In the city of Zwickau, they say that Philines is a place to visit. Known for its local and international dishes, our journey from Dresden to Munich had a stopover in this beautiful rural village.
The restaurant opened its doors in 2000, a brasserie in a lovely restored house dating from 1479. Ancient, yet modern, the restaurant is divided into a number of sections: The Klosterstube, conservatory , wine cellar and beer garden.
We were 15, a large group coming to enjoy a hefty meal after a long morning of action. We were hungry and expecting to be amazed. Inside this old house, a stone arcade and warm setup welcomes you. Warm lighting and fresh smells, while you choose to sit inside the restaurant or on the terrace. The weather was so nice, cold and wet, and the dining area blended with nature.
Enjoying some soft tunes, we started browsing the menu, the complicated menu. The only negative point I could find that day was the menu, a super complicated menu that’s not organized. They only have six menus in English, divided into many sections, starting with the recommendations (first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth) followed with another page, the tapas on a different page, pas variations, from the grill, and the drinks. You expect to have things to be clearer and to start with the starters, salads and main courses. So, choosing a meal was not the easiest of tasks.
A detail that caught my eye: From the grill, "for real men only" captured my attention, written next to prime rib. My friend ordered it and loved it.
Lunch started with a homemade sour cream they call Greek laban mixed with herbs and curry mousse, offered in jars with a lemony flavor and an interesting spicy after-note, and served with a basket of bread served warm. Fresh and airy bread. For me, Greek Laban is simply what we call Labneh.
Let's eat:
- Homemade pasta (with shredded beef and veal, young leeks, wild mushrooms and Parmesan). Yellow homemade tortellini, perfectly cooked and covered with slices of beef and some fresh mushrooms. A delicious plate that only needs shredded Parmesan to be ready. Juicy and perfectly seasoned meat, tender cubes of mushroom... Lovely textures and great seasoning. I enjoyed my lunch so much. With that I had some pommes dauphines, or mashed potatoes carved into balls and fried. They were as good as the main plate.
- A la minute cured salmon (mojito style with orange, fennel and baby tomatoes): A tiny little portion of salmon in a mountain of sliced fennel decorated with cherry tomatoes on the side. Dreading the description, I thought it would be a plate of salmon, not a salad of fennel with salmon on top. But anyway, the sauce is refreshing and the fennel crunchy. An interesting salad.
Notes about the restaurant:
- The service is way too slow. We waited more then 30 minutes to be served. We were alone today… Would we have waited 2 hours if they had a full house?
- The staff is very welcoming and smiley. They make you feel good.
Take a look at the photo gallery, where everyone’s plate is included. A large selection of choices, which made everyone happy. A look of satisfaction was on everyone’s face.
If by any chance you’re passing by the area, this is a restaurant not to miss.
