At first glance, the “Stern” in Simmering might look like your average Viennese restaurant. But nothing here is ordinary. It starts with a peek into the refrigerator in the entrance area, where a hare chili is always in stock among the dishes displayed across the aisle. The trail leads to owner Christian Werner, who is as crazy about hunting as he is about wine. His second passion is to thank for a wine list featuring nearly 700 entries. Actually, that’s not quite right—there are two wine lists, one for reds and one for whites. Elsewhere, Prosecco as an aperitif is considered the height of luxury; here, you can even enjoy a glass of Roederer Cristal at a reasonable price. And following Peter Zinter’s departure for the “Gogosch” in Donnerskirchen, here’s the next unusual twist: The new chef is Armin Hagenhenrich, originally from Münster. He conceived the unusual Austrian-German restaurant “Die Botschaft” in Copenhagen and also cooked at the iconic Berlin spot “Clärchens Ballhaus.” Now it’s Vienna’s turn: “It’s always been on my list. You can still make a difference here.” He wants to streamline the menu to focus on precision. Here’s what that tastes like: When owner Werner has 200 pheasants on hand, Hagenhenrich turns them into 15 liters of consommé, served with egg yolk and sherry—simply brilliant. Also new: “Organic veal tongue salad,” subtly Asian-marinated and served with frisée. Recently added to the “tasting menu” (6 courses for a reasonable 95 euros): brain baked in a delicious French langoustine bisque. And recently announced on Facebook: “Pierre Koffmann” pork trotter—a legendary dish by the French chef from his former three-star restaurant in London’s Knightsbridge. Hagenhenrich clearly still has plenty of plans in store.
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