Silvio & Nickol, Vienna, 10/25/14

Exterior
Exterior

This beautiful restaurant is located in the Palais Coburg, a magnificently restored building that is now a hotel of suites. The whole place exudes elegance and the restaurant delivered a product in keeping with excellent food and service. Named for the chef, Silvio Nickel, he visited the dining room briefly but was there when we finally finished our meal. All meals starts with about 4 amuse bouche and end with a plate of petit fours. In between you can chose 5 to 9 courses, but the waiter warns you that the plates are not scaled if you order more, so we stuck to 5 and were perfectly full by leaving.

Room interior
Room interior

IMG_5847

You also start with housemade corn bread that is so yummy you don’t even need either of the butters offered to go with it.

The smoked eel was in a most delicate shell and divine. The foie gras was served with chocolate which was a real twist but one that worked for me. The lobster ravioli was a delightful blend of flavors and textures. The venison was nicely tender and perfectly cooked, but I’m still not a big fan of seabuckthorn, which was a small element. The cinnamon madeleine to finish the meal was another highlight.

Another note about the place is the wine selection. They are supposed to have some 60,000 bottles and we were excited to be able to make our own pairing by ordering several half bottles. The sommelier was very helpful in arranging this as well as insisting that we have a special sweeter wine to pair with the foie gras and bringing us a complimentary glass until our selections chilled. It’s these little touches that make the place shine.

simple yet elegant table decoration
simple yet elegant table decoration
water glass
water glass
interior
interior
Chef Silvio Nickol
Chef Silvio Nickol
smoked eel in saffron jell in pastry with fried onion
smoked eel in saffron jell in pastry with fried onion
Tuna with bell pepper and poppy seed
Tuna with bell pepper and poppy seed
Poached oyster with chorizo and plum
Poached oyster with chorizo and plum
housemade cornbread with regular and bacon butter
housemade cornbread with regular and bacon butter
inside that delicious cornbread
inside that delicious cornbread
Cream vichyssoise and shrimp, oil of leek and pomme souffle
Cream vichyssoise and shrimp, oil of leek and pomme souffle
wine
wine
wine
wine
Duck liver with passion fruit, sheep’s milk, bittersweet chocolate, peanut
Duck liver with passion fruit, sheep’s milk, bittersweet chocolate, peanut
brioche for duck liver course
brioche for duck liver course
wine
wine
Lobster with pea, king oyster mushroom, parsley and roasted bread
Lobster with pea, king oyster mushroom, parsley and roasted bread
Sole with pumpkin, horseradish, orchids and atsina
Sole with pumpkin, horseradish, orchids and atsina
neat towel fixture in bathroom
neat towel fixture in bathroom
patio
patio
another dining area
another dining area
looking into some of the wine cellar
looking into some of the wine cellar
wine front
wine front
wine back
wine back
Venison with pointed cabbage, seabuckthorn, buckwheat, cranberries
Venison with pointed cabbage, seabuckthorn, buckwheat, cranberries
Melon, Hendrick’s Gin, kardamon, bronzefennel
Melon, Hendrick’s Gin, kardamon, bronzefennel
Vanilla, blackberry, thyme, yogurt
Vanilla, blackberry, thyme, yogurt
Madeleine with cinnamon, macaron with passionfruit, white chocolate truffle with lavender
Madeleine with cinnamon, macaron with passionfruit, white chocolate truffle with lavender
Frankie wanted what was left
Frankie wanted what was left
us with Chef Silvio Nickol
us with Chef Silvio Nickol
hotel interior
hotel interior

IMG_5975

Leave a Reply