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Dining in Europe > Strasbourg When speaking of Strasbourg, certain words and images come up inevitably: the towns famous cathedral, the European Parliament, storks, sauerkraut and rough winters. Beyond those stereotypes, though, Strasbourg is above all a warm and dynamic city whose vibrant diversity can quickly make one forget all about that nasty weather. The city is especially proud of a regional cuisine whose reputation stretches well beyond the borders of Alsace; the local gastronomic scene is well worth exploring. According to local legend, a diner who ate out once a day would need a full year to get around to all the culinary hot spots of Strasbourg. Imagine, then, how long it would take to go through the towns many convivial bars and cafés as well! Visitors may find a short vacation in Strasbourg is simply not enough time. An eating tour of Strasbourg (which, ideally, should last at least a week) reveals a subtle mix of country tradition and urbane exoticism, as well as a healthy smattering of cafés and bars whose pleasant sidewalk tables bloom like geraniums at the first hint of sunlight. Such a tour should visit as many of the Belle Européennes varied districts as possible; great food can be found in both trendy and traditional quarters. To begin with, don't miss the Petite France (Little France) area; duck out of the perpetual crowd on the Place Benjamin Zix and into the Au Bureau (At the Office) bar (sidewalk and inside tables) or La Maison des Tanneurs (The Tanners? House), an excellent sauerkraut restaurant situated in a beautiful old Alsatian half-timbered building. Just down the street on the banks of the Ill, Au Pont Saint-Martin serves up Alsatian specialties and French song. Moving on to the Finkwiller district (right next to Petite France), one finds crowds of students and Fink'Stuebel. This first winstub (wine bar) on our tour, with its smiling owner, warm woody decor, and carafes of wine complemented by simple country fare (e.g. farm-fresh chicken in Riesling sauce with spaetzel), is a perfect example of the charm to be found in such establishments. In the bar category, the Irish Café provides major Irish atmosphere, the P'tit Zinc (Little Zinc, zinc being a kind of French shorthand for a café counter) is a friendly little joint, and the hot Spanish ambience at the Tapas Café is not to be missed?you may just find yourself dancing on a wine barrel before the evenings up! Across town, a host of interesting bars and restaurants surround the cathedral. La Maison Kammerzell (The Kammerzell House) is in a gorgeous old house and serves a tasty fish sauerkraut as well. The flambé tarts at Gurtlerhoft are about as good as they come, and the winstubs Chez Yvonne, Au Saint-Sépulcre and D'Katzeroller feature typical local dishes like onion pie, ham en croûte with potato salad, or iced kougelhopf, all accompanied by local or other French vintages. Just behind the cathedral, the Place du Marché Gayot is a great place to take a load off during an exhausting day of tourism; grab a fresh sandwich at the Cornichon Masqué (Masked Cornichon) and sip a coffee at one of the many sidewalk tables. Next, stroll on to the Krutenau, a true student district with a strong international flavour. The best pizza and pasta in town are found at Pasta e Ravioli; delightful Greek specialities are at Rodos; Tarbouche serves Lebanese fare at low prices. When the sun goes down, the Guinness flows at Pub Nelson, Mooly Malones and Bar Pub Le Trou (The Hole Bar and Pub), and L'Elastic (The Elastic) is good fun as well. Last but not least, the Place de la République/Bibliothèque Universitaire (University Library) and Palais Universitaire area is home to Café Brant, where one may easily rest on its terrace before moving on to La Taverne Française to continue the discussion. No introduction to culinary Strasbourg would be complete without mentioning the citys two major nationally-renowned restaurants and the men who run them; Messrs. Emile Jung and Antoine Westermann are the geniuses behind the Crocodile and the Buerehiesel. Obviously Strasbourg cuisine is not limited to the city itself; great winstubs, restaurants and bars can be found in the surrounding region as well. In fact, almost every Alsatian village boasts a gastronomic gem or two, so don't hesitate to explore. The town of Stutzheim, quite near indeed to Strasbourg, is particularly rich in quality eateries: try Le Marronnier (The Chestnut Tree), Le Tigre (The Tiger), or L'Auberge des Houblonnières (The Hopfields Inn) with its marvellous flambé tart. Finally, Alsatian liqueurs are both numerous and excellent?in case all this eating should lead to indigestion! Entertainment in StrasbourgThe inhabitant of Alsace has always had the unfortunate image of one who is cold, hard to know, less than friendly. There may be a bit of truth to the stereotype - lets just call it the effect of a harsh climate and a certain Germanic sobriety! Nevertheless, those willing to go beyond appearances will find that, deep down, the Alsatian is a barrel of laughs. Accordingly, Strasbourgs entertainment scene is more than worth exploring - ask any of the thousands of students who call the city home. Strasbourg is a city imbued with history and high culture, but on a human scale: indeed, the relative cleanliness of the place is at least partially due to the widespread use of bicycles and foot power to get around the compact city centre. Because they waste little time in transport around town, visitors have more time to enjoy the many activities Strasbourg has to offer. Before rushing to the museums, why not start the day off right with a stroll through the Parc de l'Orangerie and a gander at the European Parliament and the Palais des Droits de l'Homme (Palace of Human Rights). To get back to the centre of town, hop aboard Strasbourg au Fil de l'Eau (Strasbourg by Water) and get a different view of the city. Those with little time for museum visiting should at least spend a few hours in the Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art), whose structure at the entrance to the Petite France quarter so effectively integrates modern architecture and older buildings, and the Musée Alsacien (Alsatian Museum) with its exhibits covering the history and traditions of the region. Days end is the perfect time to hide out in a dark cinema and catch a good flick. Three particularly interesting spots are the Star, the Star Saint-Exupéry and the Odyssée; here one finds art films, subtitled non-French-language films, classics, independents, and just about any kind of movie except the mainstream Hollywood productions. Meanwhile, the renowned Théâtre National de Strasbourg (Strasbourg National Theatre) and Opéra National du Rhin (Rhine National Opera) feature high-quality shows of another nature. Music in Strasbourg means more than just opera, though; as the obligatory stop in eastern France for concert tours, the city plays host to numerous and varied musical forms. At the forefront of local venues is La Laiterie (The Dairy), which has in turn given new life to associations programming lesser-known French acts at the Molodoï and in bars like Le Zanzibar and Le Bar'atteint. The Choucrouterie (Sauerkrautery), meanwhile, serves up local comedy and cuisine. When its time to boogie on down, Strasbourg and its environs offer a great diversity of sounds to shake to. The Finkwiller district is home to Spanish rhythms at the Tapas Café and at Coco Lobo; the Krutenau area offers jazz and salsa at the Café des Anges (Café of the Angels), and hip-hop and drum and bass-jungle-dub-etc. at L'Elastic; techno lovers head for L'Abattoir Café (The Slaughterhouse Café); and African and Arab music is found at the Griot. The two major discothèques in town - the Colysée and the Chalet - play all sorts of music and draw a young crowd. The latter is in fact a huge night-time entertainment complex. Finally, sports fans too will find what they're looking for here in Strasbourg, a city of passionate sports supporters and participants. Take in a Racing Club de Strasbourg football match at the Stade de la Meinau (La Meinau Stadium) or, for a newer local sporting phenomenon, watch the up-and-coming SIG Strasbourg (the local basketball team) play. In the end, its fortunate that Strasbourg doesn't have good weather the year round; with so much to do, the mobs of tourists would be unbearable! Dining in Europe > Strasbourg
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