Unprecedented Austrian Cuisine at Wallsé

Nothing beats the feeling of stumbling into a warm and inviting restaurant off of the blustery winter streets of Manhattan. As a food lover and writer in New York City I have been dying to try Wallsé, the flagship restaurant of famed Austrian chef Kurt Gutenbrunner, also known for his restaurants Blaue Gans, Cafe Sabarsky and The Upholstery Store. After all the hype I’d heard about the food I must say that I was hesitant to really get excited to dine there. Warming up in this sophisticated restaurant was a pleasure. Chef Gutenbrunner is truly an artist in the kitchen and it shows in even the smallest details in each of his dishes. The restaurant changes its menu seasonally and Manhattan with a Twist was delighted to try out their six course winter tasting menu.

During the evening, we also previewed Wallsé’s new wine menu, which features vintages exclusive to the restaurant and unavailable anywhere else in New York. All in all, the wines and the fine cuisine made for an epic evening. Their six course tasting menu is available for $85 and features some outstanding dishes and the wine pairings were unparalleled to any other I’ve experienced. The wines were so in sync with the dishes it was heavenly. Favorite dishes included the Weiner Schnitzel with Potato-Cucumber Salad and Lingonberries and the Venison with Red Cabbage and Brioche Dumpling. The former was paired with Grüner Veltliner Vinotheksfüllung – Nikolaihof 1993 and the latter with Blaufränkisch Mariental – Ernst Triebaumer 2002. The quality of the ingredients used and final dishes were amazing, with flavors just bursting off the plate. The venison tasted more like a filet mignon than gamey, which is quite a feat.

The tasting menu also consisted of Beet Terrine with Horseradish Mousse, Snail Ravioli with Butternut Squash, Canadian Halibut with Cucumbers, Dill and Chanterelle Mushrooms, and finally Topfen Knödel with Poached Plums. Each dish was a delight in itself and paired with fabulous and exclusive Austrian wines made it that much better. After dining here, I have to say that all the hype didn’t even live up to the actual restaurant. If you haven’t been yet, put it at the top of your list and if you have been already, make sure to check out their seasonal tasting menus and amazing new wines.

Wallsé is located at 344 W. 11th Street.