Oh what a beautiful treat to the eyes. On our way to Schnitzelwirt, a most-loved modern tavern in Vienna’s 7th district, gold and yellow leaves crowning the trees say hello. The smell is wonderful too, what I always associate Vienna with since this is the season I first set foot here.
Now what’s best food to enjoy with visiting friends? Schnitzel of course! And there couldn’t be a cheaper menu, with homey atmosphere to have them in than in Schnitzelwirt.
Schnitzelwirt’s plethora of schnitzels may not be the Wienerschnitzel (Viennese schnitzel from veal)…but they have a variety to choose from and servings bigger than your palm, you would definitely be coming home satisfied.
Old Charm
The interior of Schnitzelwirt is very much a tavern, wooden benches, covered tables, wooden bars, and the warm atmosphere of Austrian inns are all present. No matter how many of you are eating, there would be a table available.
We always go in groups not less than 4 and we always enjoy being a bit chatty with each other, other patrons not minding. It’s every bit a traditional restaurant to enjoy Austrian cuisine.
And it’s also nice that they don’t require reservations so you can just pop in every time you crave for schnitzel.
Schnitzelwirt Menu
Wienerschnitzel is a dish protected by law, it is exclusively from veal meat. So if a restaurant serves other meats, it is a rule that it should be stated and not called Wienerschnitzel.
Schnitzelwirt’s menu is consisted of varieties of meats and by way of cooking. There’d be pork, chicken, and turkey variations. This is what you have to identify when you order. For example, “turkey cordon bleu” would be turkey schnitzel with ham and cheese inside. A Prager schnitzel would be pork schnitzel with mushroom, onion, ham filling.
Often, I would just go with pork schnitzel, or pork schnitzel with garlic, it is my goal to try the Allerlei next – translated: all sorts of things. A variation of Viennese, Parisian, and Mexican schnitzels! (Should have added tonkatsu as well…)
They also have a range of sides to choose from, be it pommes, potato salad, green salad, or cucumber yogurt salad.
Take Home
This schnitzel cut is bigger than a palm…so there will be leftovers for me. They always give you a packaging paper and plastic bags for what you want to take home. There’s never a time that I took home something. 😀 I need to expand my tummy capacity for this!
Where To Find Schnitzelwirt
Schnitzelwirt is at Neubaugasse 52, 1070. We usually walk the stretch of Neubaugasse (13 minutes) but one can take bus no.13 and no. 49 and get off at the instersection of Neubaugasse and Westbahnstrasse.Otherwise, take tram 49 from both ends – Burgasse and Volkstheater and get off at the Westbahnstrasse/Neubagasse station.
The Neubagasse street is a distraction to us, there’s a Starbucks that we often hang out in. There’s an ice cream shop that has the best dark chocolate-flavor in the city. There’s a shoe store – of nikes, jordans, kds and such that always has sales. Then there’s a stationery store that also sells cute tea mugs and pots, and many others.
It actually takes us more than the 13 minute-approximation walk all the time, lol.
Bonus Schnitzel Recipe
Ok, so here’s a traditional recipe that will be enough for 4 people (well depending on how much is one’s appetite. lol).
Ingredients:
160 g veal schnitzel (4 pieces)
150 g grippy flour
2 eggs
300 g breadcrumbs
1 lemon
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 tbsp cooking fat, oil, or clarified butter
Procedure:
1. Pound the cutlets gently between cling films.
2. Salt the meat on both sides, also sprinkle with pepper.You can let is stand a bit to let the salt set in.
3. Roll the cutlets onto the flour. Pound.
4. Roll each side through the eggs and then roll them onto the crumbs.
5. Heat your preferred frying oil – cooking, or ghee. It should approximately be 2 fingers up your pan to allow the schnitzel to “swim.”
6. Fry the cutlets immediately, do not let them sit in to get a crispy, crusty skin. Shake the pan a little during frying so that the schnitzel turns evenly golden brown.
7. Lift out the schnitzels and drain on kitchen paper.
8.Cut the lemon into wedges and garnish the finished Wienerschnitzel with lemon wedges.
Note: You can substitute veal with the meat of your choice. This is the same procedure for cordon bleu, just fill up your schnitzels before coating them with flour.
Perfect Sides for Schnitzel
As Schnitzelwirt serves their schnitzels with a plethora of side dishes, we also prepare a number of them when having schnitzel at home. The kids would always go with pommes frites, but potato wedges are good too. Aside from a sprinkle of lemon, there’s cranberry sauce to dip your schnitzel in.
Other sides perfect with schnitzel would be cucumber-yogurt salad, potato salad, just a mix of greens with balsamico, or if you are a big eater, pasta bolognese. ^_^
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.jpg "Wienerwald – More than just Chicken")
