The bottle room is one of three indoor areas at Joujou that can be specially reserved. Seating up to 10 people, the room is emblematic of the prominence of wine in the operations of the restaurant, which is in the famous German Wine Road city of Bad Duerkheim. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
Saying that a restaurant treats its operations as a plaything wouldn’t normally inspire confidence.
But in the case of Joujou, a whimsical and all-gluten-free eatery in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, whose name means toy in French, conventional wisdom goes out the window.
The words “vollmundig, achtsam, verspielt” on the restaurant’s window translate to “full-bodied, attentive, playful.”
There are arts-and-crafts decorations inside such as evergreen trees made from wine corks. Themed, reserved dining areas like the sun room and the bottle room add to the amusement.
With its vivid wallpaper menagerie, the jungle room at Joujou in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, is a magnet for the young and the young at heart. The restaurant’s name is a French word meaning toy, so it maintains a playful air as embodied in the jungle room. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
The black-and-green Art Deco room is the main indoor dining area at Joujou. Seating up to 24 customers, it features custom-made tiles and other decorative touches designed to evoke the 1920s. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
The sun room at Joujou restaurant in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, can accommodate up to 12 people. Its decor is dominated by brass and gold-colored objects, and among the light sources are vegan rapeseed wax candles. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
The general indoor seating area is adorned in black, green and yellow with an Art Deco motif. Its custom-made tiles and squiggly light fixtures pay homage to the height of 1920s style.
But with its wallpaper a riot of monkeys, birds, chameleons and flora, the jungle room was the most captivating for me.
A large, shaded terrace invites outdoor dining in warm weather. I enjoyed a satisfying lunch there back in September, my only complaint being the wasp that refused to leave me and my food alone.
But for our party of four dining at Joujou in early December, insects weren’t a concern. We settled in for a meal that ended up turning a foul-weather Monday into a pleasurable evening.
A pumpkin risotto served at Joujou, a dedicated gluten-free restaurant in the German Wine Road city of Bad Duerkheim on Dec. 4, 2023. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
The pumpkin risotto with black garlic that I ordered was the talk of the table, and deservedly so. The thick rice was soused with a sauce that hinted of mustard, with sweet slices of pumpkin and the optional bits of steak rounding out the dish, which I paired with a luscious blackberry limeade.
Listed on the menu as Die Verfaelschung der Renaissance, it was a masterful and innovative melding of flavors. My three fellow diners sampled it as well and reached the same conclusion. Also, it was so filling that I had a portion to take home for later.
In retrospect, I wouldn’t have added the small steak, which tasted fine but didn’t warrant the extra 15 euros. Aside from that, the meal was a stellar example of gluten-free cuisine.
A summertime bowl served at Joujou consisting of flank steak, glass noodles, peanuts and diverse vegetables. The restaurant has a variable menu and isn’t beholden to any particular type of cuisine. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
An American colleague who is the most Germanized of us opted for Der Verspielte Herbst. It consists of king oyster mushrooms, chestnuts and red cabbage.
He too deemed his selection wunderbar and well-balanced in its blend of flavors and ingredients. The mushrooms were meaty and he also praised the chestnuts. However, he vowed to go with the pumpkin risotto next time.
The Joujou entree Der Verspielte Herbst, meaning the Playful Autumn, consists of king oyster mushrooms, chestnuts and red cabbage. Dishes at the restaurant in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, are gluten-free and vegan, but many offer the option of adding flank steak or fish. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
Another colleague ordered Die Ackerperle, which combines a potato-zucchini fritter with field greens and a balsamic dressing, and a berry crumble with chocolate sorbet whose menu name translates to “the sweet seduction.”
The appetizer his girlfriend chose, Der Kreuzbluetler, had enough heft to qualify as a main course with the optional addition of breaded Rhine River catfish. Heaping helpings of cauliflower, greens, sprouts, fried onions and potato puree filled the plate, accompanied by a drizzle made of white wine and mustard.
They also partook of a bowl of the soup of the day, which turned out to be a pumpkin soup. Although the presentation looked nice, they told me afterward that the soup needed salt.
My colleague’s berry crumble dessert proved seductive enough to live up to its name. He shared a bite of the fritter and the salad with me, and I concurred with his favorable assessment of both. I especially liked the delightfully tangy dressing.
Flank steak or Rhine River catfish are optional add-ons to many of the main dishes at Joujou in Bad Duerkheim, Germany. The restaurant serves an eclectic array of gluten-free and vegan dishes while also making accommodations for carnivores. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
Joujou is not just a restaurant, though. It has a bakery and a farm shop in a neighboring building, where items ranging from waffles and wine to organic fruits and vegetables are offered.
A standout at the farm shop is the fully stocked backpacks that hikers can rent for a ready-made picnic. They contain plates, cups, utensils and napkins, as well as whatever wine and food the customer adds. A map of outstanding local trails is included.
Given Joujou’s location on the German Wine Road, the restaurant proudly showcases regional vintages on its extensive wine list.
Its commitment to sustainability is evident in the use of such things as glass straws for drinks.
But even with its adherence to high quality and freshness standards, Joujou isn’t tied down by any culinary concept in particular, giving the proprietors latitude to play around with the menu offerings.
The business in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, known as Joujou consists of a restaurant, a bakery and a farm shop. All its dishes and products are gluten-free. Its beverage menu features regional wines, a range of spirits and even gluten-free beer. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)
In addition, it possesses fancy-restaurant feel and aesthetics while shunning the snootiness associated with fine dining.
I was the only person at our table restricted to a gluten-free diet. Yet all of us reveled in our experience at Joujou even though the rationale that led me to choose it didn’t apply to the others.
And with all the reasons it’s given me to keep coming back, I’m convinced that the 30-minute drive is worth it. An allergy-conscious restaurant with good food that actively encourages patrons to have a good time? Yeah, count me in for that.
Joujou
Address: Hauptstrasse 34, Bad Duerkheim, Germany
Hours: Restaurant, 12-10 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 12-6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 12-9 p.m. Sunday. Lunch served from 12 to 3 p.m. weekdays. Brunch offered the last Sunday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Bakery and farm shop, 12-6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
Cost: Lunchtime menu items range from 5.90 euros to 14.90 euros, and from 5 to 8 euros for waffles and cake. On the dinnertime menu, the soup of the day costs 9.90 euros; appetizers have a base range of 11.90 euros to 13.90 euros; entrees run from 17.90 euros to 22.90 euros. Sunday brunch, 24 euros.
Information: Phone: +49 6322 7906693; Online: joujou-pfalz.de/
