We went back to Glacis Beisl which had been full the night before and where we’d booked a table. Beisln are a kind of Viennese bistro pub where you can expect to find typical Viennese food. Glacis Beisl is an unremarkable place at first sight. To be frank, the entrance is quite tacky and you have to go down steps that feel more like the entrance to a multi storey car park than a good restaurant. However, once there it opens into a large terrace, with vines winding across the top, and was full of tables with people eating and waiters rushing back and forth.
I decided it was time for fizz. I hadn’t had any yet on the trip and asked the waiter to suggest a local one.
It was a deeper colour than prosecco or champagne and sweeter – although I’d been told this was the dry version. It was nice though and good to drink local wine. We chose soup starters. For Nicola a gazpacho (€4.70) which was very good.
The dark delicious bread was the tastiest I’d been served all weekend – and typical of the city (the photo colour is a bit weird; I used my iPhone – so apologies). My apple, celeriac, Calvados and cream soup (€4.70) was fabulous. I’ll have to try making this at home.
Nicola chose roast saddle of lamb with potato gratin, green beans and thyme jus (€23.90) and it was very good.
I wanted to eat Wiener Schnitzel (€19.90) on my last evening. And I’d done well to wait for it because this one was excellent. Wonderfully light batter and tender veal. It was really really good.
Wiener Schnitzel doesn’t come in small portions! It usually comes in two pieces and we’ve seen lots of people sharing it. A salad accompanied it. I commented on my first evening that my salad was soggy. I’ve since discovered that appears to be the way of serving salad in Vienna! Last night’s was literally swimming in dressing, which pooled at the bottom of the bowl. It was however tasty and included beetroot, pickled cucumber and potato.
Although it was so good it was too much for me and I left some. But I was really pleased we’d had such a good Austrian meal on my last evening. We lingered a bit longer while I had an espresso then walked slowly back to the studio. The air was warm and it was too humid to want to rush anywhere but really a perfectly lovely evening.
I do hope that you try making and then sharing a recipe for the apple, celeriac, calvados and cream soup. It sounds like one that I would really enjoy.
Yes it was very good. I must remember to try it when the current heatwave in London is over! Lots of my favourite flavours and I even already have some Calvados I bought in Normandy in my cupboard!