European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Review sprig time s Sparge time in Germany by sgt. Ret Clement Lounder Spring is one of them season that Means Many things to Many differ pm people a fact that is j am sure also True about the of her seasons but since we arc not going to discuss them others at this time it does t make much difference. Spring to Jolon Means the weather is warm enough to Start window shopping again Down at Rocky Brook River mall or its equivalents around the world. Spring is also your season in which Polcen gives her House trailer a very thorough going Over from hosing Down the Pink aluminium siding to buffing up the fake panelling in 1 he half Bath and vacuuming the Natho crumbs out of the Sola cracks. That is not even to mention the annual lunch up the lady lays on her herself every May usually in what is an eight hour session Down to or. Eddie s Salon and Saloon that runs your Gauntlet from face Massage to cuticle trim. Somehow she also manages a rinse Job thai leaves her coif Feur the exact same Shade As Snappy Tom Tomato drink. Jolt in s brother very Vern Decateur observes every Spring by is Ling in a Little Wood boat the Hope being that if to dangles a Sharp piece of Metal in moving water there will be something brat Hing through Gills on it when he yanks it Back out believe is or not it is Cal led sport. My other buddy Brewster Doody has a very rare Canary yellow to with a rag top that he drives Only in april and May my buddy jumbo Perry recognizes Spring by eating All of his meals outside. But for me Spring is a question of weather of pregnant looking Clouds and slow moving air thai hangs As heavy As a cheerleader s sweater. Real hazy suns and icy Rains that join up to make the atmosphere Steamer than he face cloths they hand out on transatlantic flights. Down Home humidity that makes he Plant world pop up quicker than acne on a teen Ager s Chin. Yes friends we Are talking asparagus growing weather Here to was with the idea of getting some of that very vegetable that i rounded up Joycen the other week and headed for rider s Rustica restaurant a Semi Swiss Type location in Darmstadt Germany i like the place for two reasons. For one the name Rolls of i your Tongue like melted butter. R liter s Rustica restaurant col a ring heh for two they always got some very decent Chow there Chow thai is in my opinion especially Good at this Lime of year when that White German asparagus is available. As if she was celebrating the very season we have been talking about Oleen was dressed up prettier than a Fern bar waitress her red hair contrasting nicely i thought with her dress a we Milting Little number about the color of a Rice Kris pies Box. But about the restaurant to is often a Wise thing to get reservations at the Rustica because the place is popular with your two piece suit types who spend a couple minutes talking business and then put the whole Tab off on their Boss. It being during the week though Polcen and me just waltzed right in there. Decor Wise the Rustica is one of them cozy looking places with big old beams and hammered Copper things and an assortment of very Earnest w photo by Jolt a Daedler str Lugt Kitten s rustics restaurant features exposed beams and Blooming owners As Mejias a sparkling Sparge menu. Young men As waiters. Many of the tables Are kind of Pennett it Stab a like offering privacy to those who arc so inclined Jolt in likes to be seen though so we got a Well lit Corner table that looks put onto a a King lot. There is also a pretty Nice Garden in the rear for those our or five Days a year when the weal her is what they Call permit Long the Rustica s regular menu is huge with dishes that arc sort of Swiss French with a san Francisco influence if you get my Drill. Many of them come on a a wooden plate that s got your meat Over Here and maybe some Little Fried potatoes Over there and then maybe a glob of sprouts or some of that purple lettuce. The French Call it Nouvelle cuisine jumbo Calls it deprivation. However it is served though the Rustica s breast of Duck their Lamb chops and their Snail soup Are very excellent indeed. They also have a mainstream salad bar that they Roll right up to your table. Polcen and me though were out after asparagus so we steered Clear of the regular listings and checked out the special asparagus card they got that offers the stuff served about 37 different ways from teamed up with schnitzel or Black Forest Ham to baked Wilh cheese to served alone with a bucket of drawn butter and new potatoes Polcen went for that what was last mentioned a Pound of slea Mcd asparagus thai comes with a lilt a Pitcher of butter and a bowl of new potatoes. I myself settled on the top of the asparagus line a couple of veal files next to a half Pound of Spears lathered Over with Hollan Daise sauce. The dish is served Wilh a Side order of boiled potatoes and like i suspected a couple leaves of purple act tuck his time sort of shaped like a cup and stuffed with bean sprouts. Loleen and me also ordered up a half liter of Dole wine a dry Swiss red that is i got to say As Good As Many of the Bordeaux that have passed this palate. Along with the wine the waitress brought us some Idle pieces of toasted Rye bread and pots of Herb butter and Schutlz the melted fat spread that is very popular with some germans but not with Loleen. "1 would rather eat Crisco on crackers Foleen said making a face that moved her Check Bones up Over her eyebrows. Luckily the asparagus arrived a Short time later and she cheered right up. Loleen claimed hers was cooked to absolute heavenly perfection and in no time at All she was splashing her Spears around in puddles of butter and making Small noises that can Best be described with the tetters huh lip and which i look to be sounds of Delight. My meal also ranked right up there. The files a tack on the Small Side i thought were cooked exactly right. Ditto for the asparagus. I can think of nothing to say about the Hollan Daise sauce except hat if one Day i was to drown in a Pool of it Well in d be of with me. Afterwards silting around drinking cognacs and coffees they serve you real Cream and these very interesting rough sugar balls Loleen and me tallied up our rating. For starters the Chow was excellent and the service was pretty Swift even though the menu warns you that they Cook the asparagus to order and it requires some time. You can gel asparagus cheaper but you May not find it served up so Many ways and with such flair. The rider s Rustica is located at no. 25 on the Plati Der Deutschen Einheit right across from the main train station in Darmstadt. You la need about $15 a head to eat Well $5 More if you try their famous strawberries and Pepper in Cognac with ice Cream and whipped Cream which i recommend. Call 06151-82666 for reservations a smart practice on he weekends. Loleen and me give the place four pointy fingers. Ratings q 9 9 a b awesome eals. We re talking Paradise on a plate Here pc a h a vey one dining. Crack service and memorable food and drink pc b 8 solid Chow. Good food of atmosphere and pleasant service. B 2 decent. About equal to a Ponderosa Steak House. Path cult. Crummy Chow so so service Semi rally Interior. 20 stripes nug Ielne May 29., 1966