Zum Andreas Hofer, Vienna

Zum Andreas Hofer
Bruckengasse 11
Vienna 1060, Austria

I’ll admit it. I much prefer to be in charge of dinner plans. You, dear reader, are not surprised. But after four countries in five days last month, I was wiped. I had done no research. I didn’t even know what day it was. I handed the reigns to a co-worker, hopped in a taxi and headed over to Zum Andreas Hofer with no expectations.

And that hay soup there on the left? It is the most delicious thing I’ve eaten all year. I wish I could describe it to you, but adjectives fail me at the moment. Salty? Grassy in the best possible way? FRESH. Weeks later, and my colleague Mark and I are still talking about it.

The rest of the dinner was nice…some smoked salmon, some smoked duck and lentils, and A LOT of wine …but it has all faded into a hazy cloud of schnapps fumes. It’s the hay soup I remember. And how oddly empty the restaurant was, when one considered the deliciousness of the hay soup.

I kept asking, “But this restaurant is Tyrolean? And we are in Wien?” There was no answer but “Ja? So?” And I remember regretting not taking my camera with me to the ladies’ because the tilework was lovely. And after that second schnapps (or perhaps the third), I remember falling vaguely in love with the handsome proprietor with the striking blue eyes, imagining our life together, our children climbing mountains and wearing Lederhosen.

The Verdict: Like.