Salvatore Costenzo is one of the friendly wait staff at Pulcinella restaurant in Seeheim, Germany. (Sam Amrhein / S&S)
Salvatore Costenzo is one of the friendly wait staff at Pulcinella restaurant in Seeheim, Germany. (Sam Amrhein / S&S)
Pulcinella restaurant in Seeheim, Germany, boasts some of the best pizza and Italian cuisine around. (Sam Amrhein / S&S)
SEEHEIM, Germany — I’m a bit of a regular customer of Pulcinella.
I’m not saying that the whole place yells, “Sam!” when I enter the restaurant like they did for Norm at Cheers. But the waiter — who bears a resemblance to James Taylor — always greets me with a nod as he starts pouring me a tall Schwarzbier.
On those nights when we don’t feel like cooking, it’s easy to pop over to the Pulcinella for a pizza, or something more hearty.
Located along the Strassenbahn tracks, the place is easy to find. And as the weather turns warmer, the restaurant will open its patio. It’s not as “woodsy” as a typical German beer garden, but it still offers a nice place to sit, relax with friends and enjoy a good meal.
As with most Italian restaurants in the area, you can’t go wrong with the pizza. I dare say that Pulcinella’s pizza is the best in the region. (And this comes from a guy who can eat pizza five nights a week.)
Some of my other favorites include the Impanata alla Sorrentina — basically a fried schnitzel with arugula on top — or the grilled mozzarella filet. I mean, who knew that a hunk of cheese could taste like a steak?
If you’re not sure what you’re hungry for, try the Tris di Pasta. It’s a mixture of tortellini, spaghetti and ravioli in three different sauces. Or fill up with the gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce.
Actually, maybe you can just close your eyes, open the menu and point. I’ve never had a bad meal at the place.
And it’s reasonably priced, too. The most expensive dishes are the steaks and fish — which run around 19 euros. But the pizzas start around 4 euros — which is about how much you’d pay for one of those frozen pizzas in the commissary.
Plus, the guy at the commissary checkout counter probably won’t serve you a beer while you’re waiting for your pizza to cook.
See previous After Hours reviews here.
PulcinellaSeeheim, Germany
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 6 to 11:30 p.m. daily. Closed Tuesdays.
Specialties: Anything Italian, but their pizza is especially good.
Prices: Pizzas start at 4 euros, with the most expensive fish dishes running around 19 euros.
Clientele: Mostly Germans.
English menu: No.
Location: Darmstadter Strasse 36, Seeheim-Jugenheim.
Telephone: 49 (6257) 8888
Web site: None.
