Here were some of the things I enjoyed while in Austria.
Amazing baked goods (various locations around Austria)
I probably visited a different bakery each day while in Austria for breakfast and snacks. To highlight each one presumes some are better than others. Maybe if I lived in Austria for a period of time, I'd be able to distinguish some kind of difference. But I'm just going to highlight the foods I enjoyed at whatever random bakery I walked into each day. They were all good.
Not sure what this was called, but it had flaky pastry covered with some type of strudel on the outside and mashed nuts in butter with cinnamon and sugar on the inside. Very tasty.
This was a beautiful pastry of some sort with mashed up nuts and chocolate artistically rolled up in frosted bread.
A croissant of course. These were also 2nd best compared to the croissants in France, but still flaky and enjoyable.
This was a pretzel roll with cheese baked on top of it until it oozed over and became crusty. The crusty cheese part was very good and the pretzel roll had that distinctive pretzel flavor on the outside and was very moist and chewy on the inside.
This was my favorite bakery item. It was from a bakery on the main strip in the lakes district city of Hallstatt. Obviously called a "nussknacker". This delightful treat had pastry crust on the bottom, topped with candied nuts and then dipped in dark chocolate. So good.
Of course I had to get this bread twist with bacon inside. A very nice, savory snack.
This is what Austria is know for, the Apfelstrudel. A frosted roll of bread or pastry crust with apple inside. Quite tasty.
Da Matteo at Alpenland Sporthotel
St. Johann in Pongau, 5600
Hans-Kappacher-Str. 7-9
http://www.alpenland-sporthotels.com/stjohann/en-Da-matteo
Our main place to stay in Austria was in the little ski town of Sankt Johann im Pongau, about a 40 minute train ride from Salzberg. This dinner was in our hotel restaurant, which featured mostly Italian food. We saw many Italian restaurants around Austria; these guys love their Italian food.
Edelweiss beer, dunkel (dark) and light. This beer seems to be a staple in any restaurant, bar, hot dog stand anywhere in Austria. The dark beer just had a little more caramel flavor but it wasn't too far different from the lighter version; which was very crisp and refreshing.
This was a very delicious meat lasagna. It looks like a mess but it had perfectly al dente lasagna noodles layered with stretchy cheese, meat and marinara sauce. Very savory and it didn't taste like canned tomato sauce.
This might have been the biggest calzone I've ever seen. Stuffed with ham and cheese, the bread portion tasted like fresh, homemade pizza dough with a nice marinara sauce poured over the top.
Venediger Wirt at The Gutburgerliche Inn
5600 St. Johann im Pongau
Venedigerstrasse 7
I really felt like I was in Austria in this restaurant. No one spoke English and everyone in the place smoked. But I put my pointing skills to use and stayed open minded.
This was the side salad that came with my meal. It was very fresh and crisp with a light vinaigrette on the bottom. It made me think we picked a good place.
I pointed to the special written on a small chalkboard on the wall. I recognized the word "spaetzle" (the German/Austrian noodle) and figured I'd be fine with whatever it came with. I was. This was some sort of beef stew with mushrooms, potatoes and tender cuts of beef in a thick and hearty gravy. The garnish in the middle was a slice of orange with a sweet berry jam and not-so-sour sour cream. I mixed everything together and chowed down. It was fantastic.
A purple cabbage sauerkraut came with my meal. Also delicious and a bit sweet since it came with a small dish of a berry jam.
Most Americans recognize Wiener schnitzel, but think it's a hot dog. It's not. It's actually pounded pork loin that has been breaded and pan fried. Usually served with french fries or some other type of potato. It's sad that the American fast food chain has altered our perception of this food. This was a delicious rendition of the Wiener schnitzel, with crispy fries to boot.
Sigmund-Haffnergasse 12 / Universitätsplatz 19
5020 Salzburg
http://www.zipfer-bierhaus.at/content/kontakt.htm
I'm always excited to eat around any University. I'm not sure why, but there's always good food around a University with reasonable prices. This place was no exception.
This was a half liter of the common Zipfer beer and 1/8th liter of Welschriesling from Weingut Schuller, Niederosterreich. The beer was very light. The wine was also light and crisp with a bit of sweetness.
I opted for the "Cat Cries", a spicy innards stew with hearts, liver and kidneys. Served with a dollop of sour cream, it was very savory and just what I needed.
The rosemary potatoes my stew came with went very well with it. They tasted like they were lightly splashed with a sweet vinegar. It was very nice.
My side salad was very fresh and had a light creamy vinaigrette dressing. It also had boiled potatoes on the bottom, which was surprising, but very good.
My boyfriend went for the ol' standby...sausages wrapped in bacon. The bacon was more like prosciutto, but no complaints here. It was very good sausage.
I took a leap of faith and went for some asian food. This place was also really close to the University so I figured it would at least be okay. It was more than okay. Also the line out the door was an indication of something special.
This was the chicken curry over rice. It was super tasty. Fresh ingredients with a mildly spicy but savory curry sauce.
This was the chicken curry over rice. It was super tasty. Fresh ingredients with a mildly spicy but savory curry sauce.
I am a noodle lover so I ordered the ramen with coconut curry sauce. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the sauce was a wonderful accompaniment to the noodles. Very nice.
Die Weiss (Beer Hall)
Rupertgasse 10 Salzburg
After a few days of white wine and light beers, a good beer hall was in order. This place was enormous, with several different dinning rooms. Each room had a bar of its own and a team of waitstaff ready to serve. Our waitress was a friendly blond with pigtails and spoke very good English.
To the left is the house Marzen called "Max". Full bodied and brewed with a strong barley-malt. It was lightly hoppy and very satisfying. On the right is the house "Dark" beer. Brewed with five different types of malt, this had a nice roasty flavor that finished clean and was also very good.
Rupertgasse 10 Salzburg
After a few days of white wine and light beers, a good beer hall was in order. This place was enormous, with several different dinning rooms. Each room had a bar of its own and a team of waitstaff ready to serve. Our waitress was a friendly blond with pigtails and spoke very good English.
To the left is the house Marzen called "Max". Full bodied and brewed with a strong barley-malt. It was lightly hoppy and very satisfying. On the right is the house "Dark" beer. Brewed with five different types of malt, this had a nice roasty flavor that finished clean and was also very good.
A basket of a roll and a pretzel was ordered along with our dinner. These came to the table warm, crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. Excellent for sopping up sauces.
Even though this dish looked a little funny, it was pretty tasty. This was the Dumplings on Sauerkraut. Inside each nugget was minced meat and bacon, served over a bed of sauerkraut and topped with a thin gravy.
This was the Pork Cutlet in Wheaten Beer Sauce. It was amazing. A huge pork chop was expertly pan-fried and served with the most umami-tasting beer sauce, over a bed of green beans sauteed with bacon and roasted potatoes. The bread was used to sop up this sauce. This plate left the table completely clean.
Bacht's Polreich
Seestrasse 89
4830 Hallstatt
This cute little restaurant was situated right off the water in Hallstatt, a small town in Austria's Lakes District. The Lakes District is known for fish, so I wanted to partake in some good seafood.
This is a picture of a light white wine called Gruner Veltliner, Kolkmann. It was very mild and refreshing. An excellent wine to go with fish.
The Maisel's Weisse was a Hefeweizen-style wheat beer. It was mildly fruity and also paired well with fish. I also liked the slightly curved glass it came in.
A small, fresh side salad with a balsamic vinaigrette came with my meal.
A superbly prepared roasted trout was bestowed upon me and I enjoyed every bite of this meal. The light batter was crispy and the flesh was flaky and juicy. It tasted like it just came out of the super clean lake just minutes before being cooked.
Like I said, I enjoyed every bite.
An after-lunch cappuccino. Very nice.
Cavalli Ristorante - Bar
Hans-Kappacher-Strasse 8 5600 St. Johann im Pongau
Hans-Kappacher-Strasse 8 5600 St. Johann im Pongau
This gem of a restaurant was a few doors down from our hotel in Sankt Johann im Pongau and it was so good, we went there two times for dinner. It also helped that our waiter was very charismatic and helpful in many ways.
This was the Weizen beer, which is a wheat beer. It was spritzy and effervescent. The wine was a 2011 Sabathi Sauvignon Blanc. It was very crisp and refreshing and light on the palate.
This was a Fischer Riesling Weingut. It was mildly sweet and fuller in the mouth. Very nice.
The table baguette was reminiscent of the baguette's from France. It had a nice crust on the outside and was chewy, moist and a bit sweet on the inside. This went excellent with oil and balsamic vinegar.
I never though asparagus could taste so good. This was the White Asparagus Soup with chunks of super sweet and fresh white asparagus, sauteed prosciutto and croutons. The broth was creamy without being heavy and was very savory. A seemingly simple soup that I'm sure was a lot of work to prepare and was out of this world.
I'm always overjoyed when a salad can be a satisfying meal by itself. This was the 5 pcs. King Prawns on Leaf salad with house dressing. There were more than five prawns on there and they were grilled perfectly. The many different lettuces were nice and crisp and the dressing was light and brought out the flavors of all the ingredients.
Another exceptional dish was the Grilled Alpine Salmon on Leek Potatoes and wine foam. The wine foam made for an interesting presentation, but the salmon was nice and flaky and flavorful.
An absolutely to die for dish. This was the Medium Roasted Saddle of Lamb with Bacon Beans and fried Potatoes. The lamb was so tender and cooked perfectly medium rare. Bacon also seems to make everything better and the green beans sauteed with bacon was a nice accompaniment, along with the crispy fried potatoes.
You know you're about to get a really good dish when the waiter chuckles mischievously after you've placed your order. This was the Austrian Boiled Beef with Roasted Potatoes and Horseradish. I was skeptical about beef that has been boiled, but they did it just right; low and slow. I didn't even need a knife. It was fork tender and the broth on the plate soaked into the potatoes and made them super flavorful as well. The horseradish was actually fresh horseradish and it was also very good, in moderation, as it was very spicy.
Might as well finish a great meal with an 18-year-old Chivas Regal. This scotch went down real smooth and had a nice smoky, caramelly flavor.
An after-dinner cappuccino. I was never much of a coffee drinker. But after a couple trips to Europe, I think this will start to be a somewhat regular thing for me.
This was a very creamy and chocolaty chocolate souffle with strawberry gelato. A great way to end an exceptional meal.
With our bill came complementary glasses of apricot schnapps. This was a digestive that I can actually swallow. Very nice.
This was a very small wine bar that's an extension of a very expensive and upscale restaurant in Vienna. The restaurant was a bit out of our price range, but I thought a little snack and a little drink would be nice before looking for a more reasonably-priced establishment. It was very casual, where you basically find a spot at a counter, get some finger sandwiches and order your drinks from a waiter.
I'm so glad I stopped by here because I tasted the most delicious white wine I've ever had in my life. It was the Chardonnay Tatschler, 2008, Kollwentz, Neusiedlersee Hugalland. It was full-bodied, slightly sweet and had all these nuances that I don't know how to describe. It was just phenomenal. It was also 38 Euros a bottle, which hurt a bit, but when in Wien! Just to complete the photo description, the beer was Pfiff Bier Schladminger. It was good.
I'm so glad I stopped by here because I tasted the most delicious white wine I've ever had in my life. It was the Chardonnay Tatschler, 2008, Kollwentz, Neusiedlersee Hugalland. It was full-bodied, slightly sweet and had all these nuances that I don't know how to describe. It was just phenomenal. It was also 38 Euros a bottle, which hurt a bit, but when in Wien! Just to complete the photo description, the beer was Pfiff Bier Schladminger. It was good.
Roast beef finger sandwich.
Smoked salmon finger sandwich.
Smoked salmon finger sandwich with black sesame seeds and a curry bun.
Turkey finger sandwich on a tiny pretzel roll.
From left to right, tuna salad, egg salad, and liver pate with sauteed onions. Good snacks for 1-2 Euros each.
Restaurant Giorgina
Bankgasse 2
1010 Vienna
http://www.giorgina.at/
After walking for some time and seeing no signs of a restaurant in our midst, this place came into view like a beacon. After looking at the menu and seeing no English, I decided this was where we should eat. I was not disappointed.
This was their Gosser beer and some sort of spritzer. The spritzer was very light and refreshing with a mild fruity flavor.
Bankgasse 2
1010 Vienna
http://www.giorgina.at/
After walking for some time and seeing no signs of a restaurant in our midst, this place came into view like a beacon. After looking at the menu and seeing no English, I decided this was where we should eat. I was not disappointed.
This was their Gosser beer and some sort of spritzer. The spritzer was very light and refreshing with a mild fruity flavor.
A very crisp, fresh side salad came with my meal. Always nice.
Another good rendition of the Wiener schnitzel. Rather than fries, it had boiled potatoes and a berry jam to go with it. The lemon squeezed over it was also good.
This was a fantastic grilled trout with sauteed greens underneath. Perfectly cooked with a nice presentation.
Some bread dumplings also accompanied my fish. These were amazing. I've had bread dumplings before but these were light and fluffy with fresh herbs mixed in. They were also pan fried in butter after being boiled so they were cooked evenly throughout and had a buttery crispiness on the outside.
Chocolate cake was for dessert. It was light and fluffy like a souffle, but without the 20 minute wait. The freshly whipped cream on the side with the fresh mint and apricot preserve all went very well together.
This was one of Vienna's many Wurstel (sausage) stands. Only in Europe can one get beer at a hot dog stand. These were not the "cheap" variety that we may find here in the States that may give me digestive upset afterwards. These were really good sausages, just served quickly and conveniently.
Not sure what kind of sausage this was, but I loved the delicious mustard and curry sprinkled on top.
This sausage was mildly spicy and was also very good.
Fair Food
Somewhere near the main train station in Vienna was a street fair. They probably have these fairly often, but I'm always up for grabbing some fair food and schmoozing with some locals.
Of course, whenever I see a pig roasting on a spit, I'm drawn to it.
Included on this plate is some of that roasted pig, bread dumpling, sauerkraut, spaetzle, and roasted sausage with potato. Everything was very delicious and satisfying.
Not sure what kind of sausage this was, but I loved the delicious mustard and curry sprinkled on top.
This sausage was mildly spicy and was also very good.
Fair Food
Somewhere near the main train station in Vienna was a street fair. They probably have these fairly often, but I'm always up for grabbing some fair food and schmoozing with some locals.
Of course, whenever I see a pig roasting on a spit, I'm drawn to it.
Included on this plate is some of that roasted pig, bread dumpling, sauerkraut, spaetzle, and roasted sausage with potato. Everything was very delicious and satisfying.
This was a nice rosé. Medium-bodied that was not too dry and not too sweet. It was Familie Hainzl Jauk, Schilcher Exklusiv, Weststeiermark.
A nice white wine called Morillon Tobisegg, 2012. Also a Gosser beer that was refreshing on a cool day.
This was called a Steiner-Schlagrolle. I suppose it can be described as an Austrian eclair. It had a flaky pastry crust, with lightly sweetened whipped cream piped in the middle and then coated with a fudge-like chocolate. It was ridiculously good. It's probably good that I walked away before eating this, because I might have purchased and then eaten a lot more of these.
I greatly enjoyed eating and drinking my way through Hungary and then Austria. The people were incredibly nice and helpful. There's something that has to be said about European hospitality. I felt very welcomed in Austria, rather than just tolerated as a tourist. I hope I will have the opportunity to return to this beautiful country.
A nice white wine called Morillon Tobisegg, 2012. Also a Gosser beer that was refreshing on a cool day.
This was called a Steiner-Schlagrolle. I suppose it can be described as an Austrian eclair. It had a flaky pastry crust, with lightly sweetened whipped cream piped in the middle and then coated with a fudge-like chocolate. It was ridiculously good. It's probably good that I walked away before eating this, because I might have purchased and then eaten a lot more of these.
I greatly enjoyed eating and drinking my way through Hungary and then Austria. The people were incredibly nice and helpful. There's something that has to be said about European hospitality. I felt very welcomed in Austria, rather than just tolerated as a tourist. I hope I will have the opportunity to return to this beautiful country.
