Galloping Gourmet: Vienna, Austria

Vienna Overview

Attending a series of intense, morning to evening meetings is not the best way to enjoy the culinary treats of Vienna. All but one of my dinners was under the constrained circumstance of having to seat 15-20 people. The one dinner outside the group environment, was fabulous.

I also didn't get to take full advantage of the coffee house culture, only making it to three different ones (breakfast, lunch, drinks). I was able to hit one of the prime tourist spots, the Cafe Sacher and indulge in the famed torte.

Here's a rundown of my eating adventures in Vienna:

Breakfast

• Das Möbel Cafe

Lunch

• Café Bendl

Dinner

• Palmenhaus
• Karl Kolarik's Schweizerhaus Gesellschaft
• Kristian's Monastiri
• Das Riverside

Dessert/Drinks

• Cafe Franz Blauensteiner
• Cafe Sacher

United 870: SYD to SFO

United 870: SYD to SFO

Dinner on the flight, served just out of Sydney, was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. It was alright, a little on the greasy side, served with a side of roasted potatoes (good) and carrots and green beans. A side salad with Italian dressing plus a roll topped off the savoury side of the meal. Dessert was a bit too dense bit of chocolate cake. A nice touch was a complimentary wine (I selected the Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon).

For breakfast, well, I seemed to have slept through it; there was a cookie, pretzels and a little sandwich on my tray, so either that was the simple handout or there were airline fairies at work, we'll never know.

Meal: Dinner/Breakfast
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

United 840: MEL to SYD

United 840: MEL to SYD

Well, back on a US carrier for a short hall, relatively, beverage and peanuts. Qantas, you spoiled me!

Meal: Snack
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

I wasn't expecting much from the culinary options for Canberra, my first dinner was very good, so when my colleagues suggested Indian on the second night, I felt on I was on a positive roll.

And I wasn't disappointed. The Jewel of India was among the best Indian food I've had. Our group agreed on the banquet options. This included poppadom, appetizers (tandoori chicken and samosa), a basket of naan, and four entrees (Aloo palak, Beef madras, Lamb rogan josh, and chicken korma). All the selections were fabulous. The beef madras, if I had to pick one, would be my favorite (perhaps since I don't have it very often).

There was also dessert (the obligatory golum jabba (I'm never cared for that dish, so I didn't even try it) and a mango ice cream that was very good (but took a while to soften up).

Staff were attentive and the decor quite nice. Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 11 Bougainville St., Griffith, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2603
Website: http://www.jewelofindia.com.au

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

My colleague from the University of Melbourned recommended Cutler & Co. if I wanted some "smart" bar food instead of a full dinner. That sounded both good and intriguing and it was also on the way back to my hotel.

The ambiance was cool hip with lots of black and chrome and spot lightinng. The host quickly met me at the door and was pleasant and happy for my request for a single table near the bar. Looking over the menu, it was indeed a smart menu with too many tempting choices. I had gone in with the idea of a single appetizer, but everything looked so good, I had to have two.

I created my own "surf and turf" with a selection of three South Australian Kumoto oysters (figured June is really December and hence has a "r" in it), and Wagyu beef ribs. I accompanied it with a Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir.

Service was quick and attentive. The food was amazing. The oysters were strong, and served on a mound of salt (a nice touch); I missed a bit of horseradish with them, but made do with a squeeze of lemon. The ribs were tender and sauced just right.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 55-57 Gertrude St., Melbourne, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.cutlerandco.com.au

Wig and Pen: Drinking in a political pub

Wig and Pen

We had two days of very good meeting in Canberra, and so, before some of our group headed back to other parts of Australia, we went out to the highly recommended (well, actually, the only recommended) pub in Canberra. It was a Friday night, so it was packed. Unable to get seats, we hovered around on wall and bar area. Wig and Pen is a brew pub, and we sampled some of the local brews. The best was Venom, a strongly hoppy beer (the way I like it). Likely a nice place to relax when it was less crowded, it was also family friendly with a number of children in the bar area.

So, I'll join in with my Melbourne colleagues and give the Wig and Pen two thumbs up.

Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 53 Alinga St., Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.wigandpen.com.au

Pork Barrel: Better than an earmark

Pork Barrel: Better than an earmark

After a meeting at the National Library of Australia (NLA), our hosts suggested that we head for lunch just across the way at the Pork Barrel (as a resident of the Washington, DC area, I could appreciate the capital city humor in that).

Now in DC, I would have expected some BBQ, but the Pork Barrel was a pizza place (noted by one of the NAL staff as "the best pizza in Canberra". Not sure if I can vouch for that, but it was a quite good pizza. I went for the "Deli Pizza". Sun dried tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese.

Pizzas were made to order, so the food took a while to arrive (and we were a group of nine), but was worth the wait. There wa also a nice outdoor seating area (if you didn't mind the sulphur cockatoos, which were crowding around like pigeons, hanging around).

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: King George Terrace, Canberra, Parkes ACT 2600, Australia
Website: http://www.porkbarrel.com.au

Stairway to Heaven: Three bars across from Parliament

Stairway to Heaven: Three bars across from Parliament

Through an unmarked door next to the Windsor Hotel opposite the Victoria State Parliament building, lay some interesting dining establishments.

The ground floor houses The European, next door (through the unmarked door) is The Melbourne Supper Club; a flight up from that is the Siglo Bar, partly in- and partly out-doors with a great view of Parliament and St. Patrick's Cathedral.

My colleague and I started at The European Restaurant (a heavy rain forced us indoors). We had a round of red wine (sadly, only European and no Australian wines were offered - perhaps because of the name) and interesting conversation before heading through the unmarked door to the The Melbourne Supper Club for a second glass of red, some polenta fries, and "party pies" (small little meat pies).

Heading up the final flight of stairs, we ordered a final glass of pinot noir and sat on the outside portion (the rain having ended) and enjoyed the view of the floodlit Parliament.

Service in all three was excellent, the location great, and food and drink quite good.

The European Restaurant
Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ***
Address: 161 Spring St., Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.theeuropean.com.au

The Melbourne Supper Club
Meal: Wine and appetizers
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1st/161 Spring St., Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.visitmelbourne.com

Siglo Bar
Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Level 2, 161 Spring Street, Melbourne
Website: N/A

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

When my hosts from the Melbourne Museum told their colleagues we were going to Longrain, there were many sad faces from those not going along.

On entering the restaurant, I could see why. With a modern Asian decor, fabulous smells, and a series of large, communal dining tables, it looked like a sure winner.

Our group went with pork hock with spicy sauces, a whole trout, egg net, and a tofu dish. All were as good as they looked. The egg net (this first time of had this dish), was tasty as well as interesting (a "net" made of scrambled eggs, enclosing a selection of meats and vegetables).

Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 2 June 2010
Rating: *****
Address: 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Melbourne, 2010
Website: http://www.longrain.com

United 873: SFO to IAD

United 873: SFO to IAD

I know there are some of you out there (@outtacontext, for example!) who say to get something at one of the gate spots before getting on the SFO/IAD route, but I just got in from Australia, and fought my way through customs and the transfer to terminal 3 and had only moments to spare (well, I thought I did, but then we ended up being nearly an hour late), so I just had time for a quick Peet's at the gate.

On board, I opted for the $9 turkey sandwich with a side of chips. Not bad. But I'll try and get something at the gate next time. Promise!

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Kristian's Monastiri

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Kristian's Monastiri

Opting for a quiet dinner outside of the group, myself and two colleagues found a secluded former monastery (which had a laughing Buddha outside, so how could we go wrong?). We started with a bottle of Grüner Veltliner (my new favorite white wine) and were soon surprised with a chef's taste (a sort of carrot mouseline). For an appetizer, we we went with the veal tartare with fois gras which was decadently tasty. For my main course, I went with the Altwiener Tafelspitz (pot roast with potatoes and a fabulous fresh horseradish sauce.

We were given the English-translated menu (don't know why!) and some of the translations were entertaining. The mystery dish on the menu that we were all tempted to try was the Osso Buco vom Seeteufel (Monkfish). Still wondering exactly what that would look like!

Our service was excellent and the dining room nicely decorated and quiet (and the background music was all Beatles!).

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Neustiftgasse 16, A-1070 Wien
 Website:http://kristians.monastiri.at/

Quantas Domestic Flights: MEL to CBR (QF 814) and (QF 795)

Quantas Domestic Flights: MEL to CBR (QF 814) and (QF 795)

I needed to make a short visit to Canberra and had a domestic Qantas flight of just about an hour between Melbourne and there. This is about the same as my well-traveled Washington-Boston route. But food service was certainly different! On the DC-Boston route, food service is limted to pretzels and beverage service; if you're lucky, and on US Airways, you'll sometimes have a prepackaged donut handed to you as you board. But Qantas offered meal service, in my case, breakfast. Juice, muffin, yogurt, choice of tea or coffee, and a bowl of cereal (on the trip up it was muesli, on the way back, crunchy honey Weet-Bix).

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 3 and 5 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Mario's on Brunswick

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Mario's

It was about eight o'clock and I'd just arrived in Melbourned after a flight from London, but I wasn't feeling much in the way of jet lag. So, my colleagues, who had arrived the day before, said we should go get some breakfast. Staying in the Fitzroy area of Melbourne, the place to head was Brunswick Street, a hip and happing strip of
shops, restaurants, and pubs.

After walking down the street a bit, we headed into Mario's, recommended by a local; we grabbed a table and I was quickly introduced to Australian coffee (I'll write more later). I had a bowl of muesli with fresh fruits and a glass of freshly squeezed orange
juice. My colleagues had egg plates (benedict and scambled) that looked fabulous).

Our wait staff had a bit of an attitude (reminding us at one point to tell him exactly what we all wanted then so he didn't have to make the twenty foot trip back to the kitchen again).

Mario's also introduced me to food prices in Australia. Suffice to say, this was the most expensive bowl of cereal I think I've ever had.

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: 303 Brunswick St., Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: N/A

Il Vicolo: Italian in Melbourne

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Il Vicolo

Meals for larger groups can be tricky. Either the diner or the restaurant needs to make compromises that often lead to a less than satisfactory mean (see for example, some of my dines in Vienna).

But then there are times when things click. Our group of thirteen paid a visit to Il Vicola, near the Melbourne Museum after a successful morning of meetings. The menu was simple, a few starter options, a few entree choices, and some desserts. A choice of a red or white wine.

Sensing that Melbourne would be a good seafood town, I went with the Classic Queenscliff Crayfish bisque for my starter (though not usually a crustacean type of guy). A nice bit of soup, just the right touch of the sea in a tomatoe base with a dollop of cream.

For my main course, I went with the BBQ pork, veal, and fennel Continental sausages with Spanish onion sauce, and mashed potatoes. A very tasty sausage indeed and the onion sauce was nice. I skipped the dessert and finished with an espresso. Each diner also shared in a bowl of greens for the table.

Service was a bit slow, but understandable with the size of the group (and the size of the kitchen).

Il Vicola pulled off the group lunch with aplomb.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 2 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 50 Grattan St., Carlton, Melbourne, VIC 3053
Website: http://wwwilvicolo.com.au

Qantas 10: LHR > SIN > MEL

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Qantas from London to Melbourne

Whew, flying from London to Melbourne was quite the culinary adventure. In the, oh, twenty or so hours of the trip, there were five meals served. All quite good. Here's
the breakdown:

Qantas 10: LHR to SIN

I went with the pork goulous option (pork, potato mash, broccoli and carrots), served with a side of tabouleh. For dessert, an Eton Mess (pavolova with rasberries and cream). With it, I had coffee and  a St. Hallett Shiraz/Grenache blend.

A few hours later came a snack pack with cookies, candy, and chocolates. In the last hours before landing, there was a hot breakfast option with a leek and potato fritta with a side of a pork sausage and sauteed spinach.

Meal: Supper/Snack/Breakfast
Date Visited: 29-30 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

After a brief layover in Singapore, we reboarded and the food started flowing again.

Qantas 10: SIN to MEL

On this flight, there was a lightsupper of a beef and red wine cassaroll with garlic potatos, carrots and green beans. I chose the Scrubby Rise Shiraz/Cab/Petite Verdot blend. Dessert was a bit of chocolate, followed later by a Nestle's Crunch ice cream. The last serving of the trip was a continental breakfast of juice, coffee, a fruit dish, and a sweet roll.

Overall, an quite impressive amount of pretty good food!

Meal: Light Dinner/Continental Breakfast
Date Visited: 30-31 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

My Melbourne connections said that we had to stop by the The Napier Hotel and it's pub since we were staying in the Fitzroy neighborhood. It had the look of a typical pub and, since it was still a bit early, not yet that crowded.

It took me a bit to get the hang of the Aussie pub and how to order. There wasn't wait service, exactly, but rather, you ordered at the bar and then the food was brought to you.

So, what to order? I wasn't that hungry, so I wanted a sandwich and ended up with the Suburban Burger. Not really a burger, but rather a steak sandwich. Quite qood and served with a side of fries. I topped it off with a variety of local beers.

But the hightlight was ordered by a colleage, the Bogan Burger (a bogan is sort of a Aussie version of a redneck, but with more positive connotations). Was is a bogan burger? Well, it's sort of the turducken of sandwiches, comprised of: Steak, Chicken Schnitzel, Caramalised Onions, Cheese, Pinepple, Beetroot, Potato Cake, Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Wedges and served with a salad.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 210 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065‎
Website: http://thenapierhotel.com/food-drink/

Observatory Cafe, Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Observatory Cafe

I was stopping by the Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne and because our appointment wasn't til later in the day, we decided to have a bit of lunch before hand.

The Observatory Cafe, located by the old observatory buildings had a great selection of food. I went with the tandoori chicken wrap which was quite tasty. We sat outside and were soon surrounded by Indian mynah birds wanting a treat.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Royal Botanic Gardens Birdwood Ave., South Yarra VIC 3141
Website: http://www.observatorycafe.com.au/

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

After attending a reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres, myself and the rest of my colleagues weren't quite in the mood for a large, heavy meal. One of the locals suggested Chairman & Yip Restaurant, where some good appetizers could be had.

Heading over, we were seated and proceeded to order (for the six of us) two rounds of three appetizers. A very nice duck pancakes, amazing scallops (served in a scallop shell), and dumplings (with a very good and spicy sauce).

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 3 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 108 Bunda St., Canberra City Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.thechairmanandyip.com

Austrian Air: VIE to LHR

Austrian Air: VIE to LHR

On a sort of quick flight (two hours or so), Austrian Air still served some real food (as opposed to just peanuts or pretzels). The offering was a half a chicken sandwich and a bit of rasberry chocoloate pudding. I supplemented it with coffee, and water. And, yes, a glass of the complimentary wine. I went with a white.

More like flying in the good old days!

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 29 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

The next large group dinner for my group was held at a large restaurant on the Danube. The best part of the dinner was the lovely large table with a view of the river. The food, well ...

I started off with the asperagus soup with tiny croutons. Thin, but good. For an entree, since I hadn't had it yet, I went with the Wiener Schnnitzel with side salad and potatoe salad. Good, but nothing to waltz home about.

Again, service was slow (though again, we were a large group). Bottom line, go for the river view.



Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 28 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Handelskai 256, 1020 Vienna
Website: http://www.river-side.cc/de/impressionen

Torte! Torte! Torte! Cafe Sacher

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Torte! Torte! Torte! Cafe Sacher

Iv thought I would skip the Sacher-Torte, it just seemed like too much of a tourist thing to do. The Sacher-Torte is nearly inescapable in Vienna, with ads for it everywhere and even a shop at the airport selling them "to-go"!

But when in Rome - or something like that - so, after dinner at Kristian's Monastiri and a walk around the downtown and past the Opera House, my colleague and I decided we should stop in.

The Hotel Sacher has a number of eating spots attached to it, including a restaurant, bar, and the Cafe Mozart. The Cafe Sacher, however, is the classic spot to enjoy the Sacher-Torte. The early 20th century decorations and serving staff in charming (or would that be quaint?) uniforms adds to the experience.

The torte itself (which I had with a cup of espresso), was rich and chocolaty, served with a large helping of whipped cream; perhaps a bit heavy for my taste, but good.

Meal: Dessert
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Philharmonikerstrasse 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Website: http://www.sacher.com/en-cafe-vienna.htm