There were 3 options for lunch - 4 course lunch for EUR 75, 5 course lunch for EUR 85 and 7 course tasting menu for EUR 125. I opted for the 4 course lunch. A manager must have spotted my confusion with picking the right dish, she came over and explained the ingredients and offered me her recommendation.

Before I picked my lunch, Amuse Bouche was already presented on my table. It was a thin slice of parma ham and melon clinging onto a set. I contemplated for a while how I should eat it, since I wanted to minimize the chances of eating with my hands, but I gave in at last and just unclipped and put it in my mouth. I was surprised even though they were of such thin layers, the smell and taste lingered in my mouth for a long time. Apart from this, I was presented with other amuse bouche that unveiled the curtain to a neo-Austrian dining scene.

As soon as I was done, a server arrived with his Bread Cart. I was overwhelmed with the different kinds of bread they had. From the server's elaboration, I picked a honey-flavored dough. The restaurantwas indeed very thoughtful, there was lemon zest on the lemon flavored cream cheese to be served with the bread.

I loved their arrangement that before every course, they placed a small card on the table, with elaboration on how the dish was prepared and where the ingredients were originated. My first course was Loquats with Celeriac, Peas, Malabar Spinach & Pistachios. The Celeriac was cooked with loquat kernels, with steamed spinach and roasted pistachios. With every bite, there was a growing sense that I ate very healthy and had food right from the nature. Loquat was a kind of fruit that riped in early spring, tasted a little like apricot and had a very aromatic flavor. I was impressed that Austrian cuisine consisted of such naturally flavored food. 

The second course was my favorite, I tasted every bit slowly that I could be able to remember - Perlfisch with Pumpkin, Isabella Grapes & Watercress. Perlfisch exists of small population today that it is only allowed to be caught by licensed fishermen. It was panfried to be served with sides which were cooked with meticulous thoughtfulness. The fish skin was of perfect crispiness but the fishmeat was tender and juicy. It definitely became my favorite along with black cod. I was usually just ok with pumpkin, but I could not resist from finishing all. It was seasoned with balsamic vinegar and apple, cooked with brown butter, and tasted sensational! Only the outer part of Isabella grapes were prepared but they already had an intense aroma of Japanese grapes! It was the first time I realized watercress could be so delicious when it was served in the form of cream. My taste bud literally could distinguish all the different taste but they all blended in and created a perfect flavor.

Not long after I was done, my third course came - Lightly smoked Danube Salmon with Oats, Tomatoes & Gooseberries. The salmon was of lighter pink than the usual salmon, and it was very tender. I especially loved the tomatoes that there were all kinds which you could have imagined - red, yellow, orange and green, totally satisfied my love for tomatoes. A thin coat of chia seeds was toasted on top of the salmon, which matched very well with the tomato and gooseberry juice.

I was certainly very happy with the previous courses, that I could not stop myself from eating more. I asked the server if I could add a cheese platter (to make a 5 course lunch instead) at this stage, but she explained the dessert was already on its way, and asked if I minded to have cheese after my dessert. I nodded in agreement without any hesitation, totally forgot about rushing for my flight.

How a restaurant made a strong impression on customers does not only depend on food quality, but also its service. I was indeed very thrilled to see I got to receive 2 desserts! Since I asked the server for her recommendation, she actually requested the kitchen to prepare the one which she recommended with a complimentary smaller portion of the other. My first dessert - Medlar, Violets and Crepes was crispy with Japanese medlar, which gave a faint hint of apple flavor. There was violet jam inside. Violet ice-cream was served on the side with petals. It resembled a slight twist of apple strudel and placed the merit on different cooked forms of violets. The second dessert was an Apricot Dumpling, which was an Austrian classic. It was a hot deep fried dumpling with apricot inside, which was still very soft and juicy.

The two desserts were filling, but I saved room for cheese. I let the 'cheese expert' know I was a fan of Comte. OMG, the Comte they serve was of 4.5 years, I only had 36 months before and this Comte was divine. Nutty and rich and its aroma filled every particle of air in my mouth~  The rest was picked by the expert according to my preference. He made a good pick of the other kinds, and the server who came with his bread cart used his expertise and paired my cheese with different kinds of bread. Thanks for both, to nicely wrap up my lunch.

Just when I asked for the bill, they offered me les petit fours. Too bad I ate in a rush or else I would be late for my flight. But I was very lucky afterall, to have found Steirereck by chance on the net, and had one of my best lunches in my life. Not only is their food impeccable, but their service also impressed me to the utmost extent. I did leave the table for a bathroom break, the moment when I returned to the table, I discovered my napkin was changed to a new one, instead of having the old one which I had used throughout the whole meal. One flaw from this experience is that I might be more picky in my future foodie encounters.