Vienna

This month we are shining a spotlight on the gastronomic delights of Vienna. The Austrian metropolis is the only city in the world after which a cuisine has been named: the “Viennese Cuisine” – one of the most interesting cuisines in Europe and certainly the best cuisine in “Central” Europe. This Spotlight also features a listing of all the restaurants voted for in Vienna in 2010 by the Academy.

A Word from our Regional Chairman

Hannes Konzett

Austrian Haute Cuisine (formerly “K. & K.” Imperial & Royal Cuisine) is, along with French and Italian cuisines, one of the most interesting in Europe. After the end of the Austrian Monarchy (“K & K”) nearly one hundred years ago, its importance in Europe declined. Today, when we talk about “Austrian Cuisine”, we mean a fusion of “Cuisine Alpienne” (West Austria) and “Cuisine Viennoise” (“Wiener Küche”, East Austria). During the time of the Habsburg Monarchy, the best chefs in the Crown Lands made a pilgrimage to the big city of Vienna and many of the recipes from the Crown Lands “transformed” themselves into dishes of the “Viennese Cuisine”. The classic Viennoise cuisine has a hearty taste, fat is often used for frying (Viennese Schnitzel) and boiling is common too (for beef). It is the only city in the world to be name-giver to its own culinary repertoire – the “Viennese Cuisine”. Using influences from different countries (the former Crown Lands of the Habsburg Monarchy), the city of Vienna has created a diverse cuisine.

Heinz Reitbauer

But in the kitchens of Vienna, chefs also know how to hone their culinary skills. The best evidence of this is the Reitbauers’ family restaurant, the “Steirereck”. Chef de cuisine, Heinz Reitbauer junior, has catapulted on to a sensational 21st rung on the “The S.Pellegrino World´s 50 Best Restaurants 2010” ladder. For me, the writer, he is a candidate for a third Michelin star. Midday and evenings (Monday to Friday), he creates complex and subtle delicacies for up to 95 guests at each sitting. Heinz Reitbauer likes to cook with old types of vegetables, lamb from their own farm and prefers Austrian fresh fish to salt water fish. The service at the Steirereck is perfect, the wine cellar has an excellent selection and the restaurant is located in a lovely city park.

Michelin Guide, the internationally renowned gourmet guide (www.viamichelen.com), lists three other restaurants in the Austrian capital, each with one star: the “Walter Bauer” (Chef, Tommy Möbius), the “Novelli” (Chef, Konstantin Filippou) and “Mraz & Sohn” (Chef, Markus Mraz – his sons are already “practising” with Jonnie Boer/De Librije & Co). Michelin editors have awarded the “Bib Gourmand” for very good, medium-priced restaurants to ten Viennese establishments. Not enough by far for a city that is well-known for its good food at favourable prices. There are alternative gourmet guides for Vienna to reference: “Gault Millau” (www.gaultmillau.at), “A la Carte” (www.alacarte.at), “Where Austrians eat” (www.styriabooks.at) and “Falstaff VIP Gourmet Guide” (www.falstaffgourmentclub.at) – is a kind of “Zagat Guide” for Austria.

FabiosZum Schwarzen Kameel” (a top tip for visitors to Vienna), Chef Christian Domschitz is now at the “Vestibül” in the Burgtheater. His excellent, witty kitchen and “marble restaurant” are worth a visit. For those who love wine and cheese, it is well worth going to the “Eisvogel” city tavern in the Prater, Vienna’s pleasure park, and to the “Meierei”, one floor below the 2-star restaurant, the “Steirereck”, in the Vienna Stadtpark. Slow Food founder, Carlo Petrini is keen on the “Zu Den 3 Hacken” inn in the first district. The “Grünauer” (7th district) is of a similar standard, as is the “Eckel” (19th district). Both establishments offer simple but amazingly good Viennese pub culture. Mario Plachutta, whom they call the “Beef Emperor of Vienna” has three, well-frequented “Plachutta” Restaurants” in Vienna, much loved by tourists. Speciality: boiled beef in all its variations.

The best Italian eatery in the city is still “Fabios” (near “Zum Schwarzen Kameel” and the best delicatessen in town “Meinl am Graben”). The top Asian restaurants in the city: “Kim kocht” (Japanese-Korean; Chef Sohyi Kim), “Indochine 21” (reopening in the autumn, 2010, after a refit, mixed Asian cuisine; Chef Wini Brugger), Restaurant “ON” (Chinese-Austrian fusion cuisine; Chef Simon Hong Xie) and “Jin´s Sinohouse” (South Asiatic cuisine – with the best Peking duck in town, and definitely the best wine cellar in any Asian restaurant in Austria).

“Beisl” (small beer and wine taverns with food menu, like a British pub or inn), “Heurige” (wine taverns with food buffet) and the Vienna coffee house (“Wiener Kaffeehaus”) are all Viennese institutions. The Beisl, also a bit like an Italian trattoria or French brasserie, is a favourite with Viennese food bon vivants. These taverns or pubs can be quite simple and some have more upmarket amenities. A few of the best chefs in Vienna have “retired” to these workplaces. In the capital of Vienna, wine has been planted, too. The wine speciality “Gemischter Satz” caused a stir in October, 2010, at the Slow Food Fair, “Salone del Gusto”, in Turin. Viennese wines can be enjoyed at the popular “Heurige” local taverns – these are located at the city edge. And last but not least, Viennese coffee houses well deserve their place as contributors to Vienna’s reputation as a city for epicureans, (tip: “Café Central” – lots of tourists, but illustrious location). The best cocktail bars in the city are right in the centre: “Loos American Bar” (small & refined). And for pure indulgence, guests should go to the largest of the Vienna markets, the “Naschmarkt”. This is situated near the underground station and is only a minute or two’s walk from the famous shopping mile in Vienna, the “Kärntner Strasse” (on the corner, Hotel & Café “Sacher”, Sachertorte!).

Three new gourmet addresses for Vienna

The end of 2010 or beginning of 2011 heralds the arrival of three new top establishments in the city of Vienna. A French-cuisine-inspired restaurant on the top-most floor of luxury hotel “Sofitel” under the patronage of former French 3-star chef Antoine Westermann is to enhance the Vienna restaurant scene. The project has top priority in the Parisian headquarters of international hotel group, Accor. Aim: Two Michelin stars! Also carrying two Michelin stars with him in his luggage, the German master chef, Silvio Nickol is moving to Vienna to the Hotel Residence “Palais Coburg”. After the departure of Christian Petzt, Silvio Nickol is to take the new restaurant at the Palais Coburg to culinary heights once again. The more than 20 million (!) euro-strong cellar is already in place. Time: beginning of 2011. Aim: two stars. Also at the beginning of 2011 – after Paris in January 2011 – top Asian hotel chain “Shangri-La” will open the second string to its bow in Europe, in Vienna. The gourmet restaurant of the house will be led by Austrian, Joachim Gradwohl. He was awarded “Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2007” and will be supported on the service side by outstanding sommelier, Hermann Botolen.
These two were previously at “Meinl am Graben”. Aim: at least one Michelin star.

In the international “Mercer” Study of May 26, 2010, quality of living in 221 major cities was compared and Vienna scored the highest rating for the second time in succession, followed by Zurich and Geneva (both Swiss) in second and third places. Vienna is always worth a visit – for its cuisine and its culture! For more information go to www.wien.info

Hannes Konzett is the founder of OSCAR´S Guide and Hotel & Gourmet Magazine (1996 – 6/2010) and editor-in-chief of GENUSSZIELE, www.genussziele.com (Gourmet & Pleasure Destinations, 12/2010).

Academy Chairman’s Recommended New Hot Spots

Steirereck – “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” No. 21!

Meierei – One floor below the highly-rated “Steirereck”. 120 types of cheese Walter Bauer* (+43 1 5129871, Sonnenfelsgasse 17, 1st district) – 1 Michelin star

Novelli – very creative star kitchen with Mediterranean influences.

Mraz & Sohn – 1 Michelin star for refined and modern Viennese cuisine

Fabios – Italian food for the banker and society brigade incl. top cocktail bar.

Kim kocht – Vienna’s best Asian restaurant (Japanese-Korean)

Zum schwarzen Kameel – “Viennese tapas bar” is an institution. Must see!

Vestibül – An orgy of marble, a restaurant with witty Viennese cuisine.

Plachutta – the “Beef Emperor” of Vienna. Classic but lots of tourists.

Meinl am Graben – a kind of Harrod’s delicatessen in Vienna.

Naschmarkt – the best market in Vienna with lots of eateries.

Culinary tours of Vienna

On a tour of the restaurants, coffee houses and Heurige of the city, Vienna presents its “pleasurable living” side. Vienna is well-known for its cuisine, coffee houses and Heurige. When you visit a Viennese Beisl, you get to know the city from the inside – including its charming idiosyncrasies and also more scurrilous side. Guests going on “Wien bewegt” tours will get to know the city’s culinary features. David Bergl, initiator and guide for culinary tours takes participants, according to their choice, to selected Viennese eateries, different Heurige or coffee houses. Tour guests experience a mixture of culture, history and culinary delights. In between and during tasting sessions, Bergl explains the histories of Viennese Cuisine specialities – from beef soup to pancakes, tells anecdotes about the places visited and includes some interesting things about the city. A mini-bus takes visitors from one eatery to the next, so that some sight-seeing can be fitted in en route. Tours can be booked for up to 10 people. The price per person includes food and an accompanying drink per course. Guided tours put together on an individual basis take in two or three restaurants, cafés or bars.

For more detailed  information about Tours of Vienna, contact: T. +43 664 9188888, office@wienbewegt.at www.wienbewegt.at (Tours are offered in German and English, also in other languages upon request.

Viennese Cuisine

(for lovers of plain, Austrian cuisine)

The Viennese coffee house is known around the globe for its informal pleasantness, as an oasis of gemütlichkeit. Traditional cafés entice with a wide variety of coffee drinks, international newspapers and pastry creations. Modern representatives of the genre enrich the tradition with stylish flair. A close relative of the café is the pastry shop. Their specialty, pies and cakes, are the icing on Vienna’s dolce vita in the form of Bundt cake and sachertorte.

From September 15-November 15, 2010 the Vienna, Wine and Design promotion provides the perfect opportunity to see, sample and experience Viennese wine.

A true bon vivant will know that Viennese Cuisine is the only cuisine in the world to be named after a city. Viennese chefs draw on influences from various countries to conjure up exciting dishes that never fail to capture the imagination.

Visit The Vienna Tourist Board for more information:

Featured Restaurants

Academy Recommended

Interview

Restaurant Locations

Tourist Board Recommendations