Great Michelin-starred lunch: Restaurant Esszimmer (16. April 2016)
A great lunch experience is what you get at the Restaurant Esszimmer! The lunch starts with a nice selection of different breads served with fresh olive oil, lavender salt, butter with chili and bell peppers, and a dip with tuna, olives and capers. My favourite was the lavender salt with olive oil.
In order to start your lunch, a small amuse bouche is served by the kitchen to awaken your palate. And they absolutely manage to do so. The amuse bouche consists of “duck with pea”, “tuna mousse” and “Ibérico pork with eggplants” and let me tell you the duck and the Ibérico pork were absolutely luscious, absolutely mouth-watering so you would hope that the lunch menu (EUR 42.00) continues like that.
This day, the menu started with “beef tartar with ox heart tomatoes, sage, and lentils” which was definitely a good start in terms of taste but not the best beef tartar I have enjoy so far. However, the lentils really provided the dish with this little extra in terms of the consistency and the effect when having a bit as you would kind of taste something “pop” in your mouth, a sensation which was quite new to me when it comes to enjoying beef tartar.
The second course was a “gilthead seabream with fregola sarda, white asparagus, tomato sauce, and oil”. I had honestly expected a bit more from the dish given the amuse bouche and even the beef tartar. For my personal gusto, the fish was too plain. The fregola sarda added some effect to the dish but really just consistency-wise and not really with regards to the taste. Frankly, there, I was a bit disappointed.
The dessert was a “semolina tarte with walnut icecream” and while the semolina tarte was tasty but nothing extraordinary I like the walnut icecream incredibly much! So lovely!
In order to end the lunch, I decided to have a double espresso (EUR 4.20) and a grappa. Given they had Berta on the menu, I inquired which grappa they have and realized they did not have any grappa from Berta but rather “Maggia” which is made of the juice of the grapes (so does not qualify as grappa). Nevertheless, I went for the Maggia (in lack of other options) and they were then kind enough to not charge me for the grappa (EUR 16.00).
Not knowing that there was going to be another “final greeting from the kitchen”, after the coffee, some “passion fruit and mango combination was served in the form of a drink, gelée, and white chocolates” and while the drink and the gelée was actually tasty, the white chocolates filled with mango and passion fruit were mind-blowing!
The service at the Restaurant Esszimmer is exquisite. They are incredibly caring and attentive – whenever you need something they are there in order to take your order or to refill your water glass. Only towards the end the attention kind of dropped but to be fair, the restaurant is supposed to close at 2pm and we left at 2:30pm.
The interior is lovely, you have enough space which also ensures privacy, and last but not least, the prices are absolutely fair. When it comes to the lunch as well as when it comes to the wines (i.e. Grüner Veltliner, 1/8, EUR 5.50). What was interesting was that when I had ordered a glass of red wine and she suggested a Pinot Noir and I politely declined, she still brought me a glass of the Pinot to try. A lovely and caring gesture.
If you are in Salzburg, I can absolutely recommend you the Restaurant Esszimmer for lunch – the dishes are exquisite, but unfortunately not for every course (i.e. gilthead), the prices is more than fair, the service is friendly and caring, and the atmosphere is lovely. Booking highly recommended!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Esszimmer
Müllner Hauptstrasse 33
5020 Salzburg (AT)
Tel.: +43 662 87 08 99
Fax: +43 662 87 08 33
E-Mail: office@esszimmer.com
Homepage: http://www.esszimmer.com
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. 
