Trevor Barlow: Vienna Day One

Overnight at the Renaissance Hotel at Heathrow Airport and then onto Vienna, Austria via British Airways....

First views of Austria....

Sally on the CAT train from Vienna Airport to the Vienna's city center

View from our room at the Intercontinental Hotel. Rooms overlooks the Stadtpark

Another room view.

After check-in at the hotel we walked to a performance of the Vienns Boy's Choir

The concert was in the Brahmssaal (600 seats) in the Wiener Musikverein (exterior view above) which opened January 6, 1870.

Following is the VBC program for today:

Within the Musikverein, at the same time, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra was beginning a rehearsal session...

Immediately after the Vienna Boy's Choir concert we walked back to the Stadtpark for dinner at:

Before we were seated at Steirereck (we were early) we were ushered downstairs to The Meierei for a cocktail while we waited for the main restaurant to open at 18:30 hrs....I knew tonight was going to be a great culinary experience and it certainly didn't disappoint...it's not a cheap date that's for sure but worth every penny - you have to dine here because it's just too difficult to describe. Anyone traveling to Vienna (if your a foodie) MUST dine here...take a look at their website: http://steirereck.at/index_e.php

Below I have uploaded pictures of the evening and also pictures of the little "menu cards" Before each course (we had the full seven course tasting menu along with different wines for each course) they give you little menu cards so you can follow along with what you are eating and what your taste buds should expect.

First it was down to The Meierei for a cocktail. See the Steirereck website for details.

Cheese selections....

The Meierei

The former milk drinking hall was erected as part of the installations surrounding the Wienfluß according to plans of Friedrich Ohmann and Josef Hackhofer during the years of 1901 to 1903. After suffering heavy damage during World War II, the building was extended during reconstruction. Today, with another annex having been built, there is a restaurant in the Meierei.

Well I can't remember (too many years ago) where you could actually smoke at the table...so I lit up a couple of times...why...because I could!

Menu cards follow: Not all courses shown on the cards have photos referencing them...too busy eating....

Entry sculpture outside restaurant. (went out for a smoke so that's why this pictures is here!)

Cheese tray arrives.....

Just before you leave we got just one more little treat...so this is the very last little gem of food for the evening...presentation is interesting...