130 CultureShock! Austria
which describes the daily menu. The pace is slow and each
Beisel has its share of regular customers.International Restaurants
If you want a change from Austrian fare, there is an abundance
of international restaurants. Italian restaurants serve good
pasta dishes and pizzas. If you like Asian food, Chinese
restaurants are quite common throughout the country, but
they do use MSG. In Vienna, you can find Japanese, Thai,
Indian and Korean restaurants, among others. There are
many French restaurants to choose from as well. Central
and Eastern Europe and the Balkans are well represented,
and the many Turkish and Greek restaurants are particularly
good. Austria is relatively free of American chain restaurants,
except for fast food giant McDonald’s. Middle Eastern food is
also available. Another tasty option is Latin American food,
including Mexican, Brazilian and Argentinian cuisine.The Würstelstand
If you need to grab something quick to eat, your best option is
a Würstelstand. They are virtually everywhere and offer some
very tasty snacks. There is such a wide variety of sausages that
it’s easy to become confused. However, don’t take the easy way
out and only order a hot dog, because you will deprive yourself
of the more savoury offerings. A Bratwurst is a fried sausage. A
Burenwurst, on the other hand, is boiled. A Weisswurst is a fat
white sausage containing herbs. A Debreziner is a spicy paprika
sausage, and a Käsekrainer has chunks of cheese inside.
Currywurst is yet another option. If you prefer something less
spicy, order a hot dog, which is just that, a hot dog stuffed into
a delicious long roll; or a Frankfurter, also similar to a hot dog,
but served on a plate with some mustard and a roll on the
side. Leberkäse is a common item on the Würstelstand menu,
even though it is not a sausage. It is sliced from a loaf of meat
that is a mixture of liver, meat, bacon, onions and spices, and
served on a roll. Be sure to specify whether you want it vom
Schwein (pork) or vom Pferd (horse). You may be asked if you
want your order with ketchup, süssen Senf (sweet mustard) or
scharfen Senf (hot mustard).