Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Café Gerstner Vienna Austria

Gerstner is one of the old and well-known coffee and confectionery house in Vienna. They sell good quality coffee and other beverages, hand-made cakes, chocolates and confectioneries, and light meals.
We stopped here for coffee, the location so conveniently just right at main street in Old Town, where stores and tourists fill the area. When we get inside the coffee shop its full of packed of people and it takes time before we get the waiter's attention. But it's worth it! Very pleasant and casual atmosphere too.
The ambience is everything had a classic, A glass counter allowed you a glimpse the pastries and other confectioneries. It is a spacious long narrow place was also brightly lit with extra ornate chandeliers, chairs and tables  and ample sitting area.
While I'm taking about Julie Andrews may reminisce about cream colored and crisp apple strudels, some of my favorite things in Austria. The apple strudel is made of thin dough pastry with lots of filling included rum-soaking raisins, cinnamon and sugar, apples, toasted buttery breadcrumbs, and a sprinkling of nuts.  I'm not sure the exactly ingredients but some in Innsbruck they kept the secret recipe. The strudel mostly it can be serve with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. It might be not the best apple strudel we had comparing to the apple strudel at Burgschenke Hohensalzburg in Salzburg. But still delicious, delicious oh Jesus it's delicious! It was just perfect.
Luckily there is Strawberry strudel and this is a new to us, the pastry was nice, just that the pastry were similar to the apple strudel that we had. Theirs are stuffed with lots of sliced strawberry and sweet  mascarpone cream. Surprisingly it still tasted quite nice.
I can't remember the name of this one, I think this is a walnut cake. The wholesome and moist whole wheat sponge is so fragrant from a types of mixed nuts and butter cream. This cake is already so scrumptious, there's something about it! It looks good, it smells good , and tastes even better.
"Truffeltorte" a chocolate truffle butter creme layered of chocolate cake, drenched with chocolate coatings. So scrumptiously delicious!
I ordered an Einspanner, a single strong espresso with whipped cream in a glass. However, habits are hard to break, and I find myself looking for rich coffee more often than not. What's great about this is that it's creamy and decadent, but not at all sweet.  The Einspanner a good coffee in Vienna as you drink, the whipped cream melts and you're left with something delightful.
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 Another delightful drink and usually come with ice and whipped cream or an ice creaming topping iced cappuccino, just about perfect for summer.
Charles had choose the Iced chocolate, it was an awesome drink!!! When sipping the creamy chocolate drink, It was truly a great pleasure on both the taste and the creamy frothy ice cream. This is a safe to order item for someone who likes float.
Last but not least! Claire had a "Tasse Heisse Shcokolade" The hot chocolate was excellent and came in a good sized cup.
***
Vienna is a paradise for coffeeholics! All the cakes and confectioneries at Gerstner looks so temptation and considering that the coffee is really good and the location and atmosphere was great.
***
Café Gerstner
Karntner Strasse 13-15, 1010 Vienna Austira
Contact No: +4310512 4963
Website:
www.gerstner.at

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Fischer Wirt St. Gilgen Austria

Situated on the water's edge, this popular seafood restaurant does a fish platter, some meat dishes also feature on the menu is the various of drinks selection. We feasted on Austrian fried pork after having started with soups.
The character of this place greets you at the door into Austrian and most of the furniture is made of pine, with servers wearing traditional attire, directing you to any number of linen covered tables. And natural beauties just in front on your window view.
We serve at first into a warm Austrian soup, with flavor broth and sliced of pancakes.
Everyone had chose Wiener Schnitzel for our main course. This dish is made up of thin slices of pork coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried to a golden brown colour. It serve with nice texture of boiled or roasted potatoes and ketchup sauce. I think cranberries sauce is more match on this dish. And schintzel can be found on the menu of almost every restaurant in the country. 
We had the opportunity for a coffee and tried the hot cappuccino and my first taste of a uniquely Austrian coffee flavor.
Hot chocolate with whipped cream and dash of chocolate powder, and of course is freshly made chocolates and fantastic as well.
 Desert was ice cream and its great but we didn't finished. By the time we finished lunch, we were stuffed and ready to go for our quest in Vienna. The lady serving us was quite friendly. The food was good but what really drew me to this place was the location. . It was such a great time eating good food and is not quite a perfect one while sitting and looking out over the water at an incredible view directly on the shores of the Wolfgangsee Lake with a wonderful view on the surrounding mountains.
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Fischer Wirt
Ischlerstrasse 21, A-5340 St. Gilgen, Austria
http://www.fischer-wirt.at/

Monday, July 19, 2010

Bergmannskeller Hallstatt Austria

This is the restaurant which is located in the Hallstatt Marketplatz that only can approached by foot, and it really is quite special. The beautiful decor with two dining areas and a third area on the balcony facing the Hallstatt mountains and lake. Bergmannskeller which serves traditional Austrian dishes. The waiters waitresses are dressed in old Bavarian style.
The room was cozy with many authentic touches over several glasses .
We try the Austrian white wine was an excellent, this had very fine fruit sweety, it was quite good with the fish.
This glasses of juice intrigues me! I think it has something to do with the glasses? The glass depicts the typical attire, are that words is used to be for greeting?
That evening, we had soup and entree plus the dessert: We tried Hallstatt fish plate from the lake for four of us. It is simply fresh and wonderful. What makes it great is that the dishes feel like homecooked comfort food. The potato cream soup was creamy and tasty!
Another great table side presentation.  We also had the mixed salad serve with green vegetable, boiled potatoes, green beans with orange cream sauce. And salad is always a favorite of mine, and this one was excellent.
We ordered the main fish from Lake Hallstatt, called Reinanke (trout), grilled to perfection and served with potatoes and decadent butter sauce. Lots of restaurants serve up this excellent fish, simply cooked. Very fresh and delicious.
As for the dessert, we had a balanced portion of sliced marble cake, was dry but also very good, though probably not as good as the strudel or sache torte and nockerl. Overall the dinner was great, the staffs are kind and friendly with warm atmosphere and Hallstatt is a piece of heaven on earth.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Burgschenke Hohensalzburg- Salzburg Austria

This is a restaurant nestled in one of the buildings of Fortress Hohensalzburg. The Burgschenke is the name of the great restaurant. The 900 year old restaurant castle located directly above Salzburg’s Old Town. You will have a perfect view there on the valley and offers the appropriate atmosphere.
We sat outside the restaurant and had our order. I've always been fascinated by duke-lords, royal fairy tales. knights and jousting and falconry and the whole mythological wizards and dragons story. Upon on my curiosity so I asked to the staff if I may take a looked inside. It's quite a sight to see a real place like you feel dancing on this room. This restored castle is grand and beautiful with it's long knight's banquet tables and knights of armor on display. Iron chandeliers hang from the ceiling, linen cloth with candles, glasses and sparkling bottle of wines. This castle restaurant provides a massive medieval feast for group of people.
We get thirsty while doing the tourist thing. At first we were only going to have a drink but as we browsed the menu and saw the desserts. It all looked so appealing that we decided to have something to eat as well. I tried the Apple Strudel with vanilla ice cream and it was delicious! And one of my favorite thing in Austria.
We also shared the Kaiserschmarrn  it's very good but quite filling, if you never had this before "kaiserschmarrn" it consists of fluffy pancakes made of lots of eggs, raisins, flour and sugar.. It served thick almost like jam, but the fruits will not fall apart.
Eiskaffeea-iced coffee double espresso in a tall glass with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. First sip on this coffee it taste heavenly refreshing and one of the best iced coffee we ever had, thumbs up!!
Eisschokolade-Iced chocolate  which is a chocolate drink  with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and cookies roll. It's rather filling and can be considered a desert. My kids keep telling us that this was the best  and delicious iced chocolate drink they ever had.
After a whole day tour in the Fortress of Salzburg castle we headed down to the town. And saw the restaurant beside the Mozart house, the staff is the same as they were, from our first visit in Salzburg back in the year 2008. If you are seafood tapas addicted this is great place for you.
 Lobster with herb and butter sauce
Shrimps with garlic and herb butter sauce,,, looks so delicious! I'm drooling while typing my reviews. Overall, it was a very pleasant day in Burgschenke.  Most of the food we ordered were delightful and the service was good, the staff was attentive and pleasant throughout the time.
 ***
Burgschenke
Festung Hohensalzburg
5020 Salzburg, Austria
Website
http://www.ritteressen-salzburg.at/

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Restaurant Zur Festung Hohensalzburg- Salzburg Austria

 
Restaurant Zur Festung Hohensalzburg up in the mighty Castle. A traditional location turned into the modern age on the mountain. We found this restaurant by accident as we were looking for a place to eat. The place was packed with Japanese people but there's plenty of room for 4 of us and had a nice sitting table beside the window that we see the magnificent view of the countryside and villages below.
The ambiance of one of the most elegant and atmospheric dining room with wood tables and chairs populate the room while golden light from scattered lamps cast romance. Fine table linens serve as a simple background for authentic Austrian cuisine. Menus are offered in German, Italian and English and Russian to help ease ordering. We had the Austrian local food, as lunch was a slow and somewhat formal affair.
 
Our meal started with soup, suprisingly  was also very flavorful and delicious. Beef broth with thinly sliced pancakes.
Tomato cream soup with mozzarella crostini
Stockpot festung hohensalzburg with vegetables, noodles, beef marrow dumplings
Cream soup of potatoes with herbal croutons
For the main course it was simply presented, but I assure it was delicious! Wiener schnitzel, escalope of veal  with parsley tomatoes and cranberries sauce
Gratinated steak of pork with croquettes, broccoli vegetables and creamed pepper sauce.
Variety of Salzburger sausages with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.
Spaetzle a kind of very small dumplings with melted cheese.
For dessert we were very fortunate and had 2 different desserts which we shared. No one can resist the famous Austrian sache torte served with whiped cream. The cake itself was sweet, flavor-wise it was very good. Incidentally exactly what we had the last time in Cesky Krumlov.
A very large portion Salzburger Nockerl with raspberry, apricot, rhubarb sauce. That can easily please 2-3 people along with glass of iced coffee were brought to us soon after our lunch plates were removed. The Nockerl is extremely light, almost frothy. It tastes and looks like a cross between a souffle and a meringue. The texture is such that it dissolves in your mouth meaning that you can eat a lot of it. It’s sweet but not sickly. A kind of dessert that  I really wanted to eat for sometime in Austrian restaurant in Taipei.
3 selections of Nockerl sauce.
This tasty egg and  sugar souffle is topped with some fresh fruit sauce, yum!
We order iced coffee and again we were impressed with the generous serving size is almost like dessert. Perfect location, staff were very helpful and the food was great. The views from the room were great.You won't be disappointed! As a tourist you have to go there because of the view.
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Restaurant Zur Festung Hohensalzburg
Salzburg Austria
Website:
http://www.festungsrestaurant.at/