Dinner at Martinjak Am Ring

On our last night in Vienna I was excited for a special meal.  Nothing extravagant, but something definitely delicious that would make for a great memory as well as culinary experience.  

My husband and I strolled around the heart of the city, checking out menus and due to my characteristic indecisiveness when I grow hungry, I left the decision up to him.  

He chose well.  

He spotted Martinjak Am Ring from across the street.  Instead of darting across 4 lanes of traffic (as I was prone to do in that moment) we backtracked to a crosswalk and made our way like civil tourists to the restaurant. 

The menu outside was immediately appealing as was the interior of the restaurant itself. 

1st up: Bread with sweet pepper dip & pumpkin seed dip

Appetizer: Billed as "Fish & Chips" on the menu, this is definitely a creative take on the dish.  Marinated salmon with pomegranate & smoked blue marlin with avocado fruit salad & chips

My dish was sublime and sumptuous.  

Unusual but not exotic to the taste.  Soft, delicate and just the right amount.

Above: Skreifish filet with beetroot poppyseed noodles & chocolate fennel foam

Regrettably I did not get great photos of my husband's dish ( I sometimes reach a point where I realize I need to put down the camera and just focus on the experience) but I had a taste and it was....mmm, the memory makes me hungry now.

Above: The truffled potato wafer with vegetables & portwine shallots that came with the Filetsteak "Cafe de Paris."

"Art Makes Hungry"

Well, I can't say it was the art that made us hungry, because we actually did not go to any museums, but Vienna itself, as a city, is art in motion.  Stopping for lunch on a Sunday afternoon at the spacious and popular Halle Cafe Restaurant der Kunsthalle Wien.

Crispy Thai Chicken garnished with wok fried vegetables, red curry and coconut rice.  Creamy deliciousness.

Hotel Am Konzerthaus

 Above, lobby at Hotel am Konzerthaus

I loved the vibe at the bar and lounge of the hotel we stayed at. It seemed to always be quietly buzzing with activity and below, the two bartenders who truly exemplify genuine service with a smile.  Big up gentleman.

The dinner.  Oh the dinner. 

Above: Grilled chicken breast on potato-pasta with walnut parsley & sour cream

Zum Schwarzen Kameel

I am huge fan of open kitchens.  So as we had just neared about 5 hours of walking and wandering Vienna and came across the backside of Zum Schwarzen Kameel, with their kitchen and deftly moving cooks on display for all passer by's, I had my heart completely set on eating here.

We made our way to the front of the building.  Once inside we found a somewhat hectic but jovial atmosphere. Definitely a hot spot on a Saturday afternoon.  The dining room was full so we found a space in the mostly standing room only cafe/bar section.

Open faced sandwiches that everyone was munching on.  Above: curry egg, carrot and shrimp open faced sandwiches (they run about 1.10 € apiece).

The atmosphere.  Most people seem to come here specifically for drinks, sandwiches and good company and will spend the entirety of their stay, as we did, standing, munching and talking.

I regret not having taken better photos of the sandwich bar. The sandwich lady was in the process of restocking the trays as I shot these pics.

Bruschetta for Christmas

In addition to several other dishes, I labored lovingly over my first attempt at Bruschetta.  There will indeed be many more bruschetta evenings.  I love that this tasty dish can literally serve as a meal ( a light-ish lunch perhaps?), or a delicious complement to a main course.  There is also something so deliciously sensory about it- the crisp of the bread after it has been lightly oiled and toasted, contrasted with the bright, juicy blend that is tomato and herb excitement to the max.

Getting the bread ready for the pan

Preparing tomatoes for the choppin'

Mixing the diced tomatoes, diced onions with a garlic spice blend that I made the previous day and left in the fridge overnight so the flavors could really merge.

Throwing  a good amount of chopped basil into the mix

Lightly toasting and crisping the bread with olive oil in a pan

Not all as golden as I had planned, but hey, this was the first go.  I will perfect my technique!

End result: completely edible and pretty tasty.  I am very exhausted to continue on with this recipe and try it out a couple of times a month, with variations!   Bruschetta Love!

"Bangers" on an October afternoon

I've posted once about the Bangers at Hausbrauerei Altstadthof in Nürnberg and I will likely do it again and again and again.  It is simply one of my favorite meals- light but filling, well rounded and simply delicious.  

21. Budapest.

Images from 21 restaurant on the Buda side of Budapest.  A final culinary farewell to the city on our 1st visit to Budapest.....

We found lovely outdoor seating and it was apparent that we had come before the dinner rush.  We enjoyed a leisurely few drinks and a meal while watching the competent and genial staff at 21, as picture below.

We had the Chicken Crepes as an appetizer.  

Like all the other meals we had in Budapest, the dishes were not too "exotic" to our palatte, 

but often new nonetheless and beautifully balanced with an assortment of herbs.

Above, the Entrecote steak with duck liver, roasted potatoes and dill-paprika sauce.

And my choice for the evening above.  

The Chicken paprikash with home made dumplings. 

When I ordered it, the server frowned in disagreement, explaining that the flavors were too similar to the Chicken Crepe appetizer we had. 

I said I didn't mind a repeat of the flavors. 

It was that good.

Some of the staff of Pierrot, 21's sister restaurant across the street. 

Művész Kávézó

Late summer lunch at Művész Kávézó in Pest

Steamers from above providing a cool mist for diner, plants and passer by'ers alike...

Order of the Chicken Catalan.  While perhaps not a traditional local dish, the features of fresh vegetables and a pleasant and light mix of various herbs seemed to be a feature in all our meals in Budapest.

Interlude & Entertainment at Cafe Im Zeug Haus

Taking a break from Museum Island explorations in Berlin, we happened upon Cafe Im Zeug Haus in Mitte which provided a delicious meal, perfect people watching and, by happenstance, sidewalk comedy.

Having a glass of Saale Unstrut vintage white wine and a Tarte Flambeé with shrimps, dried tomatoes, stuffed hot peppers and rocket salad.

The sidewalk comedy provided by the man with the red nose was a riot.  I spent my lunch laughing and tracking this guy's mimic act back and forth on the sidewalk.  More pictures here.