This is a hot report, I have not even digested the food yet, but there is a burning desire inside me to report immediately, as if I could this way relay to you some of the magic I have experienced tonight in Vienna.
I am here for a meeting and I arrived shortly before dinner time. I stay in the historical center, and found the “Vestibul” from the Michelin Red Guide, where it has been awarded a “Bib Gourmand” citation, meaning best value for money.
In any case, I walked the one kilometer in a very mild night and arrived at the restaurant.
It is across the boulevard from the Parliament, in a quiet corner of the Burg Theater.
The decoration inside is 19th century “fin de siecle”, as you can see from the bar photograph.
I was greeted by Veronika Doppler, who kindly showed me to a smoking table near the bar.
The friendly waiter recommended the house specialty for a starter, and I obeyed.
The dish arrived in the hands of the chef, Christian Domschitz, who explained that it is crunchy gabbage, lightly treated in salt and vinegar, served to accompany the lobster in its butter sauce. This was a first course, and it had in it almost half a lobster! Tender, juicy, divine!
This dish is a poem to the contrast of textures and the divinity of the lobster’s fragile mortal flesh.
If mortality is so beautiful, I am happy to be mortal!
The main course was my choice. black truffle with beef marrow, served on a “sponge” of crispy white bread. This is beyond description! I have never before tasted such a sweet, buttery substance, that melts in your mouth with overpowering you, while at the same time the truffle infuses the liquid with all the aromas of the woods.
This orgy of a dish was accompanied by a fiery red wine made by Triebauer.
And now the dessert! Dark chocolate praline with campari sauce in the middle, accompanied by blood orange sorbet on the left and orange grog on the right.
The grog was mildly hot, and contrasted beautifully the cold sorbet.
Mamma mia!
Veronika, Christian, thank you!
I will be back!
Mit herzlichen gruessen!
P.S. At the time of the visit, the restaurant was recommended by the Michelin Red Guide as “petit gourmand”.