Vienna – Rays Picks NYC

Amador
at Weingut Hajszan Neumann
Grinzinger Str. 86,
1190 Vienna, Austria
+43 660 9070500
Official Site

It had been nearly eight years since my last visit to Vienna. Back then, Austria’s capital did not have a three-Michelin-starred restaurant—something I always found surprising for a city of this caliber, widely regarded as the epicenter of a country with a deep and proud culinary culture. That all changed with the arrival of German three-Michelin-starred chef Juan Amador, who, after years of success in Germany, chose Vienna as the home for his namesake restaurant, Amador.

Restaurant Amador opened in 2015 and was immediately awarded two Michelin stars. Just two years later, the third star followed, making it the first restaurant in Austria to receive such an honor. This marked the third incarnation of Amador. The original restaurant opened in Langen, Germany, where it earned three stars, before relocating to Mannheim and once again achieving the same accolades—prior to finally settling in Vienna.

German-born chef and owner Juan Amador is no stranger to Michelin recognition. He earned his first star as head chef at Restaurant Petersilie in Lüdenscheid, followed by two stars at Schlosshof in Aschaffenburg, before opening his own eponymous restaurant. Chef Amador is widely regarded as one of Germany’s most accomplished and influential chefs.

Amador is located on the outskirts of Vienna, reachable by tram or taxi, tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood. The restaurant is housed in a working winery, with the dining room set inside a former wine cellar. Vaulted brick ceilings create a dramatic yet restrained atmosphere. Uniform round tables are dressed in thick white tablecloths, while the interior leans modern and minimalist, dominated by white and red tones. Lighting is soft, and music is kept so low it’s nearly imperceptible—allowing full focus on what’s happening on the plate.

Amador is open exclusively for dinner and offers a single nine-course tasting menu priced at €395. Dinner began with “Tapas & Snacks,” a rapid-fire barrage of small bites. The King Crab, Jalapeño, Bisque delivered deep crustacean flavor, served alongside a potato roll generously filled with sweet crab meat. One of the restaurant’s signatures, Walk in a Forest, followed—an earthy composition of mushrooms, parsley, and smoked dried eel, layered with smoke and umami.

TAPAS & SNACKS:

The Balfego Tuna, Roscoff-Onion, Chicken Skin arrived as a tartlet filled with rich, fatty tuna. The Canale l Norway Lobster l Perigod Truffles was particularly memorable: the traditionally sweet pastry cleverly transformed into a savory vehicle, topped with generous black truffle shavings and subtly filled with lobster meat, retaining just a hint of sweetness.

An amuse-bouche of Vichyssoise, Sea Cucumber, and Buttermilk followed. Traditionally a cold potato and leek soup with roots traced to New York City, Amador’s version arrived as an ice cream set atop airy buttermilk foam, with chunks of sea cucumber hidden beneath. Dehydrated leek added texture, while a bright citrus note tied the dish together. It was a bold, attention-grabbing introduction—shock value executed with precision.

Bread & Butter was treated as a course of its own. Bread by Christian Klein & Julie Branter | Vienna/Munich, Butter made by Jean-Yves Bordier| Saint-Malo and Olive Oil “Cuvee Amador” made by Castillo de Canena | Jaen formed an exceptional trio. Two varieties of freshly baked sourdough were paired with butter that was silky, rich, and deeply flavorful—clearly a point of pride for the kitchen.

BREAD & BUTTER:

The Momentum portion of the tasting began with CARABINERO FROM HUELVA – Escalivada, Parsley, Smoke Olive Oil. The prawn was firm yet succulent, showcasing natural sweetness, paired with roasted vegetables and a sweet-and-sour marinade that complemented the shellfish beautifully. Alongside it was a standout tartlet made from crustacean essence, topped with Spanish red gamba and Iberico pork, finished with smoky aromatic foam.

MOMENTUM:

Next came PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH – Leek | Viennese Sake | Oscietra N25. Delicate and buttery, the fish sat atop leek purée and a sake-based beurre blanc, adding depth and velvety richness. The caviar brought salinity, while fried kombu seaweed added crunch and contrast. This was followed by BRETON TURBOT – Morcilla | Razor Clam | Treviso. The turbot was tender and rested on bomba rice infused with turbot consommé. Razor clams added brininess, while Spanish morcilla brought savory depth. Treviso cabbage introduced bitterness that balanced the dish, and the fried turbot skin added a welcome crisp texture.

The main course was AKUNE GOLD BEEF – Vacherin Mont D’Or | Artichoke | Perigord Truffle. The award-winning beef was cooked perfectly—tender, richly flavored, and melting on the palate. Black truffle sauce provided earthiness, while the melted cheese added pungent complexity. A small side dish of pâté filled with veal, truffle, and hazelnut was an excellent accompaniment.

A pre-dessert of CLASE AZUL REPOSADO – Blood Orange , Mint , Whey was refreshing and vibrant. Bright citrus notes dominated, while minty foam added lift—an ideal palate cleanser and seamless transition into dessert.

The main dessert, BRICK IN THE WALL – Spiced Milk , Beetroot ,Raspberry, is a signature inspired by Pink Floyd. Designed to resemble a Lego brick, it was made from spiced milk custard and tonka bean, encased in beetroot and raspberry. Additional textures—macaron, sorbet, and beetroot elements—completed the plate. On its own, the custard was subtly spiced, but when combined with the other components, the dessert became beautifully balanced and surprisingly complex.

Petit fours, titled Pequeñas Locuras, included Turrón, Iyokan, Kayambe Lait, Maritozzi di Roma, Sour Cherry, Pistachio, Apfelstrudel 2.0 , no Raisins, and Lavazza Reserva de Cuba. The final “Happy End” was Amador’s refined take on Kaiserschmarrn—caramelized shredded pancake served with wild blueberry ragout, crème fraîche, and finished with cotton candy. It was a playful yet elegant conclusion to a long meal.

Dinner at Amador is lengthy and designed to be savored. The food is precise, thoughtful, and impeccably composed, with flavors and textures in perfect harmony. Only the finest ingredients—sourced both locally and internationally—are used. Chef Amador masterfully weaves his Spanish roots into dishes shaped by Austrian influences. It was, without question, a wonderful dinner.

PEQUEÑAS LOCURAS:

I asked the sommelier to focus on local Viennese wines, and he curated two whites for the early and middle courses, followed by a Wieninger Select Pinot Noir 2017. All pairings were spot-on, enhancing each dish. The Pinot Noir paired with the beef was particularly superb.

Service at Amador was ultra-formal, bordering on robotic. The staff appeared somewhat stiff but were exceptionally knowledgeable. They spoke when spoken to, remained unobtrusive throughout the meal, and somehow appeared instantly whenever a glass needed refilling or a plate clearing—allowing uninterrupted focus on the food.

Vienna is an expensive city, especially at the fine-dining level, and Amador is no exception. At €395 for food alone—well over $400—plus wine, the bill can easily exceed $500. It sits at the higher end of pricing among three-Michelin-starred restaurants I’ve visited.

As Austria’s first three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Amador carries immense pressure to perform consistently at the highest level. With a chef deeply experienced in Michelin stardom and kitchen intensity, Amador fully delivers. Vienna hardly needs validation as a great food city, but with Chef Amador planting his roots here and achieving this historic milestone, the city’s place among the world’s great dining destinations is firmly cemented.

Steirereck
Am Heuemarkt 2A/im Stadtpark
A-1030 Vienna, Austria
+43 713 31 68
Official Site

Austria’s capital city of Vienna is the cultural center of the nation. It is the birthplace of Viennese cuisine and the epicenter of Austrian gastronomy. There are nine venues awarded a Michelin star including Steirereck, the country’s most decorated restaurant and is considered among the very best in the world. Set along the River Wein in Stadpark, it has two Michelin stars, a score of 19/20 from Gault Millau and ranked number 15 in the San Pelligrino’s 50 Best Restaurant the Worlds list for 2015. The man responsible for its global ascension is Chef Heinz Reitbauer. He perfected his skills cooking under some of Europe’s greatest chefs like Anton Mosimann, Alain Chapel and Joel Robuchon before taking over Steirereck from his parents’ back 2005 when the restaurant was relocated to the capital.

In 2014 Steirereck was expanded adding more space that also houses another restaurant called Meierei Stadpark which faces more towards the river. The façade was given modern futuristic aspect, built with metals that reflect the lush greenery of the park. After entering the restaurant, guests are drawn to the kitchen next to the hostess desk where Chef Reitbauer directs his brigade. The swerved layout of the dining room provided a personal space with unformed round tables with ample distance from one another. Grey herringbone chairs gave a clean contrast to the white ceilings, blonde wood paneled walls and ivory mosaic tiled floorings while the large windows had the park as its back drop setting the tone for an intimate dining space.

Serving modern Austrian cuisine, Steirereck offers a six, seven course tasting menu and a la carte for both lunch and dinner. Additionally, there is a shorter five course option available for lunch only. The seven-course EUR 142 was the choice on my visit. I was served a made to order refreshing non-alcoholic aperitif prior to starting the meal. Then came a parade of small bites made from fish, sea food, vegetables, and eggs. Afterwards a cart of an assortment of freshly baked bread was rolled in-front of me.

The first course, CARROTS-Young Carrots with Fennel, Coconut & ‘Reinanke’, glazed in its own juice, ginger and lemon, yielding the carrots with some citric spiciness. “Reinanke” or white fish was just another facet to this dish that went well with all the other elements. Served two ways was the second course of CRAYFISH- Crayfish with eggplant, hemp & fennel pollen. A whole roasted crayfish cut in half was a bit messy and out of place for a fine dining considering that using both hands to crack shells in order to get to the meat but never the less the crayfish was very good. The other was with eggplant; it had very good textures with some lime undertones. Then came the third course, TENCH- Tench with Cauliflower, Spelt Sprout and Isabella Grapes. The tench was confit in brown butter which added some richness to the muddy essence of the fish.

Tasting Menu:

After all the sea food courses were finished, the tasting proceeded with the next two courses consisting of land proteins. PHEASANT-Pheasant with Salted Lemon-braised Onions, Chard & Ground cherry, a confit of lean pheasant breast and legs that was soft and scrumptious. It was enriched with sauce from potato with Peperoncini, baby leeks, and salted lemon. The main course was the MILK FED VEAL-Milk-Fed Veal with Young Cabbage, Turnip & Bone Marrow, the veal was cooked to perfection, juicy, and tender. The vegetables that were braised and grilled was a great addition to a flavorful veal. There was also a hint of buttery context on the plate lurking in the background of every bite.

Instead of having the traditional cheese course I had the FRESH CHEESE–Sweetened Vanilla, Fresh Cheese, with Physalis and Cereal. The dish was prepared on my table, one at a time the server slowly put together all the components while explaining about the dish. A more savory sweet course that has different types of fresh cheese, one was frozen darkened by black sesame seed and with hint of coconut the other was with unpasteurized vanilla. It also had dried Physalis for added textures and cherry sweetness. The dessert course was ROTER MOND- Roter mond apple and preserved walnut with spiced Amaranth, this was a Russian apple that has a distinct redness. Though sweet it also has some tartness, sour cream was added to balance the fruity nature. There were traces of gingery taste and preserved walnuts were for additional crunchy textures. Then finally the sweet petites course of chocolates and small pastries rounds up the tasting.

This seven course tasting menu was with a wine pairing for additional EUR 89. The pairing consisted of all Austrian wines which I applauded as Austria makes excellent wines. Most of my meals in Europe the wine pairing usually included a French wine but the sommelier at Steirereck fittingly enough paired it with beautiful local wines that not only enhanced each dish but was also enjoyable on its own. Even the one cocktail, Limoncello , that was paired with the cheese course had a pleasing alcoholic zest to go with it.

Lasting three hours, the tasting menu allowed Chef Reitbauer to display his cooking repertoire to his guests. His attention to detail and creativity to develop a plate with a complexity that involves putting together different elements produces interesting flavor combinations. He put a lot of emphasis on vegetables as all the savory courses included different root and leafy veggies. The ingredients are quality and was sourced from the chefs own farm and other local farmers.

While Chef Reitbauer is responsible for the kitchen, the dining room is under the guidance of his wife Brigit Reitbauer. She was handling the multinational guest at the dining room from the beginning, in the middle of the meal, all the way to the end with assurance that each guest will have an excellent dining experienced. The staff was efficient, cordial and well trained. Service was flawless and is expected from a restaurant of this stature.

Wine Pairing:

At Steirereck, Chef Reitbauer was able to provide a dining experience that is unique to Vienna. He is redefining Austrian cuisine and recreating classic Viennese fare while showcasing local ingredients. With this, he sets the restaurant apart from the handful of Michelin starred places in Vienna as it sits on the pinnacle of the dining echelon. Steirereck has been “THE” dining destination in the country for some time now and will continue to be in years to come.

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Tag: Vienna

Amador ***

Steirereck **