Bâlehoo

Are you longing for a great steak, but Swiss prices turn your stomach? Head to El Gaucho Restaurant in Lörrach, Germany. This casual Argentinian eatery offers up tasty grilled steaks at reasonable prices. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed and evokes your favorite American steakhouse - right down to the oversized steak knives. Don’t forget to get a baked potato and corn on the cobb on the side. Yum!

El Gaucho Restaurant
Marktplatz 7, 79539 Lörrach (Germany)
Phone +49 7621 168 959
www.elgaucho-loerrach.de

(Thanks to Matt Meehan for this reporting.)

Call the Police, ‘cause it a hamburger emergency! A Balehoo reader recently let me know that she is in desperate need of that good ole American classic, the hamburger, here in Basel, but didn’t know where to turn. Well, here are a couple of suggestions—and let’s just exclude the fast food joints, we all know what and where they are.

PAPA JOE’S
The closest thing to an “American” restaurant here in Basel, Papa Joe’s is where you can get your fix of chicken wings, spare ribs, nachos…and a pretty decent burger. And while the prices might actually, physically knock your socks right off (CHF 22.50 for a cheeseburger?? It’s MEAT + BREAD + CHEESE, people…), you can certainly get your burger and fry fix taken care of. And don’t forget the CHF 7 margarita and caipirinha happy hour – til 7 every day.

Papa Joe’s Restaurant and Bar
Barfüsserplatz, Stadtcasino, 4001 Basel
Phone +41 61 225 93 94, Fax +41 61 225 93 99

PADDY REILLY’S
Ok, so it’s loud, crowded and smoky. And maybe an Irish pub isn’t your kind of place. But when I’m in the mood, a Paddy’s cheeseburger and fries does the trick for me. Not a bad burger for Switzerland. Find yourself a table inside or out, and then order at the bar. Best of all – you can wash it down with a Guinness. Latecomers beware—the kitchen is only open until 9 pm. And if you feel a little guilty about the calories, you can head downstairs after 10 pm to dance and sweat it off.

*KARENA-HOO NOTE: While I’ve enjoyed many a Paddy burger, every once in a while they come out a bit too raw for my personal parasite-fearing pleasure. So keep your eyes peeled and your shot of tequila at the ready.
Paddy Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
Steinentorstrasse 45
4051 Basel

EO IPSO
The cool, somewhat upscale restaurant/bar in an old tank factory in the Gundeli, eo ipso doesn’t seem like a likely place for a good burger. And, in the spirit of transparency, I myself have never consumed one there, nor been present during the actual burger eating process. But I have heard from several people that, during the summer, outside, at the bar, you can get a very good hamburger. So if you happen to be in the neighborhood, swing by and see what you think. I may just be there finding out for myself.

eo ipso
Dornacherstrasse 192
4053 Basel
061 333 1490

Of course, if any of you out there know of other places in and around Basel where you can get a burger, please let me know so I can add it to the list! Send your recommendations to karena.meehan@balehoo.com.
*This juicy photo was taken at my recent trip to Wild Abandon, a fabulous Portland restaurant, which offers up these mighty meaty beauties for just $5 a pop during happy hour.

If you need night-vision goggles to see your salad, then you must be at Basel’s Blindekuh Restaurant. This restaurant, in which the waitstaff are blind or visually impaired, invites you to experience the world as they do – in the dark. That’s right, you go through the entire dining experience in a pitch-black room. You’ll never appreciate your sight more than when you try to eat a simple forkful of lettuce and miss your mouth – three times!

A fun and educational night out for friends and family, Blindekuh is also a great idea for corporate teambuilding events. And, of course, it is the perfect venue for… you guessed it…. a blind date! (Insert groaning noises here.)

A word of warning: Blindekuh is not for the faint of heart (several in our group experienced a mild degree of claustrophobia) nor is it particularly for the food (which is good but not great). Still it is an absolutely worthwhile experience that will open your eyes to the world of the visually impaired. Most importantly, it benefits the Blind-Liecht foundation, an organization working to create employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired people! That’s reason enough in my book.

For an interesting article about another person’s Blindekug experience, check out the
English Show website.

Blindekuh
bar restaurant kultur bildung im dunkeln
Dornacherstrasse 192
4053 Basel
www.blindekuh.ch
Tel: 061 336 33 00

As a die-hard cheese-aholic, I am pleased to see that Fondue Season is in full swing. But much as I would like to, I don’t always have time to linger over a giant pot of cheesy goodness. So, how’s a girl to get her daily fix? Easy. Just run to your local grocery store and pick up a handy, individual-sized container. I like the aptly named “Mini Fondue” from Migro. It is the perfect size for a satisfying, but not sleep-inducing, lunch. You can heat it up in the microwave, but I recommend heating it on the stove in a regular pot (rub the bottom of the pot with a garlic clove first for a quick little kick). So, forget about that stale, plastic-wrapped sandwich at the SBB. Make it (mini) cheese fondue instead.