The area around Spittelberg is full of tourists the moment the Christmas markets open their stalls. No wonder therefore that Neomasa, which sits right in the middle, is packed with visitors as well. But that does not matter much, what counts is the idea behind the food. Turkish Asian fusion sounds promising and even more so since Neomasa appears to be a pop up and only remains at this location until the end of 2025. The current space looks great, especially the first room with its open kitchen.
dining room with open kitchen @Neomasa
Unfortunately we sat in the second room, which was smaller and completely painted in red. The color gave me a headache and the acoustics did not help either. There was music from the speakers, yet it was the two other tables, seating two and three diners respectively, that created the uncomfortable noise level. I assume we were all relieved when the other guests eventually left and the volume decreased noticeably.
looking happy in the red room @Neomasa
Once we placed our order, the meal started with freshly baked bread and whipped feta. The bread was excellent, still hot and slightly charred, but the texture and taste were absolutely fabulous. There was hardly any need for the whipped feta with paprika, although we enjoyed this little appetizer as well.
fresh bread and whipped feta @Neomasa
The Manti with seasonal beef is usually a stuffed dumpling, but at Neomasa it arrived deconstructed with layered dough sheets and minced beef stew topped with sour cream. It was a pity that this dish arrived first because it was by far the most flavorsome. After tasting the Manti, everything else seemed a bit bland. Warm, filling, and comforting, this was definitely a winner! I would have happily eaten a larger bowl.
Manti @Neomasa
The fava bean mash with wakame, edible seaweed, suffered in comparison by arriving second. The mash itself was quite unseasoned, but together with the wakame and the oil around it, the dish was delicious. Delicate in flavor, this fusion combination was wonderful to eat. Be careful though, the portion is large, especially compared to the other meze.
fava bean mash with wakame @Neomasa
Arnavut cigeri, the last starter, consisted of fried liver with pickled ginger and sumac onions. The lamb liver had only a faint taste of lamb, the fried potatoes were crispy, and the pickled ginger looked almost like carrots and was very intense. The liver had stayed in the pan for too long and tasted a bit dry to me. I prefer it when it is cooked more gently. This was the weakest starter.
lamb liver @Neomasa
By then I was already quite full and a main courses for each of us was unnecessary. But we had ordered beforehand, so there we went. First up was a vegan Moussaka with lentils and strong Umami notes. This was clearly not my choice, but it was actually quite tasty with bold flavors. I missed a creamy bechamel on top and the eggplant had leathery skin that couldn’t be eaten. Maybe that was intentional. The sauce around was slightly too sweet.
vegan Moussaka @Neomasa
Grilled octopus with warm miso-eggplant salad arrived a few moments later. It looked attractive, although for this price the amount of octopus felt disappointing. The octopus turned out extremely salty and tasted as if it had been coated in anchovy paste. This was not the case though, it was miso paste that caused this effect as we later learned. The eggplant salad had the texture and color of a dal. The taste was hard to define. A grilled tomato half, some bean sprouts, and two fried basil leaves completed the dish. This was not my favorite.
grilled octopus @Neomasa
Thankfully I had ordered the Anatolian Ramen with lamb shoulder. The broth was based on lamb soup mixed with a Turkish wedding soup and yogurt. It sounded as if there was an entire process behind it, involving lots of work. What can I say, with the chili oil it was lovely. Spicy, warming, and very flavorful. The bowl came with lots of meat, a generous portion of noodles, two pak choy leaves, and a waxy egg. I was happy with my choice, although as far as ramen goes, I would still head elsewhere.
Anatolian ramen @Neomasa
While we were eating our main dishes, the chef personally came by for a short visit. He explained in detail how every dish was constructed, which ingredients went in it, and what his thoughts behind each one were. It was really interesting to listen to him while trying to detect all the flavors he described. Funnily enough, the dishes tasted better once he explained everything. Maybe because we finally understood what we were eating? There is a lot of thought and attention to detail that go into the cooking at Neomasa. In hindsight it was all very nice, but while we sat there, we were not entirely convinced.
The restaurant also has a bar on the lower level that looks like a lot of fun. It’s open from Thursday to Saturday. Hopefully I manage to stop by for a drink this month. Yours, Pollybert
Neomasa
1070 Wien, Schrankgasse 10
Tel: +43 670 4052231
Email: merhaba.vienna@neomasa.at
Wed–Thu: 18:00–23:00, Fri–Sat: 18:00–24:00
https://neomasa.com/en/homepage-en/
bar @Neomasa
