If you were craving Nikkei cuisine in Vienna recently, there was one place to go: the Ruhm brothers' "DiningRuhm", who learned to appreciate the Japanese-Peruvian style of cooking as part of US chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's global "Nobu" group. Before that, there was the Piber family's "Mercado", which closed in 2019. Their former chef Javier Vera Alarcón has now reappeared in a simple bistro in Vienna's Josefstadt district and produces an amazing repertoire of fish and meat behind the counter. It's best to come for more, then you'll finish the whole menu and be amazed at the variety of carefully composed sauces. Flamed ceviche from the "catch of the day", this time eagle fish and octopus, in smoked tiger's milk with sweet potato and red onions - ravishingly good. You can also get this at the legendary "Maido" in Lima, where the man once studied. And so it goes on. Tiradito, the Peruvian hybrid of sashimi and ceviche, is available either from the catch of the day or even better (and somewhat more expensive) from otoro, the fatty belly meat of the bluefin tuna. Here in a creamy aj amarillo sauce made from yellow chilies, again smoked to perfection. The sushi platter with five nigiri plus eight maki is reasonably priced at 20 euros given the quality of the fish. There are also five meat dishes, no less elaborately arranged: duck as a warm ceviche, 15-hour pork belly in ramen reduction or XO beef tataki. Drinks are provided by Daniel Levai, who has bar experience. Cocktail lovers are well catered for, wine lovers less so. The "I-am-the-wine-list" announcement with a mini selection and natural wine requirement tempts you to stick to Obertrumer on tap.
Route
