> The Erbacher Hof in the Grebenstrasse just behind the cathedral is a classic example of the traditional Mainz winebar.

Chronologically gifted customer base (we tend to drop the median age by a couple of years and that doesn’t happen very often these days), limited menu with the standard stuff (Fleischwurst, Handkäs mit Musik, Spundekäs), local and Rheingau wines, beer in bottles, long scrubbed wooden tables.

The place clears in stages during the evening with a phased exodus as curfew approaches for the various old folks’ homes. ( I kid you not)

And you’ll rarely have a table to yourself. You either join someone at theirs or they’ll join you and start chatting.

“Ei, wo kimmst denn her” (“So where do you live, then?”)

Except for the folks from across the river.

If someone pops their head around the door, doesn’t see an empty table and leaves, the oldies nod knowingly to each other.

“Wissbadener”, they say.

A bit stuck up. They wouldn’t join you at your table.

Not like the Meenzer.

31 May This entry was published on 31 May, 2007 at 08:12. It’s filed under Uncategorized and tagged Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.