Austrian Cuisine: Mahlzeit 141The dishes available vary with each Heurige, but can include
cooked meats, sandwich meats, cheeses, salads and breads.
Some favourites are Kümmelbraten, a delicious if somewhat
fatty pork roast with caraway seeds. Schweinsbraten (roast
pork), Schinken (ham) and Laibchen (meatballs) are also good.
A Knödel (dumpling) and sauerkraut can accompany these.
There are several varieties of Auflauf (soufflé), and a whole
array of tasty salads, including Kartoffel or Erdäpfelsalat
(potato salad), Schwarzwurzelsalat (an excellent salad made
with a vegetable similar to asparagus, in a dill cream sauce),
Fisolensalat (green bean salad), rote Rübensalat (beet salad)
and Krautsalat (cabbage salad). There are several types
of bread and rolls available and you may choose to top
them off with Liptauer, a cream cheese, paprika and chive
spread. If you would like Senf (mustard), for which there is
an extra charge, specify süss (sweet) or scharf (strong). Most
Heurigen do not serve desserts, and others only Strudel. Not
all Heurigen serve coffee or tea either.
The Joys of a Heurigen
You really must visit a Heurige if you are in Vienna or are passing
through a little wine village. Although the wine is the main reason
to visit, non-drinkers can enjoy the scenery, atmosphere and food.
Most Heurigen have beautiful gardens where you can sit for hours and
enjoy the warm summer weather. In winter, the festivities move in to
warm and cozy surroundings. Several Heurigen have lovely views of
the nearby vineyards. The atmosphere is relaxed and it is a good place
for children. In fact, a few Heurigen have play areas in the gardens.
Often, traditional Viennese songs sung to the accompaniment of an
accordion and violins make the Heurige experience complete.Most guidebooks will direct you to Grinzing and Sievering
in Vienna for your Heurige experience. This area, however,
is flooded with tourists. If you want a more authentic
experience, or just a more peaceful one, head to Neustift
am Walde, Hietzing or Nussdorf. (You can take a 40-minute
tour of the vineyards north of Vienna on a quaint railway
that begins and ends in Nussdorf.) Stadtheurigen (city
Heurigen) can be found throughout the 1st district. If you
are really interested in partaking in Austrian culture, go into