Are half portions acceptable?
May 25th, 2004, 01:37 PM
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Are half portions acceptable?
My wife and I are worried about descriptions of large portions of schnitzels etc. in Vienna. We are at an age where large portions are somewhat daunting. Is sharing a meal ever done or would it be frowned upon?
May 25th, 2004, 02:01 PM
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I used to live in Vienna and I never noticed portions being particularly big. There is one restaurant whose selling point is 'the biggest schnitzel in Vienna' but I can't think of any other examples. Also, the restaurants tend to be quite cheap by western european standards so not finishing a course doesn't involve wasting lots of money.
I don't know where you're from, but if it's America, portions definitely won't be large in comparison to what you're used to.
If you are concerned about restaurants, coffee houses provide light meals throughout the day and evening, and many have atmospheres equal to or better than the average restaurant. There are also several good self-service restaurants such as the Nordsee chain, althought the atmosphere isn't as special.
And, finally getting to your question, I'm afraid I don't know whether splitting portions is acceptable - sorry.
I don't know where you're from, but if it's America, portions definitely won't be large in comparison to what you're used to.
If you are concerned about restaurants, coffee houses provide light meals throughout the day and evening, and many have atmospheres equal to or better than the average restaurant. There are also several good self-service restaurants such as the Nordsee chain, althought the atmosphere isn't as special.
And, finally getting to your question, I'm afraid I don't know whether splitting portions is acceptable - sorry.
May 25th, 2004, 02:05 PM
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Hi
I was in Vienna in March and had schnitzel a couple of times, portions didn't seem huge, just generous. It was pounded quite thin. There's one touristy restaurant Figl-something that specializes in huge portions, but I wouldn't worry about it.
One place with excellent schnitzel was Do & Co, across Stephansdom. Quite an eclectic menu, from sushi to schnitzel.
Food not terribly heavy.
I was in Vienna in March and had schnitzel a couple of times, portions didn't seem huge, just generous. It was pounded quite thin. There's one touristy restaurant Figl-something that specializes in huge portions, but I wouldn't worry about it.
One place with excellent schnitzel was Do & Co, across Stephansdom. Quite an eclectic menu, from sushi to schnitzel.
Food not terribly heavy.
May 25th, 2004, 03:56 PM
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As a European who lives in the US, I can write that sharing a meal in a restaurant, in Europe, is considered crass. It is not our custom. You may get a very cold response from your waiter.
It is best to order something light, maybe a sandwich or a salad. There are cafes all over Vienna (I have been there)that serve such meals, especially in the Graben/Kohlmarket area. I also agree with others that the schnitzel portion are not large.
Hope this helps, guv.
It is best to order something light, maybe a sandwich or a salad. There are cafes all over Vienna (I have been there)that serve such meals, especially in the Graben/Kohlmarket area. I also agree with others that the schnitzel portion are not large.
Hope this helps, guv.
May 25th, 2004, 07:31 PM
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Boys and girls the days of the "European restaurants have smaller portions," if not completely a thing of the past, are very rapidly becoming so. In my recent 9 day stay in France I had more than a few portions that would keep pace with many an American oversized dish.
I wonder if the European restaurant consortium isn't fighting the meal sharing phenomenon as their portion sizes get bigger and bigger. In Dijon a couple of weeks ago I was in a Maitre Kanter brasserie. It's a French restaurant chain with 50 or so restaurants.
www.tavernes-maitre-kanter.com
I ate at a couple last year with my Dad and one late last fall with a friend in Nantes. Not until this one in Dijon did several items on the menu have (in French) in red letters under the item, "This meal is for one person only." I can't imagine this disclaimer in French was placed solely for the American tourists.
Maybe old people get some slack cut for them. Last year my Dad and I in France shared many meals and never had a problem including Maitre Kanter. Sometimes I'd order the 3 course menu and he'd just have an appetizer, we'd split the rest. Other times I ordered a menu and he had a main course. A few times we'd split a 3 course menu for 1 between the two of us.
I never noticed any problems with wait staff being cold, dour or anything else when we did this. But then again I'm weird. I figure I'm the customer. I don't really give a dang whether the waiter approves of what I'm ordering or not. If it's against the restaurant's "rules" I'm more than willing to take my money elsewhere. No skin off my nose and it certainly would not ruin my meal or day. In fact it would give me something to laugh about or be envious of. Laughing because they weren't very good at customer service or envious because they must not need the money and run the restaurant as a hobby.
I wonder if the European restaurant consortium isn't fighting the meal sharing phenomenon as their portion sizes get bigger and bigger. In Dijon a couple of weeks ago I was in a Maitre Kanter brasserie. It's a French restaurant chain with 50 or so restaurants.
www.tavernes-maitre-kanter.com
I ate at a couple last year with my Dad and one late last fall with a friend in Nantes. Not until this one in Dijon did several items on the menu have (in French) in red letters under the item, "This meal is for one person only." I can't imagine this disclaimer in French was placed solely for the American tourists.
Maybe old people get some slack cut for them. Last year my Dad and I in France shared many meals and never had a problem including Maitre Kanter. Sometimes I'd order the 3 course menu and he'd just have an appetizer, we'd split the rest. Other times I ordered a menu and he had a main course. A few times we'd split a 3 course menu for 1 between the two of us.
I never noticed any problems with wait staff being cold, dour or anything else when we did this. But then again I'm weird. I figure I'm the customer. I don't really give a dang whether the waiter approves of what I'm ordering or not. If it's against the restaurant's "rules" I'm more than willing to take my money elsewhere. No skin off my nose and it certainly would not ruin my meal or day. In fact it would give me something to laugh about or be envious of. Laughing because they weren't very good at customer service or envious because they must not need the money and run the restaurant as a hobby.
May 25th, 2004, 09:12 PM
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almcd;
Eat drink and be merry in Wien. If the portions are too big, don't finish them! I would order what you want, but don't be a crass American and try to split a meal. You are in a very fine city...enjoy yourselves! By the way Figl something is Figlmüller and though it is considered touristy it is worth a visit, have a glass of Gruner Veltliner with your schnitzels and enjoy life.
Eat drink and be merry in Wien. If the portions are too big, don't finish them! I would order what you want, but don't be a crass American and try to split a meal. You are in a very fine city...enjoy yourselves! By the way Figl something is Figlmüller and though it is considered touristy it is worth a visit, have a glass of Gruner Veltliner with your schnitzels and enjoy life.
May 26th, 2004, 06:13 AM
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We just returned from England and Scotland and we did this on numerous occasions. We just don't eat as much as we use to and most of the dishes were plenty for 2 people.
Not one waitperson gave us the slightest indication that this was somehow "crass" behavior. Nor were we ever charged extra. Most servers even brought us extra plates, etc.
Not one waitperson gave us the slightest indication that this was somehow "crass" behavior. Nor were we ever charged extra. Most servers even brought us extra plates, etc.
May 26th, 2004, 06:22 AM
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In both northern Italy and Austria sharing for us was the norm, and our finding was as for bettyk: extra plates were brought with no indication that this was crass behaviour. (We did leave a larger tip, to compensate.)Indeed, in Fortnum and Mason's in London we also shared a dish, again extra plates brought cheerfully.
If, however, for some reason a restaurant doesn't wish to bring extra plates, do as Ira suggests and simply switch plates. Regarding any 'frowned upon' fears, on this board sometimes you can't win: North Americans are first criticized as crass for eating too much, and then criticized for same for eating a reasonable amount. And schnitzel, which is deep fried, is a filling dish.
If, however, for some reason a restaurant doesn't wish to bring extra plates, do as Ira suggests and simply switch plates. Regarding any 'frowned upon' fears, on this board sometimes you can't win: North Americans are first criticized as crass for eating too much, and then criticized for same for eating a reasonable amount. And schnitzel, which is deep fried, is a filling dish.
May 26th, 2004, 08:04 AM
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I've done it similar to the way Ira describes. When traveling with my teen daughter I would order a four course meal and then split it with her. I take the salad and main course and she has the starter and desert. I ask before doing this. In one case in The Hague the waiter said OK but when the bill came it was all priced a-la-carte. I howled and reminded him that he had agreed to the procedure when I ordered, but it did no good. On my way out the door a gentleman rushed over to me and apologized. He was the owner of the place and had listened to the whole thing. He straightened the price out for us.
You may or may not be offered doggie bags in Vienna. With my distant relatives in the Tyrol we stopped for lunch In a small town outside Innsbrueck. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the cheese, thinking that it would be like France where the waiter brings an assortment on a plate and cuts a few wedges for you. In this place the waitress left a large platter of assorted cheeses on the table. I cut off a few wedges for my lunch. Before we left, my distant aunt wrapped up the rest of the cheese in napkins and stuffed it all into her purse. There was at least a kilo of cheese that she bagged, but my lunch only cost a few dollars. So, I guess that if the waitress puts something on the table it is yours. Maybe someone else can offer their experiences along these lines. Four days later we still had cheese left over!
You may or may not be offered doggie bags in Vienna. With my distant relatives in the Tyrol we stopped for lunch In a small town outside Innsbrueck. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the cheese, thinking that it would be like France where the waiter brings an assortment on a plate and cuts a few wedges for you. In this place the waitress left a large platter of assorted cheeses on the table. I cut off a few wedges for my lunch. Before we left, my distant aunt wrapped up the rest of the cheese in napkins and stuffed it all into her purse. There was at least a kilo of cheese that she bagged, but my lunch only cost a few dollars. So, I guess that if the waitress puts something on the table it is yours. Maybe someone else can offer their experiences along these lines. Four days later we still had cheese left over!
