Foodie report #3 - Eastern European capitals

Day 76 of the project, 
Vis, Croatia

In the first two and a half weeks of September, I sprinted through five major cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Each city had its own distinct culture and history along with beautiful collections of castles, palaces, art, gardens and museums. It was simultaneously overwhelming and invigorating to absorb so much in such a short time. But rather than attempt to share every detail of each city (which I believe my Instagram feed does a far more effective job), I am choosing to share the gastronomical highlights.

City #1 - Prague, Czech Republic
There were two main highlights for me. First and foremost, the beer. After nearly a month of crappy Spanish beers (the Madrid microbrewery, FM, being the exception), Prague was a welcome respite. The first stop was Klasterni Pivovar Strahov, which was located on the grounds of Sv. Norbert. The dark beer was excellent and well worth the uphill walk. Brewery number two, Pivovarsky Dum, provided tasters of the various items on tap, which ranged from standard pilsner to a nettle and banana brew. The more exotic options were definitely an acquired taste, but the pilsner was decent.

The second best thing was the return of spice. Like beer, Spain is not known for spicy food. So the availability of hot sausage and spicy mustard was a perfect compliment to the richer beers. The best was from a random food cart not too far from the famous Charles Bridge. Simple, cheap and to the point. I left satisfied.

The verdict on Prague = 3.5 stars

City #2 - Vienna, Austria
Two words: Sacher Torte. Let me repeat, Sacher Torte. Forget Wiener Schnitzel...there are better ways to dedicate your daily caloric intake. Vienna is home to the mother of all chocolate cakes, made famous by the Sacher Cafe. A fudge coated exterior with fluffy chocolate cake on the inside. The whipped cream garnish was sort of wasted on me, but who am I to complain? In the name of gastronomy, I sampled from two places. The first was the original Sacher Cafe, which lived up to its well earned reputation for excellence. The second slice was from the cafe at MUMOK (modern art museum) in the Museum Quartier and...dare I say...it was even better than the original. Both versions were paired with a latte and required great willpower not to lick the plates.

The verdict on Vienna = 4 stars

City #3 - Bratislava, Slovakia
Slovakian desserts go back into childhood memories. Specifically, pastries filled poppyseed and honey or fruit jam brings back memories of breakfast time at Christmas. These specialties tend to be sweet but not as rich as more formal chocolate desserts.

In Bratislava, I opted for the poppyseed route twice. The first was a slice of the traditional roll. The pastry was flaky and buttery and the filling was sweet without being overly powerful. The second dessert took a more modern twist. The filling was the same mixture of honey, poppyseed and golden raisins, but it was pressed into an American style pie crust. To compensate for the relatively large dose of filling, the baker had used significantly less honey and relied on the fat from the baked crust to keep everything together. It worked beautifully and tasted amazing.

In addition to amazing desserts, I was surprised to find beer on par with the Czech. A pub with local microbrews and international favorites was recommended and I went with a collection of people from a free walking tour. The saison was incredibly good (I almost ordered a second half liter) and the unfiltered wheat was also solid.

The verdict on Bratislava = 4 stars

City #4 - Budapest, Hungary
It had been a while since I treated myself to a more decadent meal, and after doing a little research, I found just the place for adventurous eating. An American from the hostel joined me at Aranyszarvas Vendéglő, which was nestled at the base of the Buda Hills close to the Danube. The restaurant specialized in modern approaches to classic Hungarian cuisine. I opted for the soup starter paired with a decent rose and a venison entree paired with a red wine made from a native grape, which was outstanding.

The verdict on Budapest = 4.5 stars

City #5 - Ljubljana, Slovenia
Once again, my sweet tooth led the charge in the gorgeous, green Slovenian capital. While I did enjoy some good local bread and fresh herring, it was the chocolate cake that stood out. Unlike drier, fluffier Sacher Torte in Austria, the Ljubljana version was dense and rich and was best paired with a straight espresso....followed by a crane to lift one out of your riverside terrace seat.

Additionally, the Slovenian wines--particularly the whites--were outstanding as well. I sampled several native types (none that I could pronounce, spell or find anywhere else) and enjoyed them immensely.

The verdict on Ljubljana = 3 stars

Overall verdict = 4 stars