Cafe zum Moren

Note: At some point in the not horribly far future, I will add a photo to this post. For now, I am still moving between two computers which has left my photos all floating around somewhere in the Twilight Zone. Alas, if I can’t find a good photo, I may just have to go back, right?

Cafe Zum Mohren
Hof 4; Aachen
0241-35200
Open: 1000-2000 Mon – Sunday except New Year’s Eve and Day, Christmas, and Easter.

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum… you get the picture. Starbucks is known and reliable. Cafe Middleburg serves delicious lunches and has my next birthday cake, but this place definitely has it’s niche in my cafe line-up.

This place puts Starbucks to shame. Where in most German bakery/Cafe’s, you’ll have the traditional 5 coffee options, here you’ll find 41 coffee options on the menu some traditional, some with syrups, some with liqueurs, and others with ice cream. Not only coffee, you can also choose from 20+ different hot chocolate options, 15+ tea options, Gluehwein, Grog, and all the normal sodas and juices (oh, and beer… can’t forget that!). So, you really got the drinks covered here. And they are good. Very good.

For munchies, this is a challenge. Again – choices – and they’re good. The problem will be timing. You can’t go in at 0900 and get a hot slice of quiche no matter how good it sounds. For savories, you have to wait until 11. But, Cafe Moren, set in a beautiful white 350 year-old building does have a HUGE ice cream menu, a great selection of Belgian cake specialties, Brataepfels, and delicious apple strudel, Reisfladen (an Aachen specialty – delicious with cherries and whipped cream), and several other cakes including ice cream cakes made to order.

The prices? Good. Two of use had fancy coffees and generous slices of desserts for just less than 12Euro.

How to get there? Face the Rathaus, then take the street to the left that starts down the hill towards the Dom. Veer to the right, then take the second street on the left. It should lead you to a small open square near the Covent museum. The Cafe is in an old white building on your left as you enter the square. If that fails, ask someone or take a walk with your GPS.

Muenchhausen Erzaelkaffee in Gangelt

Münchhausen Erzählkaffee

Markt 8

52538 Gangelt

Tel. 02454 – 935799

http://www.erzählkaffee.de/

Öffnungszeiten: Tues-Fri: 1300-2200

Sat and Sun 1000-2200

Monday: Closed

Open just for a few months now, the Erzaelkaffee in Gangelt is already a big hit. Set in a beautiful old building with bells in the top right off the B56, it’s a great place for breakfast or a small snack with friends.

Furnished and decorated beautifully, with nice lighting and small things for sale, you’ll enjoy the ambiance of this place. The upstairs is even prettier than the downstairs and it’s there that you’ll be able to entertain if you want to have a group event. Priced reasonably, the cake slices are so generous, you can easily split them. The coffee is also very good. The breakfast buffet is nice, but doesn’t quite offer as much as the cafe in Beeck, so for a large breakfast, Beeck is still the place to go.

But, if you aren’t looking for a big meal and would enjoy the ambiance perfect for a slice of cake and a cup of coffee with friends, this place is perfect. You’ll enjoy it’s beauty. The people who work there are very nice and do speak a bit of English.

My neighbor had a family birthday there with about 20 people. They all sat upstairs for about 3 hours and had soup, cake, and coffee. She raved about it – absolutely loved the setting, the food, and the service. Having gone there myself now, it really would be a great place for meeting or small event. Call ahead if you’d like to plan something so that they can prepare. They will also come up with a menu and set per/person price if you’d like.

Toscana – Italian Restaurant

Reader Recommendation…

This place comes highly recommended from a trusted foodie. A regular stop for some who appreciate the consistently delicious food. Great for families, but nice enough for date nights as well.

Toscana Ristorante & Pizzeria
Heerlenerstrasse 146
D-52531 Ubach-Palenberg
(Scherpenseel)
Tel: 02451 91 02 74
Open: Mon-Sat 1700-2400; Sun and holidays 1200-2400

Alpinecenter Bottrop — Another Indoor Ski Place!

Reader Recommendation…

“There are at least two places to ski/snowboard indoors within 1.5 hrs drive. SnowWorld in Landgraaf is the most well-known among us Americans. Today my husband and I visited a different one. Alpincenter near Bottrop/Oberhausen has a nice long slope that I like better than SnowWorld. However, the conveyance to the top was not to my husband’s liking- one short tow rope for the bunny slope and a long conveyor belt the length of the entire slope. I enjoyed the ride on the belt (call me weird if you must). We made use of their “Before 2pm special” for 25 Euro each. This included rentals and a “warm/cold buffet and drinks” which we didn’t have time to check out. They also have lessons for kids and adults.”

alpincenter Bottrop
Prosperstr. 299-301
46238 Bottrop (DE)

http://www.alpincenter.com/

Open: Daily 0930 – 2400

Last entry: 2130 (Su – Thu) or 2230 (Fr – Sa)

** The website is in English and has a ton of information including online ticket sales and a very detailed pricing chart. It is best to refer to their website above for more information. Also, check out the FREE outdoor park area for nordic walking, a beer garden, and beautiful scenery.

Wildpark Gangelt

Wildpark Gangelt

Schinvelder Str.
52538 Mindergangelt
Tel: 02454-2459

Web: http://www.wildpark-gangelt.com/
(The Website has English translations on all its pages)
Open: 0900-1900 every day
Price: Adults — 6 E; Children ages 4-15 — 4 E

Food: 1 Euro/bag to feed the animals. They also like chestnuts and acorns in the fall.

To go, or not to go: Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. But, I’d say, go, definitely.

If you want to go to a zoo filled with exotic animals – with elephants and giraffe, lions and tigers… then this is going to be a major disappointment. But, if you want to take the kids somewhere on a nice day or if you just want to enjoy a nice walk and take some great wildlife photographs, then you will love this place.

Usually the deer are the most boring part of the zoo for me. So, a wild park that is mostly deer should be boring. The key with this place, is that you can feed most of the animals – many, by hand. So for 1E you can buy a bag of food, or you can feed them acorns that you pick up off the ground. The deer and sheep will eat gently out of your hands. Even my three-year old could feed them safely. The wild boar were amazingly entertaining and though you couldn’t feed them by hand, you could feed them and were right next to them with just a small fence in between you and the boar.

That was another bonus. The park is in a beautiful forested area and so it’s all very natural. The animals are there behind very thin wire fences just being animals. Playing, making noises, eating… it’s fun to watch them. I heard the deer making calls I’d never heard before. It was just a relaxing place to be.

Food and Bathrooms: There is a snack bar and souvenir booth at the entrance with drinks and ice cream. Not far from the entrance inside the park is a nice restaurant with a full menu from cake to steak. Prices are average for a park – I haven’t eaten there to know the portion size or edibility factor. I’d suggest a picnic when the weather is nice. Bathrooms are located at the playground and in the restaurant.

Playground: If the kids get bored feeding the animals, they can find an absolutely fantastic playground about half-way through the park. It has a bathroom there, a seasonal ice cream stand, and plenty of picnic tables.

Dogs: Are allowed – except for in the birds of prey area. Dogs are required to be on leashes and if you have a dog that likes to bark at animals, for obvious reason, I wouldn’t advise it. But, that being said, I did see a few leashed dogs today.

Cautions:

• The wild boar are fun, but the fence is easy to stick a hand through – watch the kids carefully.
• Keep an eye on the sheep with little ones. They won’t eat fingers, but they may just steal the bag of food from them. (I speak from experience. Funny thing to see a guilty faced sheep with a white paper bag sticking out of it’s mouth.)
• Don’t be alarmed by the totally bizarre animal noises. Some of the deer make a sound akin to an ally-cat coughing up a really big hair ball. Something that you don’t hear everyday.

Tips:

• Make a day of it. Pack a picnic or bring snacks and enjoy the day. The restaurant looks decent, but a picnic would be fun, cheaper, and the park is very conducive to that. A lot of families had picnics set up at the playground.
• Although 1E buys you a bag of food, it can go fast. The boars, deer, and sheep love acorns. Next time we go, I’ll let the kids collect acorns and we’ll bring a big back to feed the animals with. Carrots or stale bread would also be ok.
• Bring your bicycle and go for a ride afterwards, or park nearby and just bike around the woods near the park. It’s a nice area.
• Don’t forget your camera (and unlike me, don’t erase your card before you download your photos)
• The entire walk around will take the average person probably about 30 minutes. It took us about 3.5 hours, but we stopped and fed a lot of critters and played at the playground.

Directions: When coming from GK on the B56, turn left at the first round-about and follow that road keeping left until you reach another round-about. Veer left at that one and continue, following the signs for Wildpark Gangelt until you reach a parking lot on your left with a row of International flags behind it (you can see this lot from the 274 on your way back from Schinnen). You can park there and walk, or you can cautiously drive under the highway through the narrow tunnel and that will lead you to more parking around the corner on the left and to the entrance of the animal park.

Children’s Birthday Party Locations

Indoor Playgrounds:

• Pee Wee’s: Max Plankstrasse 14; Neiderheide DE
• Pee Wee’s is a favorite among kids and with enough to do for toddler ages as well, I’ve seen plenty of adults enjoy themselves with a book and a cup of all-you-can-drink coffee while the kids run off and play for hours. Like most, it is socks only, but where socks you don’t cherish as they’ll be black by the end of the day. Socks with the no-slide bottoms would be helpful for younger kids. Saying that, the place is not spotless, so don’t white glove test it and the bumper cars are fun though it smells of burning rubber. Still, kids love it and we’ve been to a few thousand (feels like it anyway) birthday parties there now and it always turns out great.
• Open: Mon – Fri: 13.30 – 18.30; Sat & Sun: 10.00 – 18.30; Holidays and vacation weeks: 10.00 – 18.30 (Great place in the winter, but do dress warm… and keep in mind that there is no air conditioning, so it does close on extremely hot summer days.)
• Website: http://geilenkirchen.peeweeposterholt.nl/Auskunft.html

• Monkey’s Spielparadies: Humbolt Strasse 5Heinsburg

• Although I have not been here yet personally, I have heard from many that it is comparable or even better than Pee Wee’s in Neiderheid. Some say it’s cleaner.
• Open: Mon- Fri 1000-1900; Sat and Sun and holidays 1000-2200
• Tel: 02452-977655
• Web: http://www.monkeys-spielparadies.de/
• Price: Kids under 2: Free; Kids up to age 12: 4 Euros; Adults: 3 Euros; Grandma and Grandpa are free.
• Special Activities:
• On Thursdays from 1500-1900, for 8 Euros, kids have entrance and a meal with a drink.
• Every 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, there is kids disco from 1800-2200
• Every Friday and Saturday in the summer months, there is a Biergarten with a grill from 1800-2200
• Birthday parties: There are several different party options that include different amounts of food and toys for the kids. There is even a disco party available for older kids, and a picnic party. Go to the website. Click on Deutche Version on the left, then click on Partyangebote for the list of parties. You’ll be able to figure out what is included and the price for each.

Castle’s:

• Kasteel Hoensbroek: What could be better than a dress up party at a castle where each guest dresses as a princess or prince? Or… play old traditional games at the castle, or better yet… go on a mystery hunt through the castle. All the information is online and in English with pricing too. We’ve gone to kid parties here and they are always a lot of fun. http://www.kasteelhoensbroek.nl/html/?me=2&su=1&si=3

• Tea Parties at Kasteel Doenrade: Though the website makes no mention of it, the great people at the Doenrade castle near Schinnen will put together a beautiful High Tea for your group. A group of Americans here had High Tea for a group of mothers and daughters for only 10Euros a person and said that it was wonderful. Definitely worth looking into… http://www.kasteeldoenrade.nl/

Other:

• Snowworld: Though the English part of the website doesn’t give any party information, the Dutch site does. Just go to the Dutch homepage, roll your mouse over “kids” in the orange band near the top, then scroll down and click on “kidsparty.” Prices for parties range from 12.50-20 Euros depending on if you include lessons or not. Snow parties are appropriate for ages 6 to 12. A minimum of 6 children is required. Call: +31(0)45-5470700 for more information and reservations.

• Brunssum Swimming Pool (at the base): For fun with almost no clean-up, the Brunssum swimming pool is a great place for a party. Call — 0031-45-526-3172
• Parties are booked for 2 hours. Times are: Friday 1900-2100, Saturday and Sundays 1000-1200 and 1600-1800.
• Traditional party food is allowed just to the side of the pool office, but it does get pretty sticky with the combination of a wet floor and the food that kids drop. If the weather is nice, I suggest having the food/cake portion of the party outside. Just outside the pool area doors is a very nice green space and a play structure just down the little hill. I’ve done this twice now. The only glitch is that it works best for the 1000-1200 time slot as the pool closes after other party times and they need to lock up. We have borrowed their chairs and tables, hauled them out to the playground area, and continued the party there with kids running and playing. If you choose a later time, just keep in mind that you’ll need to bring your own table and lawn chairs and there won’t be a bathroom available.
• Prices are 50Euros for 15 kids though talk to the pool manager. Some are flexible and allow more children in the pool for the same price if there are adults/parents in the pool with them.
• Parties include the lifeguard, the use of both the big pool and the small wading pool (gated for safety), and the large inflatable crocodile, octopus, or trampoline. All are a lot of fun.

• Hay hotel:
• For something truly different, try sleeping in the hay. The hay hotel also has parties that include the hay ride, games on the playground, cake, and drinks. Stay the night and enjoy a nice breakfast the next morning. German skills will help to book this one although the nice couple that runs it do speak a little bit of English. Find this place just 10 minutes south of the base in Beeck.
• Familie Cremer: Am Mühlenhof 29, 52511 Geilenkirchen (Beeck)
• Tel.: 02453 699
• Web: http://www.cremerhof.de

Middelberg Konditorei Cafe & Confiserie

Just when I thought I’d had the best German cake around, I found a bakery that has topped them all!

In Aachen, this cafe set on the corner of a small street right off of the Markt makes the absolutely best cake I’ve eaten since moving here. With various cakes and chocolates make on the premises, you are sure to find something that you like. I had a chocolate mousse cake with berries on top – the best mousse ever with the perfect chocolate intensity – it will be my next birthday cake.

I was just here again recently early before the shops were opening and found that Middelberg has an amazing breakfast buffet. It looked delicious and the prices seamed reasonable too! The downstairs has just a few seats, but go upstairs. There are several rooms as you walk back. Looks deceivingly small, but isn’t.

Middelberg
Konditerei – Cafe – Confiserie
Rethelstrasse 6
Aachen 52062
Tel: (aachen prefix?) 39167
Email: cafemiddelberg@aol.com

Open: M-F 0900-1830; Sat 0900-1800; Sun 1030-1800

(Rethelstrasse runs parallel to the market square just between
Buchelstrasse and Kramerstrasse)

ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST!!!

Beautiful location, delicious food, quiet atmosphere, tempting cakes… and, of course, a fabulous breakfast buffet. This is one of my favorite breakfast cafes and it’s only 10 minutes outside of Geilenkirchen. Go to the website and click on Speisen for meals and prices.

Beecker Bauern und Erzaehlkaffee
Zum Schlackenberg 37
52511 Geilenkirchen-Beeck

Tel: 02453-383875
Web: www.bauernkaffee.de

Open Mon-Fri 0900-1900; Sat and Sun 1000-1900

Breakfast Served: Mon-Fri 0900-1200; Sat and Sun 1000-1300

This place is open 7 days a week (amazing, here) and provides an absolutely delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast for only 7.50E.

Eggs scrambled, soft-boiled, or sliced hard boiled…
Breads and rolls both white and seedy, toasted or not…
A huge assortment of cereals along with milk, quark, and various yogurts…
Jams, jellies, and nutella…
Juices, coffee, hot cocoa…
Fresh fruit including the best honeydew I’ve had this year…
Three trays of cheese including some nice brie and a wonderful gouda…
Several large trays of sliced deli meats and a tray of very good teewurst and liverwurst…
A tray of fresh sliced vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, etc…

It’s all delicious… top that off with the fact that this place has a non-smoking section and that it’s beautifully decorated with fun, inexpensive things that are also available for purchase… and you’ve got yourself a cafe to go back to again and again. Yum!

The staff have limited English ability, but are very friendly and helpful and will try to communicate with the English that they do know. There is plenty of room for large groups, but reservations are recommended. Whether you are two people or twenty, it is best to call ahead at this point. They are becoming very well known and the food is so delicious that every day is crowded. Go early and do call ahead if possible so you don’t have to be turned away. If they are completely booked, go to Immendorf to the Landcafe. It’s not as big a breakfast, but it’s a nice alternative that is close to Beeck.

Directions: My GPS wants to take me through Geilenkirchen, but unless you live in Geilenkirchen, that way is very curvy and will take you longer. I take the 221 south towards Aachen, past Ubach-Palenburg, and past the left hand turn-off for Immendorf. Eventually, you’ll come to a left-hand turn for Beeck. Turn left, go about 2 minutes down the road to a round-a-bout and turn right. Follow the road as it curves around. Once you hit the main town, you’ll turn right and follow that road straight as it narrows and goes by a corn field… then you’ll turn left and run into the place. There are small signs for it once you get to Beeck.

Flammerie: New restaurant in Hastenrath

On July 7th a new restaurant opened just 5 minutes north of Gangelt in the little village of Hastenrath. On the main road just as you’re leaving town, it’s pretty hard to miss.

Flammerie

Die neue Ess-Klasse
Hoferstrasse 30
Hastenrath, DE
Tel: 02454-937844

Open: Tues-Sun 0830-2200
Closed: Mondays

First Impressions: Wow! The building is new and beautiful and the decor inside contributes to a very warm ambiance. Everything is very clean – a place that you could take visitors to.

The Outside: With plenty of outdoor seating, a small wooden play structure for children, and a small yard where some farm animals play, Flammerie would be a very nice stop on a nice day with children as they would be pretty entertained outside. For adults as well, the setting is pretty for an outdoor visit.

The Inside: The decor in warm earth tones feels very nice and is set up well. The grill area of the kitchen is open, so you can easily see the action. In one wall there are two large windows looking out into a table area where a goat, a pony, two large rabbits, and a couple chickens are kept. So, even in the modern atmosphere, you can casually look over to see a chicken in window or the backside of a horse. It isn’t filthy or smelly, nor does it distract from the atmosphere, but it is unique. Children will be content sitting there.

The food: With a motto like “the new food class” one would expect something different, so at least that’s their goal. There is the salad bar with salad prices ranging from 3.50E to 12. Meals of meat or fish range from 5.50 to 19.80. The waiter told me that they are getting a completely new menu next week, so apparently the choices change occasionally.

The food was very good, and very flavorful. I had the “haehnchenbruest auf melone-sahne sauce dazu reis” which came with a salad from their small, but tasty salad bar. A friend got the Flammerie – a “specially” flavored bratwurst with delicious potatoes on the side. The dessert menu looked great, but we were not able to try any.

The kids meals are reasonable with a few special kid choices for 2.80 or any meal from the menu in a child’s portion for 3.50.

The Hours: Breakfast is served from 0830 until 12. The breakfast buffet is served on weekends and holidays for between 6 and 9 Euros. It seems that from 0830 until 1430, you can have cake and coffee and other beverages and then meal time begins at 1430.

Prices: Moderate to High. The food is good, but the prices seem a bit high for the portion size. You will leave comfortably full and not stuffed.

My first impressions on price: This is a place where you are paying for ambiance and may be the “new food class,” and not for a full stomach. The house bratwurst was the least expensive at 5.50 which wasn’t horrible, but the chicken special that I got was 12.50 – extremely high for the small chicken breast and tiny pile of flavorless rice (in the photo). That coupled with the fact that there was no dessert option left me feeling a bit taken.

Kid friendly: Yes… with playground outside and the animals inside, the place is nice for children. A large group came while I was there with 4 children. The staff were all very friendly and courteous, though it was unusually challenging to get their attention when I was ready to go. The cook, seeing that my daughter didn’t order anything, did bring over a delicious grilled chicken breast for her free of charge which was a very nice gesture.

To go again: I tried this place when it was brand new and still working out some kinks, so there were a few things that did not impress me; however, I think I will have to try it again. About 5 different people have not only mentioned it to me, but have RAVED about it, so apparently it’s improved and is turning into quite the place to be. It does large groups and parties very well and with their outdoor area will be a huge hit when the warmer and dryer weather arrive.

Barkenhof – Gourmet food paradise

another great contribution…

Barkenhof
Breberener Strasse 14
52538 Selfkant-Saeffelen

Tel: 02455-920090
Email: barken@t-online.de
Website: www.barkenhof.de

Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-1pm and 3pm-6.30pm, Sat. 10am-4pm, Sun 2pm-6pm
CLOSED Mondays

“The Barkenhof is one of the most incredible shops that I’ve discovered since I’ve been living over here in Germany. It is owned by Olaf and Elke Barken and it’s not just a store, it’s an Experience!

Gourmet Food: Olaf and Elke travel around the world to find the best olive oils, cheeses, wines, coffees, teas, vinegars etc. When you go there, you can sample everything before you buy it and Olaf will tell you much information about each item. You can literally be there for an hour while he brings out more samples for you to try. He’ll give you sips of wine, while you try his newest cheese or sample his newest olive oil that he just brought back from Spain. His wife will brew up one of their unique tea blends. I make sure I’m good and hungry every time I go there! They are incredibly nice people and speak very good English as well.

The Shop: They sell all the gourmet food mentioned above. They also sell kitchen-related items such as unique looking dishes, place mats, and gift items such as home-made soaps, candles etc. There are always different things available.

A Caution: This place can be fairly expensive. I never leave without spending at least 50 euros – but I always buy several items of meat, cheese, wine, tea, olive oil etc. If you only buy one or two items you will not spend as much money, but I just can’t seem to resist myself when I go there! Also, this place is probably not young-child friendly as there are many breakables and not much room to maneuver strollers around. But for gourmet food and unique gift items, it’s the best.

Location: They are located in a beautiful centuries-old house in Saeffelen. Their shop doubles as their house so sometimes the door might be locked even though they are open. Just knock – they will be happy to let you in!”