The genre known in Vienna as the “scene spot” has the most defunct venues. After all, scenes come and go. This makes it all the more remarkable that Vienna’s “Salzamt” is celebrating its 43rd anniversary this year. This is largely due to the timeless, understated architecture by Hermann Czech—benches all around, Thonet armchairs, spherical lamps. Nothing has ever needed to be changed in this total work of art, which has long been a favorite gathering place for artists. Culinary-wise, the restaurant has long been known for classics like fried chicken salad or sarma cabbage rolls—a text on the homepage recalls this era. But Chef Andreas Stirn, a native of Düsseldorf who previously worked at Filippou, among other places, has been gently transforming the restaurant for some time now into one of the city’s best French restaurants. From the handwritten menu: homemade country pâté with pistachios & Armagnac—thank you for that. Leafy salad with duck gizzards (!) and Bleu de Bresse is a staple on the menu, as is veal head in vinaigrette. Fish is on the menu, of course—sea bream with
gray shrimp, cooked to perfection like everything here; truly excellent bistro cuisine without any foray into fine dining. Unfortunately, the same old “salt office” routine persists: the wine list features Bründlmayer, Vranac “13 Jul,” and just one simple French wine, as always.
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