Sunday lunch at Restaurant Roth was a typical Viennese affair. The restaurant, close to the center, is actually part of the Hotel Regina and insofar the kind of restaurant I would usually avoid. But it came recommended and I was pleasantly surprised. The dining area is a mix of dark panels and on the wall and rustic chairs, it’s a weird mix but it works in a way, because the rest is light and airy and quite modern. Just the fake flowers hanging besides the lighting fixtures are a bit too much.
dining area @Restaurant Roth
Restaurant Roth offers typical Austrian cuisine and therefore a lot of meat dishes. Not a problem with my carnivore family, it was easy to find something on this warm Sunday. The garden outside is small and the street behind is busy, but overall it was pleasant to sit outside especially since there was no construction ongoing on the weekend.
terrace @Restaurant Roth
With most of us sticking to main course only, I didn’t take a picture of the asparagus cream soup. This seasonal soup was highly praised though, so I was waiting for the rest of lunch to make my own verdict. Most of my family ate Wiener Schnitzel, this breaded and fried pork escalope is always a treat when done right. The color was a bit on the lighter side, but overall it looked just right. Since everyone ate it with gusto, it must have been good.
Wiener Schnitzel @Restaurant Roth
The potato salad on the other hand was rather a disaster. It was definitely made on site, but probably just before serving it. Usually this kind of salad needs to be marinated while the potatoes are still warm. Not so here. The dressing hadn’t penetrated the potatoes at all, the slices were too thick, and the dressing bland and lacked salt and pepper. The lamb lettuce on top was fresh and appealing though.
I ate the salad with my fried chicken. Not sure what happened with my focus here, the chicken picture is rather fuzzy. The chicken itself was moist, the breading had an excellent color, and it was a big portion. Half of it came home with me and was my lunch the next day in the office. Finger licking good!
fried chicken @Restaurant Roth
We had one more fried dish, which was breaded mushrooms. They arrived with sauce tartar and parsley potatoes, and even the pickiest eater would have enjoyed them. I know that is true, because at our table that was the case.
fried mushrooms @Restaurant Roth
And finally we got the Kalbsbutterschnitzel, which is an Austrian specialty. Minced veal is formed into a burger and comes with potato mash, peas, gravy, and fried onions. It got the highest praise as my mother finished it without complaints and even declared the crunchy onions superior to hers. Which is easy enough to explain as these ones were clearly dipped in flour before frying and that’s not something we have ever done at home.
minced veal burger @Restaurant Roth
The desserts were less interesting and also received fewer praise. The pancake with apricot jam was a winner, but the Kaiserschmarren (think caramelized pancake with more volume and ripped apart) was a bit of a rip off. The waiter had asked if we wanted it with or without raisins, a question that divides the country, and wanted some. That the raisins would not appear in the dough but next to it in the pan was the least problem of the dessert. It was way too caramelized and therefore too sweet and the portion was just minuscule.
Kaiserschmarren @Restaurant Roth
Overall though we had a lovely meal at Restaurant Roth. The service was very friendly and even the octogenarians were happy with everything. What more can you ask from a family meal? Yours, Pollybert
Restaurant Roth
1090 Wien, Währinger Strasse 1
Rel: +43 1 4027995
Email: restaurant@roth.or.at
Mon-Sun: 11:00-23:00
https://www.roth.or.at/de/restaurant-roth-wien
