There is a new culinary addition to Blindengasse in Vienna's Josefstadt district: Arici has opened its doors in a former typewriter shop.
Arici is not the first restaurant to occupy the former premises of a stationery store in Josefstadt. The Art Deco restaurant from 1927 was converted into "Das kleine Paradies", which in turn was replaced by "Creo". Now Simon Steiner, formerly of Dogenhof, Praterwirt and Heuer am Karlsplatz, and Mila Arici, a Viennese by choice, have opened Arici here. Arici herself says that she "slipped into gastronomy" after working as a make-up artist in Paris for a long time, then assisted in the kitchen at a restaurant on Lake Wörthersee and was responsible for several catering events in Vienna.
"We want to position ourselves as an understandable feel-good restaurant, it should be bustling and fun," says Arici in an interview with Falstaff about her ideas for the restaurant. What does she mean by that? Italian, Mediterranean, a selection of wines and everything you need for an aperitif with friends.
Arici found inspiration for the menu in Italy: vitello tonnato, stracciatella with hot honey and raspberry or panzanella with sourdough croutons. "The map is a classic map with a few gimmicks. We received great products from our supplier Luca Miliffi," says the team. Trippa Fritta, deep-fried tripe, which is often served as street food in Italy and served with lemon, is rather rare in Vienna. For the main course, there is cottoletta Milanese with caper dip, spaghetti all'assassina - fried spaghetti that is extra crispy as a result - and for vegetarians, Sicilian caponata with eggplants, zucchinis and tomatoes.
For Steiner and Arici, the restaurant in Blindengasse is a "place where a lot can happen", and it can happen that a cozy evening with friends turns into a night of dancing.
