Pinot, Bretzels, and Cathedrals

When we announced to various people last year that we were moving to France, one of the many responses were that of “How exciting for you to be going to live in the food capital of the world!”

I was quick to point out that I had no interest in working as a chef in France (my passion for cooking had been somewhat distilled having worked for Compass Group for 5 years), and besides, my plans involved getting settled in a foreign country, being available to support my husband and children, learn to speak a new language, and having some time to fulfill my other passion for writing and taking photographs (mostly of my children).

That being said, this did not mean I had intentions of not actually going out to eat at some of the many city and wineland restaurants. Oh no, I intended on eating out as much as our budget would allow.

As we arrived in the height of summer, we spent a little time out in the winelands and tourist villages.  This was really beautiful, and for a while, we could have been in Cape Town.

The downfalls of our summer eating out, was that every Tom, Dick and Harry was also out and about; we were still largely using our South African cedit card at the time, parking was a nightmare, and the poor waiters were often rushed off their feet trying to keep everyone happy, while we were all enduring unusually sizzling hot temperatures.

The winding roads caused Alex much car sickness, but the tiny expensive servings of local Gewurtstraminer meant that I got to enjoy Hefe Weiss Biere, which is a yeasty, cloudy European beer that I have developed a taste for.

Summer came to an end, we had to start paying rent, and eating out has slowed down considerably.  To be honest, this isn’t as disappointing as I make it out to be.  Dining out in traditional (or even untraditional) French Restaurants with 2 young girls (who are accustomed to the childish luxury of Spur Play area) is not too much fun.

As you can imagine of any European city, space is premium, and most city restaurants are small, and packed tight with seating. The tables are generally very small and there is almost no space to manouvre, much less have a quiet conversation.  The appearance of winter means those restaurants with outdoor seating lose it, and space is even more tight.

If you have a picture in your mind of a quaint, dark and dingy  restaurant without natural lighting, you are dead on target with the type of restaurant I have been avoiding, especially with my girls in tow. While this might be cosy and romantic for some, I am so over it. Give me tall windows and loads of Gods’ given natural light, especially if it means I might get to enjoy some of my favourite evening light.

Enter Vapiano.

Mme H introduced us to Vapiano restaurant for my birthday, the weekend we moved into the city.  We have returned many times since, in various groups, for various reasons.

Vapiano is a chain of new Italian style cafeteria type restaurants.  They are so completely opposite to typical Strasbourg restaurants, I dont know where to begin

1. Vapiano is located in a shopping centre.  Most restaurants in a shopping centre are coffee shops and lunch time sandwich bars.

2.  Vapiano is open all day.  Most typical restaurants open at 12h00 for lunch, and close at 14h00 sharp. I can pop in at Vapiano during the mid afternoon whenever if feel like it.

3.  Vapiano does not serve one single traditional Alsacienne meal, not a Merquez sausage, not a Tarte Flambee, not a sample of Munster cheese, not sauerkraut or boiled smoked pork in any form.

4.Vapiano is gloriously huge, with a variety of different seating areas.  There is not a tablecloth in sight, the decor is fresh and light, and it is surrounded by floor to ceiling windows and located on the corner of a block, 2 stories above the street.  The view might not be overlooking the water hole at KwaMaritane, or under the Horse Chestnut Trees on the Champs Elysees, while gazing upon the Arc de Triomphe, but it is filled with natural light, which pleases me.

 

5.  There are no precocious, or old arrogant waiters hovering around, making the girls feel uneasy. (okay, little white lie.  The girls wouldn’t give a rats’ ass about annoying a waiter.)  However, as said earlier, the style is quite cafeteria like, and you place an order at the live cooking counters for your meal, and wait for it to be prepared.  You also have to order your own drinks at the bar, and take the tray to the table. Everything you order is loaded onto a card, which you use as your bill for when you pay.  In this way, you are in control of your bill, plus you don’thave to leave a tip.

6.  The food is Italian, and fresh.  The Antipasta Platter is just perfect to suit my Sunday lunch palette desires. What more can I say?  Oh, childrens meals:  the chefs will do anything on the menu in a kids portion.  Or even more than what’s on the menu.  If my girls are having a fussy eating day, I ask for a bowl of fresh tagliatelle, drizzled with olive oil, and a bowl of Parmesan on the side.  Beth loves it.

 

                7.  The wine. Oh yes, I can order South African Chardonnay if it pleases me, without being frowned on, I can order a spritzer if its 3pm on a week afternoon, and, the best part- the wine glass serving is 200ml, and not the 120ml that is customarily served in French Restaurants.

Apart from the fact that we as a family enjoy the place, it is also fast becoming a favourite of my school mommy circle, and there is talk of another girls night out on Thursdays to get together for a drink, and drink in the live music ambience.

How tré fabulous can it get? Thanks Mme H!