Restaurant Sperl
Where? Restaurant Sperl (Wieden, Vienna, Austria) Map Menu
When? Sunday July 2, 2017
Who? Theo
Food Style? Austrian
This is our second visit to Vienna within the last seven days. The last time we were here, most of our meals were from the Naschtmarkt since we stayed close by, but now as our accommodation is in Belvedere, we're going to try something different. It's my last chance to get the famous Viennese speciality - veal schnitzel. We're seated outdoors in the cool Viennese evening breeze, with plenty of locals enjoying a meal and beer after their work day.
Entree
Mango and haloumi skewers with honey chilli crust on marinated rucola
The haloumi and mango combination is pretty good, with the salty and sweet balancing well. I think a bit more smokiness on the cheese would have been nice, or if they had grilled the mango instead of serving it fresh.
Mains
Weiner Schnitzel - thinly cut veal in breadcrumbs with field salad and potato salad
The crumb is hot and crispy, and packs a surprising amount of flavour. The meat tastes great and isn't too dry, but the meal is a bit plain for what it is. I'm not sure if putting sauce on the schnitzel is frowned upon, but I think it would improve the flavour. The potato salad is not what I was expecting - it's not like a traditional Kiwi potato salad with a creamy dressing, it has a vinaigrette instead, and it's nice enough.
Dessert
Trilogy of Apricot
Apricots are a regional fruit here in Vienna. We did a wine tour of the nearby Wachau Valley and saw many apricot trees dotted around the landscape, their orange fruit standing out against the greenery of the trees. The apricots in this dessert have that lovely tartness and taste great, but my biggest complaint is the batter on the fried apricot is not edible at all. It's too floury and doesn't taste good. The strudel is quite nice but my favourite is the sorbet, it's refreshing and fruity, and the little bits of apricot inside are a treat.
Not a bad meal. There were a lot of good sounding options on the menu that I would have liked to try if we were here for longer, but alas, it's off to Salzburg tomorrow!
Posted by Jeremy at 10:53pm on Wednesday July 26, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 
La Piazzetta
Where? La Piazzetta (Naschmarkt, Vienna, Austria) Map Menu
When? Wednesday June 28, 2017
Who? Busabout Crew
Food Style? Italian
Vienna's Naschtmarkt is a favourite of locals and tourists alike. During the day, stores selling antipasti, dried foods and fresh produce bustle with foot traffic, while on the other side, restaurants are filled with happy diners enjoying a meal. Our accommodation is nearby, so we've been in and out several times for a few of our meals, and today, we're hoping to find a place that can accommodate all ten of us. It's often difficult to find something to cater to everyone's tastes and budgets, but hopefully this one delivers.
I'm immediately attracted to the mixed seafood platter. At €50 for two, it's a lot of food and also quite expensive for just me, so I've tried to coax Theo into eating some of it. All eyes are on me as this massive plate arrives.
Mains
Piatto di Pesce Misto - mixed seafood platter
Wow. I go for the salmon first - fantastic texture, crispy skin and smooth flesh, grilled perfectly with that delicious smokey flavour. The sea bass has lots of bite, it's incredibly meaty. It goes superbly with the garlic and herb oil on the side. The fat and juicy prawns are next - I love sucking the roe out of the heads! Finally, the squid is perfectly cooked, not rubbery at all and again goes so well with a hint of lemon juice and that garlic and herb oil on the side.
Given that Austria is land locked, I don't know why this seafood is so good. The whole market is stocked with amazing produce, and even the vegetables and potatoes on my plate are incredibly tasty. So much so that my neighbours have started picking at them, because there is no way I'm finishing all of this.
Dessert
Tiramisu
Despite that though, I can't pass up a tiramisu for dessert. People are wondering how I can eat this much. The tiramisu is as good as any I've had in Italy, the sponge has that structural integrity which shows that it's been made fresh and isn't disintegrating from soaking in liquid all day.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:26pm on Wednesday July 26, 2017 :: 0 comments ::