The fresh interior of Schwan Mediterranean Diner in Parsberg, Germany, has not changed much since its recent reopening. A fire forced the restaurant to close for 10 months. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Back in January, I showed up at the door of Schwan Mediterranean Diner in Parsberg with an eagerness sparked by several glowing recommendations.
My meal plans quickly went up in smoke, though, when I saw a sign saying the restaurant was closed indefinitely because of fire damage.
For months since then, I checked its website and drove past the empty building, which is 10 minutes from the Hohenfels Training Area. Eventually, my curiosity about the construction progress faded and I began to forget about the restaurant altogether.
That was, until last week, when I received a message from someone who first sang its praises to me last year: It was back. So 10 months after my original attempt, I found myself once again at Schwan's, this time with a friend who used to frequent it.
My friend, who during our journey there had praised Schwan's mojitos and vast variety of fare, was eager to see if the food had changed. Despite the lack of signage and the ongoing parking lot construction, the lights were on and the doors were open.
We took that as a good sign and stepped inside. The white-and-blue interior with light-wood accents gave off a cozy charm. Aside from a few patrons tucked into quiet corners, the place was calm and unhurried.
According to our kind waiter, the establishment had reopened about a month earlier with a private event to celebrate its return.
I couldn't help but notice a shiny grand piano at the center of the dining area. Though there was no live music that night, it immediately made me want to return sometime when the keys are brought to life.
We decided to skip the alcohol for our Tuesday evening visit. I opted for a locally made passion fruit lemonade, while my friend enjoyed a Hubert, a virgin version of the minty prosecco spritz known as the Hugo.
When it came to the food, Schwan may brand itself as a Mediterranean diner, but the menu offers far more than that. We both struggled to choose from the wide selection of Mediterranean dishes, pizzas, pastas, burgers and more.
It was the creative lineup of Beatles song-themed burgers that finally helped us narrow things down.
I ordered the Wild Honey Pie, which features a crispy chicken patty dressed up in a playful blend of lettuce, fried onions, house-made mayonnaise and, of course, honey.
The combination struck a perfect balance between sweet and savory, and I loved it from the first bite, especially appreciating the coating of cornflakes that gave the chicken patty its crunch.
Some honorable burger mentions that didn't make our final cut were the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts, Blue Jay Way and the Mean Mr. Mustard. After much deliberation, my friend went with the Michelle "Ma Belle."
It arrived topped with arugula, creamy camembert and apple mustard relish, which is traditionally an Italian condiment. Judging by the contented sigh that followed her first bite, I could tell she was just as happy with her choice as I was with mine.
I honestly can't remember the last time I finished a burger, but we both made quick work of the hefty patties and cleared every last wedge of the well-seasoned side of fries.
But we couldn't stop there. When I spotted tiramisu on the dessert menu, my mission to sample and rate every tiramisu I come across in Bavaria was back on.
My friend immediately asked for my rating after the first bite. The respectable 7.2 that I gave it was based on the fact that it wasn't overly sweet and struck a nice balance between the mascarpone mix, ladyfingers and coffee topping.
Her chocolate mousse earned a similar verdict, rich but not too sugary. Despite being pretty full from our burgers, we still managed to polish off our desserts.
As a returning patron, my friend was delighted to find that Schwan's cuisine has stayed true to its roots despite the long hiatus. And for me, after the monthslong wait to try it for the first time, it absolutely lived up to the hype.
In true phoenix style, Schwan Mediterranean Diner is proving in its resurrection that a little fiery setback isn't going to keep it down.
Cost: Appetizers, 6-11 euros; entrees range from 10 to 30 euros, with single-serving pizzas on the lower end, the burgers and pastas between 14 and 20 euros and steaks at the high end ranging between 30 and 40 euros; desserts, 5-10 euros