Ludwig und Adele seems like only half of a restaurant. Which is true, because the other half is the waiting area of an art house cinema. But the way this has been constructed gives Ludwig and Adele a cozy feeling. At least when you sit with your back to cinema section. If you face the other way, it has more of an empty hall feeling. The alterations really changed the character of the restaurant. It lost the soulless waiting area charm and is now a warm place where you can actually get great food.
indoor seating @Ludwig und Adele
None of us ordered a starter that evening. We were more interested in colorful drinks and main dishes instead of the pots of snacks with olives, hummus, and cheese.
colorful drinks @Ludwig und Adele
The menu offers quite a lot of vegetarian dishes, but also meat and fish. The four of us got a mix of everything. We got Käsespätzle (kind of the Austrian macaroni and cheese version), which are little dumplings with a lot of cheese. Actually make that three different kinds of cheeses, which makes this dish so rich and fabulous. Ludwig and Adele serves the Käsespätzle the Vorarlbergian way. That means the dumplings come with a side of apple sauce and salad, topped with a heap of roasted onions. Quite delicious really. It’s also important that you use some regional smelly cheese, only then the Käsespätzle are really original.
Käsespätzle @Ludwig und Adele
During the pandemic the smelly cheese was sold to eat at home, actually the Käsespätzle as well, but currently the Käsmann is looking for another location. At least the Käsespätzle from Ludwig and Adele, with the real Vorarlbergian cheese, are still available as a home-kit. The dish is so easy to bring together, that it’s a sure winner in your kitchen as well.
The vegetarian ordered herself a vegetarian burger. It featured oyster mushrooms, more mountain cheese, balsamic onions, BBQ mayonnaise, fried onions, tomatoes, and arugula, with potato chips on the side instead of fries. She loved it, especially the BBQ flavor.
vegetarian burger with oyster mushrooms @Ludwig und Adele
Personally I think the chips look a little bit sad on the plate, especially since the burger is quite big and glossy. But it does make sense to only serve it with a smaller side dish, so that the burger remains the star. On a second visit the chips portion had visibly increased, but then had to be shared with everyone else. The burger is a really big portion, therefore no need for a side dish. And think of all the calories you save without fries.
Next up was the grilled vegetable sandwich, I told you Ludwig and Adele is big on meatless dishes. Between two slides of organic sourdough bread was mountain cheese, homemade kimchi, spicy mayonnaise, and again with potato chips on the side.The grilled sandwich was a big hit. The kimchi and the spicy mayonnaise elevated the humble vegetables in outer spheres.
grilled vegetable sandwich @Ludwig und Adele
The only meat eater that evening was myself and I ordered the organic beef tartar. Egg yolk-caper cream, pickled pear, arugula, and potato bread toast round out the dish. If you are so inclined, it’s also available with extra trout caviar. This adds a nice depth to the dish, I tried it on a different occasion. The beef tartar in its original version is already tasty. The seasoning works well and makes for flavorful bites. More of the caper cream would have been great, it gave a nice kick to the tartar.
beef tartar @Ludwig und Adele
Ludwig und Adele scores with friendly service and excellent small dishes. I like that you get water and glasses without needing to ask for it. This is not a given in Vienna, with some restaurants even charging for water. The menu leans more towards snacks in regards to the movie crowd, which tends to stay just for a little while. But for those who actually come here to enjoy the restaurant, there is enough to choose from to be satisfied. Yours, Pollybert
Ludwig und Adele
1010 Wien, Akademiestrasse 13
Tel: +43 1 8901772
Email: reservierung@ludwigundadele.at
Mon-Fri: 12:00-14:30, 17:00-24:00, Sat: 17:00-24:00, Sun: 16:30-23:00
https://ludwigundadele.at/
