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Sauteed spinach with rosemary potatoes topped with a fried egg, as served by Wiesbaden, Germany's, Beef 'n Reef restaurant.

Sauteed spinach with rosemary potatoes topped with a fried egg, as served by Wiesbaden, Germany's, Beef 'n Reef restaurant. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)

Sauteed spinach with rosemary potatoes topped with a fried egg, as served by Wiesbaden, Germany's, Beef 'n Reef restaurant.

Sauteed spinach with rosemary potatoes topped with a fried egg, as served by Wiesbaden, Germany's, Beef 'n Reef restaurant. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)

This hearty chunk of beefsteak topped with sweet grilled onions and served with lightly salted steak fries was among the main course options for the lunch special at Beef 'n Reef in Wiesbaden, Germany.

This hearty chunk of beefsteak topped with sweet grilled onions and served with lightly salted steak fries was among the main course options for the lunch special at Beef 'n Reef in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)

Beef 'n Reef's 10.90-euro lunch specials feature appetizers like this petite tuna portion rolled in sesame seeds, topped with zucchini and arugula leaves and sprinkled in a light balsamic dressing.

Beef 'n Reef's 10.90-euro lunch specials feature appetizers like this petite tuna portion rolled in sesame seeds, topped with zucchini and arugula leaves and sprinkled in a light balsamic dressing. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)

Look for Beef 'n Reef sign in downtown Wiesbaden, Germany.

Look for Beef 'n Reef sign in downtown Wiesbaden, Germany. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)

My typical lunch routine consists of grab-’n’-go fare, like a brat and french fries or a Turkish döner. But I’ve discovered that many of the aristocrats in the wealthy city of Wiesbaden, Germany, are enjoying great noon meals at the city’s top restaurants for much less than one might expect.

Like many people, I love finding a good deal. I appreciate the kind that comes as a pleasant surprise — the kind I walk away from with a satisfied grin and didn’t have to empty my wallet.

Beef ‘n Reef, as its name implies, is a steak-and-seafood restaurant in the center of Wiesbaden, only a few minutes’ walk from the famed Kurhaus.

What I was most impressed with was the lunch special’s easy and common-sense approach, which you don’t always find in Germany. Included in the special is a beverage of choice, a starter entree, a main course and a coffee selection. Typically, there are four to five choices in each category, and usually one of those is vegetarian. There are different entree selections each week.

My starter was a tasty piece of tuna lightly grilled, rolled in sesame seeds and served with a side of zucchini in cream sauce. It was quite possibly the best tuna roll I have ever tasted. My main course was a hearty chunk of beefsteak cooked medium-well, topped with sweet grilled onions and accompanied by lightly salted steak fries.

My wife enjoyed the house salad with a honey and balsamic vinegar dressing for her starter. For her main course, she opted for the fried egg over sauteed spinach, and she wasn’t disappointed. Served with roasted rosemary potatoes, the sauteed spinach was a tasty delight.

It is evident that Beef ‘n Reef has perfected its rotating lunch menus. I was also pleased by the espresso we had to top off our meal.

Although the restaurant’s dinner entrees are of the highest quality, so are the prices at dinner hours. This restaurant offers an atmosphere appropriate for either a light lunch on the street side patio or a romantic dinner with your companion. While I recommend keeping this restaurant in mind for a romantic date night, you don’t want to pass up its weekly lunch menu at a fixed price of 10.90 euros.

It was evident that this is a favorite of the locals, some even holding business meetings here. Whatever your lunch norm is, break out of it and trust me on this one, it is worth it.

Although the waitress didn’t speak much English, she was friendly and more than willing to try to understand my German. We all got a good laugh at my attempt at saying Tunafischwürfel, and I love restaurants like that.

They appreciate all customers, and you feel well-served, walking away with a grin on your face.

brown.eric@stripes.com

Beef ’n ReefLocation: Downtown Wiesbaden, just three blocks northwest of the Kurhaus. GPS: Taunus Strasse 23, 65183 Wiesbaden.

Directions: From the Hainerberg military community, drive toward downtown Wiesbaden on Frankfurter Strasse. After about a half-mile, turn left onto Rheinstrasse. Wilhelmstrasse turns slightly left and becomes Taunusstrasse. The restaurant is on the right. Parking can be found at the Kurhaus garage just two blocks away.

Hours: Lunch noon-3 p.m. and dinner 5:30-11:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 5:30-11:30 p.m. Sunday.

Dress: Business casual for dinner; casual for lunch.

Cost: Most regular menu starters are less than 10 euros; main courses range from 9.50 euros for pasta dishes to 39.90 euros for the flagship surf and turf featuring a 7-ounce filet mignon and lobster for 39.90 euros.

Menu: Dinner menu is in German and English. The special lunch menu is in German only.

Information: Phone (+49) (0) 0611-54109186; website: beefnreef.de; visit Beef ‘n Reef’s Facebook page for the week’s specials: www.facebook.com/beefnreef; email: info@beefnreef.de.

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