Steirereck – 2 Michelin Stars in Vienna. Austria

If there is a restaurant in Vienna – and Austria for that matter – that is the embodiment of top modern Austrian cuisine, it is the “Steirereck“. This culinary institution is spearheaded by Chef and Maître Heinz Reitbauer, who runs the place together with his charming wife in second generation. Ranked #13 in the world (theworlds50best.com), it holds 2 Michelin Stars.

The menu starts off with a tartelette of jerusalem artichoke with vegetables.

Cooking salad with salt plums made to its perfection. Alongside a salmon trout with a wow effect. Smooth like a mousse – it was hard to believe that it was a tiny filet.

Smoked eel with Albina root and aubergine. I love eel. Not just a great colour – but also taste combo.

Puntarelle with hazelnut, curry leave and Meyer lemon. New to me. Interesting.

Everybody knows Oxtail. This was my first pig’s tail (with chard), as was pig’s jus. Another wow moment. Very tasty.

One of my favourte dark meats: Duck with black salsify and chicory. Again with an incredibly thick and dark jus as a backdrop.

Steirereck is also known for its wide selection of cheeses. The blue cheese (on top) blowed me away: extremely moist, from Austria, on par with its famous siblings from France.

Desserts started with mandarine & Calamassi as well as bitter orange blossom.

Bitter orange salad á la Schönbrunn with lemon thyme. Jerusalem artichoke and date ice cream. Rounded up with elder salt pastry.

A memorable evening in a great setting in Vienna Stadtpark (City Park). I have started to dine at Steirereck in the mid-nineties. Amazing to observe how the Reitbauers kept their highest standard over three decades.