I just posted a message on Restaurant Steirereck and it ended up on the United States forum. So here it is a again. Does anyone have experience with the above restaurant. Especially their claim that it has been awarded a Michelin one star. I was under the impression that only restaurants in France get those.

Hi
Michelin awards stars for places all over Europe.
Steirereck is supposed to be Vienna's best, one of Europe's best. Wine cellar has been praised lavishly in Wine Spectator as well--you can search their website.
I have reservations to dine there with my family next month, so I can't report back until after the trip. I do know they are moving their premises next month, I don't know if I will be visiting the old location or the new, my hotel has made the reservation.

I've eaten at their old location. The wine cellar is very impressive. The food was good, but the people I ate with (and myself) didn't find it distinctly superior to the other top restaurants we tried in Vienna. We'll be back in Vienna for 11 days at the end of the month and if the restaurant is open (not sure what the status is with the move), we'll try it again. FYI, we didn't have any trouble getting a reservation...our hotel booked the table just a day before and the restaurant wasn't very crowded when we were there (in March).

Hi BTike
We are also booked at David,
Francouzska, Allegro, and
Palac Kinskych. Allegro will work logistically the night we want to go, because it is right in our hotel and we have plans that work around that.
Any comments welcome.

Thanks . I wasn't aware they are moving. Do you know their new location? I am not planning to visit Vienna until June so would be grateful for your input, What other restaurants do you recommend? Doesn't have to be top drawer. We also like the "local' places. Am familiar with Figlmuller and Kuckuck. There must be many others that would be worth a visit. Have gone to little Beisels in back streets and althought they were good I am sure we are missing out on a whole lot.

Hi
In preparation for my upcoming trip to Vienna and Prague, I have a Vienna file.
If you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

Figlmuller was on my list, but for now I've dropped it as I fear it is more tourist-oriented than either a place for fine food or a local treasure. I could of course be wrong.

I ate at Steirereck back in Dec '01 ( so my experience is dated). I did the tasting menu and enjoyed it very much - it was a nice contrast to Korso, which was international with Austrian influence. I enjoyed the setting at Korso better than Steirereck - which felt a bit cramped and not as old world elegant.

sorry, the restaurants I mentioned above are in Prague, not Vienna, I looked at the wrong half of our itinerary.
the places we've booked in Vienna are
Weissen Rauchfangkeher, Do & Co,
Korso, and Steirereck

If any of you are going to be in Vienna on a Thursday I have a dining suggestion for you. Each week a buffet dinner is held at the main gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts [Kunsthistorisches Museum] catered by Gerstner. You reserve a table which is yours for the entire evening.Have your first course, may be go and view some of the paintings, return for the next course, see some more of the art and so on until the museum closes. This may not do for purists who would not want to mix their artistic pleasure with such mundane joys as food but we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Elaine, I wondered! I didn't know any of these restuarants.
Weissen Rauchfangkehrer is my personal favorite place in Vienna, I've always had excellent food and service there. This time around, I want to try a few new (to me) places like Culinarium Osterreich and The Black Camel.
Marktynernyc, that is an excellent suggestion, thanks! What kind of food did they serve?

Oops, excuse me, I meant Pipsil, that's a great idea, so what kind of things were on the buffet table?

Elaine, We have eaten at the Weissen Rauchfangkehrer and did not enjoy it at all. We thought it pretentious and overpriced for the quality . By the way I am completely bowled over by the incredible amount of information you gave me in your e mail.What a lot of work! Really impressive. If it's not too much trouble could also use the London information.Thanks a lot.

BTilke,One man's [orwoman's] meat is another's poison. Right? I am referring to our opposing views of the Weissen Rauchfangkehrer.The food served at the Museum is International.Varied, with prawns and salmon among the fish courses [Hardly Viennese] and anything but Schnitzel among the meat courses. But notwithstanding that there is a great choice and the desserts are certainly Austrian

Hi
happy to send the London file, just email me again at [email protected]

I'm glad you liked the Vienna file, valued praise since you've been there and I haven't yet.

On our last trip, we really enjoyed our dinner at the Palmenhaus in the Burggarten, more actually for the location than the food, altho the food was good.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...cfm?h_id=45879
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/0007/viennafood.htm

We also like the Griechenbeisl because of its history as well as its food.
http://www.griechenbeisl.at/DesktopDefault.aspx

Pipsil is spot on with the Museum recommendation - but go early enough (say 5pm) to look around before starting. The setting is stunning and is an experience in its own right (- which Rauchfang.. is simply not - although perfectly pleasant restaurant) except for the out of place modern lights. Food was good - starters great with smoked salmon, prawns, and stacks of other things. Main course - 3 dishes, one vegetarian -including a roast. All were good, not great, and desserts were great with huge selection. Bettyk's Palmengarten is another beautiful looking place, but my experience was pretty mediocre (not rated highly in Vienna's restaurant guides). My other one is Harry's Time, especially for 17 euro lunch (6 courses) or eat the menu for around 35 (for 26 courses), on An der Humben in first. Check out Schwarzenberg Palais for another stunning setting - overlooking the gardens, especially if in summer time.

Travelnick, I have heard about Harry's Time but the number of courses are a bit overhelming. We would go for dinner rather than lunch. Could you give me an idea what kind of food they are serving? Yes, I could wait until I get there but having you as menu guru gives me a chance to look forward to the meal.

elaine- you are not wrong in dropping Figlmuller

Nick, we were at the Palmenhaus a couple of years ago. Our food was actually pretty good, tho not great. However, I would definitely go there again for maybe a light lunch, just for the beautiful surroundings!

BTilke, it looks like the Culinarium is a retail establishment as well as a restaurant. I am quite familiar with the Neuen Markt so you'd think I would have noticed it. Just shows you how blind one can be. By the way I e mailed the Steirereck regarding their move and they are not relocating until fall of this year but they did not say where they are moving to. Would still like to know more about Harry's Time.