Rosinni Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg, Germany, has plenty of pleasant indoor and outdoor seating and a walk-up window for ice cream on the go. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Rosinni Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg, Germany, has plenty of pleasant indoor and outdoor seating and a walk-up window for ice cream on the go. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg's theater district and is within walking distance of the downtown shopping area. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg offers a rotating selection of specials along with a full regular menu. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
This classic "steak au poivre" dish is one of the highlights of the savory menu offered by Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg, Germany. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
The scampi shrimp skewers atop a fresh salad is one of the lighter items on the menu at Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg, Germany. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
The Nutcracker parfait is one of many ice cream concoctions on the five-page-long ice cream menu at Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe, located in the theater district of Amberg, Germany. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Though this sour cherry compote with ice cream and fresh cream wasn't the fanciest looking ice cream creation on the menu when we visited Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe in Amberg Germany, it was by far the best tasting. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Springtime is here in Germany, bringing with it the showers and warmer weather that herald the end of the gloomy winter season. As temperatures tick upward, ice cream cafes across Bavaria have begun competing in earnest for the attention of both walkabout tourists and locals emerging from hibernation.
One such parlor, tucked away near the theater district in the city of Amberg, has set itself apart from others by offering more than just a scoop of Rocky Road.
Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe has a full-fledged menu alongside its ice cream selection. While other ice cream parlors in Bavaria offer up a token menu of savory fare, Rossini’s chef Daniel Fritz and his staff have put together an Italian-influenced menu that rivals other restaurants in scope and creativity.
Besides the typical pasta dishes and bruschetta, there is a wide variety of steak options and a rotating menu of specials to keep things interesting for return guests. Rossini’s menu also offers a fairly unique baked-potato selection and some unusual choices for vegetarians outside the usual salad fare.
On the night my party and I visited Rossini, we sampled a steak, poultry, seafood and baked-potato dishes before diving into the lengthy ice cream menu. The highlight of the savory side of things was easily the steak au poivre — prepared correctly with green peppercorns rather than black.
That might be a small thing to get right, but a collection of small things often separates a great dining experience from a poor one. Rossini did all of the small things right. The steak was cooked exactly as ordered, the baked potato was fluffy, seasoned and moist, and the caraway potato side dish managed to avoid the mushiness that affects many a Bratkartoffeln. In short, the dinner was nearly perfect. The only real complaint was that the turkey dish was a bit underseasoned.
Of course, as this is first and foremost an ice cream parlor, my party sampled a variety of in-house ice cream creations. Rossini’s menu features five full pages of ice creams, with everything from a funny-face children’s cone to alcohol-infused desserts for adults.
There are milkshakes, sweetened drinks, the classic banana split and the exotic “El Goucho,” made with coconut and a sweet tequila sauce.
My favorite was the sour cherry compote with a variety of ice creams on the side. It included what has to be the best-tasting vanilla I’ve ever had.
We sat inside on the evening we visited, but Rossini has ample outdoor seating and the usual walk-up window where patrons can grab an ice cream cone to go. It’s a perfect place for an after-movie treat or a quick dessert. If you choose to have a full sit-down meal, you can round out the evening with a beer from the nearby Bruckmüller brewery.
Rossini Restaurant and Eiscafe, Amberg, GermanyAddress: Mühlgasse/Englischer Garten 1 D-92224 Amberg.
Hours: 10 a.m. to midnight daily March to October. The kitchen is open for hot meals from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. daily. From October to March, it’s open 5-midnight Mondays through Saturdays. The kitchen is open from 5-10 p.m. Closed Sundays during the October to March season.
Prices: We bought a few of the more expensive dishes that evening, but the menu is varied enough that the frugal diner can get a meal, drink and ice cream for under 13 euros. Steaks can be pricey, and the more complex ice cream dishes hover around the 6-euro mark.
Dress: The restaurant setting is extremely casual, so basic tourist attire is fine.
Clientele: Mostly German.
Menu: English-language menus are available upon request.
More information: Phone: (+49) (0) 9621788-513; website: www.rossini-amberg.de/html/english.html.
