mustard seed used and then examples of how the machinery used in the manufacture of mustard has changed over the years. The captions are in German but it’s not too difficult to get an idea of how the machines worked. The mustard seeds are crushed and milled before the other ingredients (water, vinegar, spices, etc) are added, then the mixture is fermented in a similar way to beer. The resulting mash is milled again, making the mixture smooth. Some varieties are "aged" in wooden vats, just as some whiskies and other spirits are.

There’s a lovely display of different glass and ceramic mustard pots, some of them centuries old. Some are domestic items, others are commercial pots, a few of which are from mustards that were exported to German immigrants living in the United States. Around the walls there are black and white photographs that show workers and scenes from the mustard factory, some of them going back to the early days. As a piece of social history it’s an eclectic and surprisingly informative little collection.

The most interesting thing I learned is how mustard got it's name: centuries ago wine must rather than vinegar was used, hence the name mustard. I was utterly delighted by this factoid.

The most fun is to be had from testing the different varieties of mustard; there’s a circular table in the centre of the shop and all the jars are open so you can use a little wooden scoop-y stick to sample from the jars. The smell is really very strong and does wonders for the sinuses from just standing near the table - if you hate mustard you're not going to enjoy yourself here.

The number of varieties is mind boggling. There are Dijon mustards, grain mustards, hot (in German 'scharf') mustards and creamy mild mustards. Then there are the speciality mustards flavoured with herbs (for example Honey and Dill Mustard), alcohol (sherry mustard is really not to be bought in haste) or spices like curry or chilli. There's a 'Provencal' mustard, a balsamic one, wild garlic, horseradish...

To our great delight the smaller jars contain 100ml which means that you can take them in your hand luggage (assuming you can fit them in your little plastic bag - I managed to squeeze in one in mine). The small jars cost just €1.75 so they are a very affordable souvenir. We should really have bought the Altbier variety, it being another Dusseldorf tradition, but I had spotted a Kolsch mustard and rushed off to pay (Kolsch is a from Cologne and the two cities are reputedly fierce rivals) before I was accused of an unpatriotic crime against Dusseldorf. Luckily for us the very friendly lady at the till managed to serve us without drawing attention to our cultural snub.

The Lowensenf shop and museum shouldn't keep you too long but it's certainly worth a visit, especially for foodies. The exhibition is cleverly put together; although there are only German captions, someone has obviously given some thought as to how the exhibits can be presented without requiring lots of written information.

It's a fun little diversion, not too educational and free (assuming you don't buy any mustard to take home): I think that makes it hot stuff.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 3, 2011

Loewensenf Mustard Museum and Shop
Bergerstrasse
Dusseldorf, Germany

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Rhine Tower (Rheinturm)

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Attraction | "Agonising Altitude"

The Rheinturm Photo - Rhine Tower (Rheinturm), Düsseldorf, Germany

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Since the tower is easy to see from any part of the city it might seem like a bit daft to ask how to get to the Rheinturm but if you are short of time, or can't walk very far (or just don't wish to) you might be glad to know that there are a couple of bus stops very close to the tower. It's also one of the stops on the hop on/hop off open top bus tour. For those who do wish to walk, then it's a lovely fifteen minute stroll from the Altstadt along the Rhine Promenade to the tower. There's a car-park beside the building, and spaces to lock up bicycles too. Admittedly the Rheinturm is not the most attractive building in Düsseldorf (and juxtaposed against the splendid architecture in the Media...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 1, 2011

Rhine Tower (Rheinturm)
Stromstraße 20
Düsseldorf, Germany 40221
+49 211 323 9053

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Düsseldorf - That's Living Alright!

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The Old Town Hall Photo - Düsseldorf, Germany

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Its name may translate as the 'village on the Dussel' but these days it's hard to imagine Düsseldorf as anything other than a sprawling modern metropolis; it blends almost imperceptibly with nearby Duisberg and Dortmund and is just a stone's throw from magnificent Cologne to the south. Düsseldorf has almost 600,000 inhabitants but merits just three pages or so in my massive Rough Guide to Germany. So is Düsseldorf worth a visit, or is it merely a soulless hub for commerce in northern Germany? Admittedly the Altstadt, or Old Town, is quite small, especially in comparison with the rest of the city; however there are a few interesting older buildings, some of which have been rebuilt exactly a...Read More

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