We last visited Nanstein Castle quite a long time ago. As we found ourselves in the area again we…read moredecided to stop by for old times sake and see how restoration was going.
Well, sadly, we showed up on the one day of the week the castle was closed. However, we were able to stop into the Burgschanke for a bite to eat which was a completely unexpected stop as this 'castle tavern' was not here the last time we visited!
We were approached as soon as we entered and asked if we had a reservation. Oh, no. Turned out OK as they had two tables available at the moment. Yea! The staff speak English, the menu is in English so no worries if you don't speak German.
We had a light lunch of beef broth with bone marrow balls and a side salad. They also have wursts and other German fare you would expect. But we don't have huge appetites so this lunch suited us very well.
First the soup. A rich, dark beef broth. A little salty, and very flavorful. The bone marrow balls remind me of matzah balls. This was an all together satisfying starter. It came with a small loaf of bread. Soft on the inside, crusty on the outside. A very nice, warm accompaniment to the soup.
Next, the salad. We had been in Germany over two weeks at this point and none of the meals we had up to this point really reminded us of those we remembered from when we lived in Germany. That's fine. Pallets change. Chefs like to experiment. It's all good. But this salad! This is the salad we remember. The mix of greens. The salad dressing. This folks is a German salad. I know you might not care, but I am so happy to have found that taste again. It was fresh and flavorful and exactly what we needed.
A hotel is located a little ways down the hill from the castle. Some people parked there and walked up. We drove all the way up to the castle and found parking on site. You can also walk all the way up to the castle or ride your bike on one of the many trails crisscrossing the property. The ambiance here is chill, fun and very German. The staff are friendly, professional and easy going. Restrooms are down a hall at the back of the restaurant. Remember to call in a reservation! You should definitely stop by for a meal.