PUMPKIN SOUP!

Silvio Nickol is a two-star Michelin restaurant at Palais Coburg Hotel in Vienna. Besides the slow service, it was one of the best tasting menu experiences I ever had. Silvio Nickol opened its doors at Palais Coburg in April 2011. By 2012, the restaurant was already rewarded with two Michelin stars. Chef Silvio Nickol worked at other respected Michelin restaurants throughout his career. You can feel the knowledge behind his amazing dishes.

Ambiance

I loved the use of colors at the restaurant. Purple, gray, white and brown looked very elegant together. It was spacious with a high ceiling. Special preparation sections near the tables were well-thought and stylish. Everything looked tidy and well-organized. I was seated inside the restaurant though there was a garden as well. There were plenty of seats and the restaurant was fully booked.

The only thing I didn’t like was the use of carpet. Carpets give me a sense of dust, therefore I don’t prefer to see carpets at a restaurant. They usually put me in doubt about whether they were well-cleaned or not.

Taste

There were three different options for the tasting menu. Passing on the 9-course and 5-course menus, I chose 7. However, even the 7-course menu was quite fulfilling.

The experience started out with three different amuse-bouche; each one of them delicious and creative. Starting from the very beginning, with the use of couscous, I was happy to see the interaction with different world cuisines. Sourdough bread and butter were served together with the amuse-bouche. I loved the smooth texture and fresh aroma of herbal butter. Its appearance reminded me of Japanese kaiseki-ryori dishes.

The first course was yellowfin tuna with celery, Granny Smith apple and dashi. Yellowfin tuna was exactly how I want it to be cooked; raw inside. Catfish with kohlrabi, basil, crème fraîche and mustard seeds was epic. Catfish tasted amazing with different soilage and soybean sprouts.  

Next course was grain-fed Luma roast beef with broccoli, black salsify and bone marrow. I found the sauce a bit heavy due to bone marrow, on the other hand, black Angus beef was again cooked with ingenuity.

The following course was lamb with chard, cherry and ginger. Lamb was cooked well but the fat didn’t melt in my mouth and made me uncomfortable. A wagyu-like fat composition would be better. Ginger crackers were amazing though.

Bregenzer forest goat cheese with radish, cucumber and asparagus salad was my least favorite. Its presentation was nice but the taste wasn’t impressive. Rhubarb with sour cream, dill and fennel seeds were nice. I loved the coconut sorbet with curry and banana. It was an original one.

The last course was Medlar with Taïnori chocolate and almond. I found medlar unique since it was my first time eating it as a dessert. A fruity and fresh finish. Petite fours were also refreshing and delicate. Especially the one with passion fruit flowing from inside was mind-blowing.   

In general, I was very satisfied with the unique taste of the dishes. On the other hand, portions need to be smaller. Service was extremely slow, it took 4 hours to complete the degustation experience. With the slow service and big portions, I was already full halfway.

Service

Service was the soft spot of Silvio Nickol. The degustation experience took 4 hours, which was way too long. I believe a healthy experience should take 2.-5 to 3 hours at most. If I were to have the 9-course menu, it would even take longer. 

I think the restaurant serves more people than its true capacity. Although the dishes were worth it, I was unhappy to wait too long between two courses. 

Staff was gentle and friendly. They were wearing white gloves. This may look like showing off to some people but still, I love it. 

At the end of the experience, I was invited to the kitchen to meet with Silvio Nickol. He asked what my favorite dish was. I always love seeing the kitchen and the team behind closed doors. It was a nice gesture.

I received a gift like the other guests just before I left the restaurant. It was a salt with rose flavor, a really nice present for a restaurant to give.

You can make a reservation and take a look at the degustation menu on their website.

Creativity

Presentation of the dishes was very satisfying. They looked so magnificent that I had to wait and gaze at them before I could start eating. Use of earthy and bright colors was ravishing and well balanced.

Preparation desks near the tables were also creative and looked nice.

Value

Silvio Nickol is worth visiting when you go to Vienna. I hope they would increase their pace by the time of your visit. 

I know that this restaurant has a broad wine collection, though most of them being unaffordable. However, I couldn’t see the list of wines by the glass. Sommelier didn’t come to the table to talk to me, just told the recommendations to the waiter. I would prefer talking to the sommelier directly.