ESSLINGEN BISTRO & EUROPEAN HOME FOOD (04) 2422-6020 251, ChangPing East 5th Road Hours:Bistro 11:30 am-2 pm, 5:30-9:30 pm; Store 10:30 am-5 pm (closed Sunday/Monday) http://www.e-h-f.com

ADD YOUR RATING & REVIEW | VIEW VISITSR RATINGS & REVIEWS

--By Douglas Habecker, translated by Crystal Kuo

Anyone looking to enjoy a good German meal or purchase a variety of German food and beverage products can head to this new bistro and food products store in Beitun District. Stuttgart native Peter Backfisch and his wife Tracy run this place with Teutonic efficiency, order and cleanliness. The bright, spacious bistro has a pleasant, no-frills German feeling to it with seating for 40 inside and 40 outside on a wooden deck. Menu dishes include items that the store also sells for take-home. There are pork and beef steaks, Thuringer Sausages, Greek-style Giros Sausages, Hefezopf (Yeast Plait) Marlene, and cold cut and cheese plates. Main courses (NT$330-510) come with sauerkraut, bread and other side dishes. The attached store (which also delivers) sells sausages, lamb chops, butter, rye and other breads, cheese, pretzels, German beers, Spanish wines, juices and other products, imported or made locally to Esslingen's exacting standards. The owners stress that all their products are healthy, high-quality and reasonably-priced. To get there, head north on ChongDe Road, section 3, and turn right at the ChongDe/ChangPing intersection onto ChongDe 10th Road. Go past the A-Choice Beer House, turn left onto ChangPing East 5th Road, and Esslingen's about 150 meters up on the left.