23. July 2015: Restaurant Mraz & Sohn
The brother of a dear friend of mine is a chef at the Restaurant Mraz & Sohn and he had told me so much about this place beforehand so I was quite excited to finally be able to pay this place a visit. And it was worth it!
One administrative hint before-hand: It is a bit outside of the city centre and it is probably easiest if you grab a cab which drops you. Once you are there, ring the bell. You can’t enter the place by yourself.
When you have taken your seats you are brought pretty much right away the amuse bouches. The first amuse bouche did not only look absolutely lovely but was a great taste buds awakener!
When you are done with the amuse bouche, you are brought crackers as well as the menu selection which is modular – you can take the menu “apart” and put the sheets behind each other so you have the chance to “build” your menu.
Once you have chosen what to eat, you get the second amuse bouche …
… as well as freshly baked bread and “home-made” butter.
Not only that you already feel intrigued by the tastes they are serving, no, they also provide you with quite a range of amuse bouches, this one being No. 3.
But no, three amuse bouches are not enough! Finally, the 4th and last amuse bouche arrives, a “fish on a stick” – something I haven’t had for 4 years and more importantly, never in this “form”.
Then, the first course finally appeared. “The Tomato. (clams, tomato, smoked ricotta)” (EUR 33.00. At first one might think that EUR 33.00 for this rather small plate. However, the moment you take the first bite, you know why this place has its reputation. An explosion of flavours and consistency – wow!
And yes, I went for the wine pairing but I have never ever seen that they serve a “Moscow Mule” instead of wine! It was a bit out of the box and I liked it a lot!
The second course of the evening was my absolute highlight – the “goose liver with eel and raspberries” (usually, EUR 36.00) was not only amazing because the liver was so smooth and absolutely luscious, it was much more because of the small balls which were provided with the dish. We called them “goose liver sauce balls” and Oh My God, they were delicious beyond imagination!
So we asked for more of them … and we got them. It was like heaven, or like all your taste buds are set into a mood of joy and happiness! Just so absolutely outstandingly tasty!
Next in line was the “codfish (buckhorn, avocado, razor clam)” (usually, EUR 45.00) which was – after the goose liver – a bit of a disappointment to be honest.
The second main course, was “wagyu flank steak, potatoes, porcini” (usually, EUR 45.00). The steak wa great in consistency but could have been cooked for a minute less. Still, it was quite good – especially with the sauce.
The next course though, “chicken, corn, pig beans” (usually, EUR 45.00) was again absolutely delicious. As much as the dish was simple in its ingredients, it was prepared in a very appealing way – taste-wise.
Even the side, despite looking a bit goofy with the bone in the small fried ball, was simple but delicious. Corn and bacon – a classic! But always lovely!
But the liquid reduction really topped it off – assembling all the elements of the dish into one big taste pool!
After the last main, it was time for the bread waggon which offered an amazing selection of different breads! Definitely unique and outstanding.
Obviously, the bread was for the cheeses to arrive – however, before that you would get a nice selection of different chutneys, honey, nuts, olives, and raisins.
Last but not least, you would get a nice selection of cheeses from the waggon. The selection is not only extensive but the responsible waiter knows a lot about cheeses and does care to share his know-how with the customer which is absolutely loveyl (usually, EUR 18.00 – EUR 22.00).
The selection I went for.
If you thought you would be done at this point in time – well, you’re wrong. The next course was “Cherrie me home (cherries, elder, hop ice cream, malt cake)” (usually, EUR 16.00). The taste of the first dessert was intensely dominated by cherry flavours but ballanced off by the hop ice cream.
The second dessert was a real piece of art – kind of literally! The “easel” was a great depiction of art. And it tasted great too! An absolutely lovely finish of a marvelous dinner.
But not only the dishes are great, so was the atmosphere. It is somewhat modern and appealing and you feel comfortable pretty much immediately after you have been seated. However, we had originally booked a table for 3 – and, luckily, ended up being only 2 of us. Frankly, if at the same table three people were supposed to sit down it would have been incredibly crowded.
With regards to the service, there is absolutely nothing negative to say. The service is professional, friendly, swift, and jovial (although it might help that my company that evening was the brother of one of the chefs of the Mraz & Sohn). However, I can absolutely recommend you to have dinner here. It is definitely a pricey option, not a question, but it is worth dining here! The dishes are outstanding, the service is close to flawless, the atmosphere is great, and last but not least, once in a while one should spend some real money to really celebrate good food.
Note: However, I’ve asked the restaurant to provide me with a detailed description of the menu including the amuse bouches after the dinner. And despite having asked four times I haven’t received an answer …
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Mraz & Sohn
Wallensteinstraße 59
1200 Vienna (AT)
Tel.: +43 1 330 45 94
Fax: +43 1 350 15 36
E-Mail: restaurant@mrazundsohn.at
Homepage: http://www.mraz-sohn.at
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
