IM ENGEL, Brünebrede 33-37, Warendorf, www.hotel-im-engel.de
Located in Warendorf, a charming village just a few miles from where we were staying in Münster/Handorf, Im Engel is a small hotel that houses a cozy restaurant and an extensive wine boutique. We had planned to dine here during our previous visit in 2002, but, due a variety of circumstances, never quite got around to it. More recently, however, we were fortunate enough to stop in for lunch.
Im Engel, like many German hostelries, combines the best of two worlds. While the hotel portion of the facility is sedately modern, the restaurant exudes an irresistibly rustic charm – and the food, with rare exception, even in the most humble of establishments, is, in my opinion, far superior to that found in most American hotels.
Seated in a comfy corner adjacent to the diminutive bar, we sipped glasses of a first-rate Riesling while contemplating the menu. And making our selections was by no means an easy task, as the possibilities were particularly appealing.
However, whenever we are dining in Germany, my wife inevitably finds pork – in whatever incarnation it may appear on the bill-of-fare – simply impossible to resist. And the representative proffered here proved to be a feast for both eye and palate.
Three succulent pork medallions were wrapped in smoked ham and arranged around an epicenter of ratatouille. But the pièce de résistance proved to be an incomparably delicious gorgonzola sauce. Blue cheese sauces can be exceedingly overbearing; so much so that they have been known to steal a significant amount of thunder from the supposed center of attractive. Im Engel’s version, however, was as light as a feather, gently caressing rather than smothering the objects of its affection.
And my plate of grilled Mediterranean vegetables was every bit as enticing as the aforementioned pork. A centrum of tomato halves and red pepper segments was surrounded by a circle of wafer-thin slices of zucchini and eggplant. The beautiful presentation was aided and abetted by a side of zesty curry rice.
Tucked away off the main drag, you have to go hunting for Im Engel… but it surely worth the effort. The ambiance is enchanting, the food exceptional, and the service friendly and personable. And you can stop in at the wine boutique on the way out. We’re already looking forward to dinner on our next trip!
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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