For those who aren’t very familiar with the area around Linz—Leonding isn’t just somewhere in Upper Austria, but right on the city limits of the state capital and only a few minutes away from the main train station. The “Bergdiele” there is considered a hotspot for operators. Now, two self-proclaimed “Mühlviertel boys” have taken over the visually rather unassuming restaurant as its new “dealer”—note the pun on “Diele.” Florian Gintenreiter made a name for himself in the region at the “Rahofer” in Kronstorf and, most recently, at the “Rosso” in Linz. David Roither has also worked at all sorts of top-tier establishments. The result presents a dilemma: with many menus, you’re not quite sure what to order. Here, you’re not sure what to leave out. The best solution, then, is the six-course “evening menu” for a delightful 95 euros. Aside from the flambéed pikeperch—which was probably too fresh and thus still a bit tough, likely due to the obvious rush of diners at Linz’s most exciting new spot—the dishes served here are distinctive and full of character. Cime di rapa is served with creamy egg yolk, ricotta, and wild garlic used sparingly; bergamot adds an extra dimension. Tender beef tongue is—no joke—glazed with a sweet-and-sour BBQ sauce, in which reduced cola plays a starring role, accompanied by whatever wild herbs the forest and meadows have to offer at the moment—stinging nettle, yarrow, etc. Unconventional and very good: turbot, pork crackling lard, smoked yogurt, bergamot once again, and—goulash. Noteworthy: the carefully curated wine list and its human counterpart, Josef Hurmer—it’s rare to have bottles recommended with such passion.
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