I was unable to secure a table at Steirereck (poor planning) so the concierge recommended that I try a place that he has come to enjoy, so, off I go to Huber's on Rennweg (http://www.hubersonline.at/) for what I hoped would be a good "local" dining experience. What I found was, in essence, a local corner bar with a bit of elegance. It was a rather small place with but four inside tables, a handfull of outside tables and no more than a half dozen bar stools. However, the inside ambiance was quite nice, given that the location is on a pretty busy street. The decor is art deco and the apponitments were very elegant. My fellow diners were all local families and there were a few local guys at the bar snacking and drinking and having a very nice, jovial time. It was a very relaxing place to have a nice meal and to absorb local culture.
The owners were Georgia and Andreas. I could just catch a glimpse of Georgia working away in her petite kitchen. As for Andreas, he was the waiter/bartender and a most amiable guy with a nice smile and an excellent temperment. The service was very good. The dinner was nicely paced. I began with a Trumer Pilsner (I have decided that it is better to have beer than wine in Austria) and munched on a tray of breads, black olives and small, sweet peppers as I perused the small menu.
I began with a Red Beet Gnocchi in a bed of rich, creamy sauce and topped with a delicate piece of smoked trout. The composition of a bite included a small piece of smoked trout over a piece of tender gnocchi which was then passed through the creamy sauce. Holding a small bite in one's mouth for a moment to allow it to penetrate the taste buds was simply, well, beyond description. After every few small bites I would take a sip of beer, which was light and added a different dimension to the next small bite. I languished over this first serving for some time. Andreas came toward the table twice but turned away. Finally, I gathered the last bit of creamy sauce with a piece of bread and pushed back to catch my breath.
Next came the Buffalo Mozzarella Tower with Rucola(arugula) and Pesto. It was a beautiful presentation and a very interesting approach to Caprese. The tower was comprised of a layer of succulent tomato, a layer of firm, fresh mozzarella, a layer of nicely done aubergine(eggplant), then mozzarella, then a repeat of each item. The Rucola added a nice peppery accent and the Pesto had just the right amount of garlic. The combined tastes were excellent. Once again, with a bite consisting of a bit of tomato, a bit of cheese, a bit of eggplant, all covered with arugula and pesto, the taste buds were thrown into a state of total ecstacy. Andreas was beginning to wonder if I would ever finish this meal.
Lastly, I selected the mandatory Wiener Schnitzel of Veal with Parsley Potatoes and a lovely side salad.. The salad was a beautiful small garden salad. All of the ingredients were fresh and crisp. The dressing was light and refreshing. The salad was an excellent compliment to the Schnitzel, which was lightly breaded and very tender. The potatoes were light and buttery. Overall, the entree possessed a nice range of texture and tastes but I took them more in succession rather then in tandem. I would enjoy a bite of veal, then a bit of potato, then a bite of salad, then sit back for a moment, then have a sip of beer. This process continued until the platter was clean. If I had been observing a person eating a meal in this fashion I am certain that I would have thought it very odd, but for me, I was experiencing massive enjoyment.
Now, I must admit that I was satisfied. I would not be able to enjoy a dessert this evening so I settled for a nice glass of Grappa to settle myself for the stroll back to the hotel. This had been a very nice dining experience. I paid the surprisingly small bill, bid farewell to Andreas and sauntered into the night.
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