Centre of the hearty meal

Culinarily hearty and rich food is loved in Cologne. Among the typical dishes on the „Kölschen Foderkaat“ (Cologne Foodcard) are counted the "Flönz" (Blutwurst), the "Halve Hahn" (Roggen bun with Holland cheese) or the „Hamchen“ (leg of swine). Very beloved is also the

The "Halver Hahn" with a Kölsch. Photo: Stephen Horrocks/KölnTourismus.

"Soorbrode" (sauerbraten a la Rhine) with dumplings and red cabbage. All of these dishes are supposed to be at the core of what an authentic Cologne brew house is served. The Cologne locals don't go to the brew houses every day though. An alter- native to the traditional hot lunch is the classic fast food stop. There's also hearty

food here, but simpler. From young to old, from brick layer to bankers people of every creed and income level meet here. The fast food joints offer very similar menu programs, which run from pizzas, or gyros to Turkish kebabs. Honestly, there is very little chance that one will run into a traditional potato cake („Reivkooche“ or Reibekuchen). The exception is the white and yellow pavillion at the front of the main train station.

Snack bars and fast food restaurants are found allover the entire area of Cologne's city centre. A selection of adresses are available to the right and down on this page.

Cologne's snack classics

FRITTEN RED WHITE
"Fritten" means French Fries, and belong to the eternal hits in the Cologne Imbiss charts. The Imbiss fan eats them as a side to al- most every dish, re- gardless of whether it's currywurst, gyros or steaks. Above all the hot fried fries are ea- ten with a small tooth- pick of sorts one at a time. The fritten are eaten by decorating them with ketchup or mayonnais or both.

CURRYWURST
Another Imbiss classic is the currywurst. It's said to be created by a legendary Berlin house wife several decades ago: as the legend says, this house wife decided to cut a ordi- nary bratwurst into thumb size pieces, covered it with curry and blanketed with a red sauce. Today many fans of this meal take fritten coloured red and white (see left) with it.

REIBEKUCHEN
For Reibekuchen raw peeled potatoes are slivered and formed into a cake the thick- ness of a finger with herbs and onions. They are fried en mas- se in hot oil until they are brown on the out- side and crunchy. With is comes either apple sauce, which one smears on the cake, or black bread. If you want them more deli- cious, add cranberries and salmon.

Snack bar Nehring

There are many Snack bars in Cologne and they often come and go through the years. An exception to that is the evergreen chow-crib for the city dwellers, the fast-restaurant Nehring on Zülpicher Platz. There, one returns to the classic among Cologne Imbisses, because the restuarent has lived through 30 years, which one can easily be-

French fries are offered in snackbars allover the town.

lieve when they take a glance at the old orange sign above the restaurant. Inside hang lamps from the 70s and there are large banquets for people to sit in made of wood, where one sits in what seems like a real American fast food joint. With that comes the ground solid currywurst with fritten (fries) red-white (ketchup-mayo),

just like in gyros or frikadelle (hamburger-like sandwich) with fresh vegetable sides. There's also stuffed bell peppers, grilled chicken and schnitzel with jäger or zigeunersauce, which find themselves among the favorites from the Nehring customers consisting of all styles, backgrounds and income levels:from bankers to workers on to students. For the academics to-be (the students) the Nehring is allegedly the cafteria away from home. Well then, enjoy it all.

Adress: 4 Zülpicher Platz. Phone 244 795. Open: Mondays to saturdays from 7.30am to 3am, sun. from 11am to 3am.

For your high-class imbiss

DINER'S
Nice bistro with lots of pasta menus like la- sagne with salmon or spaghetti with shrimps. Also seats outside in summer and winter. Adress: 16 Neumarkt

EZIO-IN-BISS
Italo-imbiss for an elevated meal. Owner Ezio Dutto cooks personally. There's pasta, antipasti and salads. Well visited for lunch. Adress: 50 Apostelnstr.

SUPPENKASPAR
Imbiss with a wide offer in soups from bean soup up to gulashes. Other snacks and sandwiches as well as salads. Adress: 6 Perlenpfuhl

BUFFET CHANG
Chinese restaurant with self service. Guests pay 5,90 EUR each and can take from the buffet all they can eat. Adress: 1st floor of the DuMont Carree Mall, Breite Str. 80.

OSHO'S PLACE
Vegeterian locale with a pretty green interior. Offered are gratins and frikadelle from vegetables to cakes and desserts. Adress: 5-7 Venloer Str.

VINOTECA DA RINO
Noble Imbiss with an Italian kitchen. Offe- red are scampi, musc- les or noodles with mushrooms - good and well priced. Often full for lunch. Adress: 5 Kolumbastr.

Centre of the hearty meal

Snack bar Nehring

Fast food & snack bars

Free snack bars

Fast food chains

Fish

Chicken

Steaks

Pizza

Reibekuchen (hot potatoe cakes)

Sushi