Oh, I’d heard that Austria’s southernmost province, Styria (or Steiermark), is a great gastronomic destination. But I had never been there myself to confirm it.
I was there this week.
I confirm it!!!!!
It was a wine road-trip that took me there: the search for one of Europe’s greatest rosés, Schilcher, made from the noble Blauer Wildbacher grape and virtually unavailable in the U.S. You will be hearing much more about Schilcher as we approach the rosé season!
But a guy’s gotta eat…and eat I did, discovering with wonder a gastronomic treasure box. The food is recognizably Germanic, of course…but, for starters, add to it that Austrian wonder that comes from a greater interest in spices, in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia.
Then there’s the Styria factor–what seems to be a region-wide obsession with food, with presentation, with grace, recalling the food focus of a place like France. THEN there’s the whiff of the south that rolls through. THEN there’s the genius of peasant food brought to a very high gastronomic peak. Sterze, for example, are defined as “mashes made from grain”–but what delicious combinations of grain and seasonings! The region is on the international map for its pumpkin seed oil, of course–but how wonderful to see its ubiquitous usage in the cuisine here, just like extra-virgin olive oil in Italy (I love schmölzi, or scrambled eggs cooked with pumpkin seed oil). Meats galore, of course, delicious ones–local specialties of chicken (the Styrians claim Austrian fried chicken as their own), beef (from a great cattle breed called Almo), pork (galore I love wurzelfleisch, an awesome stew of pork and root vegetables with very precise cooking details). And on.
Here’s a photo tour of the five Styrian restaurants I visited in two days. My point will be: all of them, at different levels of gastronomy, show a care for food that confirms the greatness of Styria.
#1 DER STEIER
The best meal of my trip. A big, “Balthazar”-like place in the beautiful main city, Graz. Also a sexy wine shop. The innards and extremities in the “tapas” are amazing, as is one of the best tafelspitz (boiled beef) in Austria. I loved also the classic Styrian klagl, or pig’s-foot soup with strudel. And don’t miss the fried chicken!
Fried chicken to go!
#2 STAINZERBAUER
Another Graz classic. If you come to Graz for the music fest, or any other reason…you cannot miss the old Austrian charms of Stainzerbauer! The traditional food here is excellent, though a little more touristy (since everyone wants to visit the Stainzerbauer). I loved their breads (like pumpkin bread) served with pumpkin oil, a great chestnut soup with cinnamon croutons, wonderful meats (wild boar, venison, a butter schnitzel)…and, as you’ll see below, from the marvelous wine cellar my favorite wine!
#3 WASSERMAN
Then I spiked into wine country, onto the Schilcherstrasse (the “Schilcher road”)…and found more wonderful food in Styria. Again, as in all great food regions of the world, everything is a little better than it has to be. A winemaker directed us to this “guest house” in the middle of nowhere late on a wintry Sunday night…and it was marvelous! This is simple country food, executed with uncommon dedication and finesse. I loved the gelée made from leftover tafelspitz, the beef broth with carefully layered lung strudel, the Almo beef with long spaetzle, and, especially, the homemade blutwurst (or blood sausage) made and served only in January! It’s a winery, too…with excellent sparkling Schilcher!
#4 KAMINST’B
This was the simplest restaurant of all, with very few restaurant flourishes…just a great taste of mama’s cooking, in an ultra-pretty “we care” kind of environment. Don’t-miss dishes here are the fluffy goat’s cheese roll with great pumpkin seed oil, the spicy, caraway-scented beef goulash, and a very homey version of the Austrian classic zwiebelrostbraten (sautéed beef with lots of fried onions and sauce).
#5 SPARGO’S ROADHOUSE
And here’s the best evidence of all of Styrian “specialness”–a grimy, roadside dive that we stumbled upon, filled with biker guys and cigarette smoke. But the food was excellent! We had a couple of delish soups (like the one teeming with liver bits), a terrific käsekreine (cheese sausage) on an excellent roll with greens, and a “toast” made with ham & cheese, topped with fried egg.
More from Styria later!!!
