A visit to No. 17 of The World’s 50 Best: Restaurant Steirereck (29. August 2020)
Coming back to the Restaurant Steirereck is always an emotional moment. I remember when I was there for the first time in December 2012 when it was No. 11 of the world and it was definitely a memorable experience. And it was great again in June 2018 when it was No. 14 of the world. Now, the Steirereck ranks No. 17 in the world – somehow justly so but in all fairness, it wasn’t that mind-blowing as in the past.
After a brief drink to start the evening, the “bread wagon” was brought to the table and I must admit that I absolutely love it. The “Blunzenbrot” (which is basically blood sausage bread) was absolutely amazing and I was even able to order some for the next day so I could take it home. But not only the Blunzenbrot is amazing, they have a vast selection of different breads with amazing flavor combinations. Definitely one of the highlights of the evening.
The “cold-pressed linen butter with salt snow” adds perfectly to the bread.
The first amuse bouche were “iced strawberries” which were rather interesting because of the play with the different temperatures – and who has ever eaten almost frozen strawberries? They were surprisingly delicious though.
The “Jerusalem artichoke wrap” which was served next was absolutely outstanding – I’m personally a big fan of Jerusalem artichoke which might have biased my perception of the dish.
Next in line was a “forest shrubs pizza with apricot” which was somehow more like a bao bun in terms of consistency of the dough but went super well with the sweetness of the apricots. Definitely an interesting start.
The combination of “pork, wild horseradish and sour cream with lovage oil” was not only refreshing but also interesting in terms of combination of consistency.
Finally, it was time for the “six course menu” (EUR 155.00) with the appropriate “wine pairing” (EUR 88.00). It started with a “mountain trout with kohlrabi, pineapple sage and mustard seed” accompanied by a glass of “Weissburgunder, 2018, Lichtenberger & Gonzalez, Breitenbrunn”.
Once it was finished, it looked prettier than before and that “mustard seed” it was served with really added to the dish.
What I liked a lot was the fact that they would serve a detailed description of each course when serving that specific course. I mean, it’s just so much nicer to understand in detail what you’re eating. Not really a given to be honest in most restaurants, but something I definitely appreciate a lot!
The next course was “melon cucumber with cockles, lavender flower and olives” served with a glass of “Sauvignon Blanc 2015, “Grassnitzberg-Reserve”, Tement / Berghausen”.
Again, the dish was finished with a reduction.
I liked it as it was refreshing and light in its flavor. The wine went well with it and you were definitely ready for the next course to come.
The “sturgeon with kiwi, onions and curd” was accompanied by a glass of “Saint Véran “La Combe des Raches”, 2017, La Saufrandière / Burgund”.
And the dish was finished with an “onion – kiwi ragout” and I must say that this was absolutely delicious. The combination of sweet and sour without having that typical stinging taste you often get from sweet-sour was just mouth-watering.
Next in line was the “bell pepper variation with pork skull, elderflower and lemon balm” accompanied by a glass of “Peixe da Estrada (Mauratón Mencia, Garnacha Tintarera), 2016, Bodegas Peixes / Ribeira Sacra – Galizien”.
And of course, the dish was finished at the table with another reduction
I must say, I was completely blown away by this course. Honestly, when I read pork skull and bell pepper I was rather skeptical, however, it was an absolute explosion of flavors and textures. Just perfect!
The “roebuck with a variation of spinach, yacon and gooseberries” accompanied by a glass of “Parnhogna rot, 2009, Erich & Michael Andert, Parnhagen” and …
… finished with another reduction was good – but not really mind-blowing like the one before.
Another highlight of a dinner at the Steirereck is always their cheese selection when they come with the cheese wagon and offer you a from a wide variety of cheeses what to pick.
I was happy with my selection but I must say that I definitely had picked the ones with the stronger flavor – however, delicious!
The “friandises” were a true pieces of art and very enjoyable to end the evening.
Finally, even the espresso to digest everything was good. What I didn’t like so much was the attitude of some of the waitresses.
While some were incredibly professional and friendly, a younger waitress made it clearly visible that it wasn’t her day and she wasn’t motivated. Which also affected the quality of the service as in less presence and less friendliness. I mean, I get it, everyone can have a bad day and there is nothing wrong with that. But at least try. Or else, don’t come to work. I’m not asking you to smile or to make jovial conversation, but be friendly and make sure that the glasses are kept full at all times – that’s what I expect from a restaurant on the Top 50 list.
What is lovely though is that you get to sneak peak into the kitchen when you pass by. The place is busy and it’s a pity you cannot just go in and watch them for a bit.
On top of everything, the entrance of the Steirereck is already nice as it is designed in a modern and appealing way.
All in all, I liked the experience at the Restaurant Steirereck again as the place is lovely, the food is exquisite, but somehow it was lacking that element of total surprise. I mean, the dishes were good, admittedly, even more than that. But this moment when you’re awe-struck and just feel like “omg, how can something be so tasty” was, unfortunately, missing. So, when coming back to Vienna again some day, I will definitely try the Steirereck again, but I hope they will raise again on that list and not keep going down.
Rating:
| Atmosphere: |   |
| Service: |  |
| Dishes: |  |
| Price-Performance Ratio: | |
| Overall Rating: | |
Contact Details:
Restaurant Steirereck
Am Heumarkt 2A
1030 Vienna (AT)
Tel.: +43 17 13 31 68
Fax: +43 17 13 31 682
E-Mail: wien@steirereck.at
Homepage: http://www.steirereck.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. 
