Friday, March 30, 2012

Goulash Museum


Hendrick-son at nite
I mean Stephansdom -_-
it looked so different at nite with animation on its marble wall
the crowd was still there
and the smellie Horsie and their carriges were there as well
plus their smellie poo-poo
:P

we were hunting dinner on that evening
upon reading my reliable sources, I found a nice neat place tucked within the vicinity of Hendrick-son
I mean Stephansdom

Most of the roads in Vienna are this quaint and beautiful
I find it a pure joy to take evening strolls almost every nite :))))

JS was craving for Goulash
not really craving coz it was our 1st goulash in Vienna

Goulash originated from Hungary - the neighbouring country
at the same time it is a very popular dish in Austria, Germany, Italy, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, and so many more.....
each country has got their own variety
it is a meal on its own with hearty soup/stew of boiled meat and vegetables with spices and paprika

after 3 mins walk from Hendrickson, I mean errrr Stephansdom we found the place
it aint' fine dining but trust me....this was a hearty find :))))

u can trust this place is good when most of the customers are locals
:))))))))))))
the real test is when the waiters can't speak english
but we were mortified when we saw the menu
it has got german, english, french, italian, russian, greek, japanese
for a start we had this big-O face coz we thought it's another tourist trap

oh yum...local beer :)))))))
silky smooth
quite a variety of goulash served here and we didn't know which one to order
just trust our guts :)))))))
or check wat the next table is having
hahahahhaah

JS the sausage freak ordered a austrian sausage goulash
its stew has got a minty length which paired so well with the fat sausages
Mine was a pork goulash
oh yum....topped with a huge soft braised chilis

and fried austrian potatoes
the potatoes here are really fluffy, potato-ish and chewy to the bite
very very different variety

goulash was extremely yummy
this is wat I call comfort food :))))
with spicy length from its beautiful spices
the meat was thin to absorb all its flavour

we mopped everything off our plates
and the Chef came out and nodded his head with approvals :P

Monkey was oso nodding with approval of this family run place
:)))))))))))) heeeee
the other must eat in Austria = Apple Strudel!!!!!
it's so different fr the one we get here in Malaysia
we had apple strudels almost everyday here in Vienna
tee hee hee
more walks after a hearty happy meal :))))))))))))

this place is highly highly recommended
we actually went back the 2nd time
hahahahahahhaa

Goulash Museum
20 Schulerstrasse,
1010 Vienna,
Austria.
Tel: +43 1512 1017
www.gulasch.at

Thursday, March 29, 2012

St. Stephan's Cathedral, Vienna

front facade of St. Stephan
lovingly known as Stephansdom in German by the locals
yup, Austrians speak German "ja" = yes

the most important building and cathedral in Austria
it is also the most iconic building of Austria
just as important as Eiffel Tower to Paris

consecrated in 1147, it was built over 2 ruined churches
this we know coz under this huge area, is the Vienna Metro
and as they were digging to build the Metro they found another church underneath
today u can still see the remains of this church when u use the Metro
The Tourist
this was my 1st time in Vienna and 2nd for JS
but I had to be the GPS and bring him around based on my weeks of research and notes
and maps memorized earlier implanted into my brain

JS: "so Tour Guide where are we goin today?"
"Stephansdom"
JS: "Hendrickson?"
"STEPHANSDOM"
JS: "Hendrick-son?"
-_-" STEP-HANS-DOM
JS: "Ok we are goin to Hendrickson"

this went on for days and weeks
Stephansplatz the place where all these are located are pretty central
if we wanna reload our orange card, it's Stephansplatz
if we wanna get groceries, it's Stephansplatz
wanna get a bite and sausage, it's Stephansplatz
so basically u can calculate how many times Mr. JS said HENDRICK-SON
it doesn't mean anything nor relate to anything
sigh......T.T
 a hanging Jesus Christ
really simple ceiling
this cathedral was made from limestone
so after hundred of years of pollution, most of its exterior turned into black
hence continuous restoration works need to be executed to save its facade

it's really high
so I was wondering how do they clean it?
plus all eletrical wiring has to be hidden among the pillars and statues
hmmmm ain't easy to implement modern gadgets into old structures huh?

even higher windows
prollie they'll just use robotic arms to clean the windows too
:P
the famous choir stall at its original condition
I dunno if we were allowed to walk up and sit
anyhow I've already did :P
the famous Pulpit carved from marbles
pulpit were used back in those days for sermons
coz remember there weren't microphones or loudspeakers back then???
Mary and Child
this was also the very same church that Mozart got married
since I was 9 *and a Mozart fanatic*, I told myself I wanna be here someday
well after so many years.....finally :))))))))))))
then it's time to go up to the North Tower
there's 2 towers on this church but they were not symmetry
one is half the height of the taller one and looked unfinished over the base of the intended tower
Look at the Green Dome....that's the shorter North Tower
and we are goin there now~~~~~
so eppy coz there's a lift to get up there
it's a really old very Nazi looking circular lift that opens in every direction

fences to protect tourists from falling down
GAH!!!!!!!

down there u can see horses and their carriages were lining up waiting for customers
it's a novelty to ride on these carriages in Vienna
the whiff and smell of horsie's poo-poo were so unbearable we couldn't do it
it made me puke!!!

beautiful glazed tiles on its roof
all 230,000 pieces of it
:))))))))

the roof is pretty steep so Snow will never collect and weigh down this cathedral during harsh winter
we got a lovely view of almost the whole of Vienna :))))))))))))))

then we went out to access the other higher tower
JS: "eh tourist guide...where are u taking me now?"
"up to Hendrick-son's other tower"
the other tower is more gothic looking
standing high at 445 feet
lil did we know....there's no more lift this time
we had to climb
~.~
Fat ppl need not think about it
I'm serious!!!!
total of 345 steps

there's no pit-stop
it's narrow, steep and at the back there's a huge bunch of tourists like us are climbing and trailing behind
and please....no FARTING!!!!!!
and finally.....after 10 mins...
I was crying :P
coz we were already at the top
bee-boo-bee-boo
I need an oxygen tank up here!!!!
when we looked back at the 1st tower we were....it's so tiny and low
From the South tower, u can see the entire of Vienna



 
OK I certified meself....that I've proudly climbed up Steffi!!!!
the highest point of Vienna :)))))))))

Berr was here too!!!!!
:)))))))))))))
Sakai taking pic with flowers
:P

I guess it's like a ritual that we must conquer and climb every towers to every cathedral that we visit
despite suffering from fear of heights, stubborn me still had to do it
however for the 1st time, there was one church that deter me fr climbing
will blog about it next time

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Stephansplatz,
1010 Vienna,
Austria.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Purstner, Vienna

we are back!!! finally!!!!
hehehhehehehe well ahem...it hasn't been that long

so on the first day in Vienna, we must try the original Schnitzel
here a veal schnitzel is called Wiener Schnitzel
this name is strictly protected by Law
only veal meat schnitzel can use this name

so we were visiting Museum and House of Mozart and decided to grab a quick bite of Schnitzel
the best advise is to ask a local....
some walks down the road and we arrived at Purstner a gastropub styled eating place
this is typically a local place
dun think any tourist would wanna walk in hahahahahahaha
except us hahahaahhahaha
 really good simple salad
why???
coz almost everything was pickled
from the cucumber to the spanish onion
though it's pickled there a crunch innit

a little bit of everything
tomatoes here are really extremely sweet
wished I could carry them home by the truckloads

the original authentic Wiener Schnitzel!!!!!
it's thin and crispy
but moist on the inside
traditionally it is served with a slice of lemon
lemons in Europe are really different.....it has got a sweetness tang to it

mine was a schnitzel made from pork
so it can't be called a Wiener Schnitzel but Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein
swine~~~~~
served with fluffy buttered potatoes and finely chopped parsley
it's a different variant of potatoes used here
see how thin it was
:)))))))))))))
JS's plate of Schnitzel came with this really yummy potatoes salad
it's different coz it's slightly tangy so it's able to cut through the fats of the meat  
guess it has to be the good white vinegar???
i really have no idea but who cares when it's good
bread is alwiz good here coz it has this malty-ness innit
we are bread eater anyway :P
nice and cute Austrian window curtains :))))
simple and yummy lunch is alwiz good

Purstner has been running for 3 generations
with home recipe
:)))) must go!!!

Purstner
Rienergasse 10,
Vienna 1010, Austria
Tel: +43 1512 6357
www.puerstner.com