Paging Dr. Falafel! World Cuisine in Vienna; Plus, I Get Interviewed on Egyptian-European TV

Take two falafel and call me in the morning:

You might not think that a trip to Vienna would include dim sum, dhal, stuffed grape leaves, and lots and lots of delectable falafel, but mine sure did. And then some. (Of course, along with my adventures in international cuisine, I also had more than my fair share of knodel, knockerl, spaetzle, dumplings,  and cheese, which I'll talk about in a future post!)

Heurigen Hopping: An Austrian Dispatch with Plenty of Food, Fantastic Views, and Lots and Lots (and lots) of Wine

Mmmm, liters and liters of Wieninger wine:

 

 Heurigen are uniquely Austrian establishments.  At these cozy neighborhood wine taverns on the outskirts of Vienna, wine-growers serve patrons their newest vintages - the "neue wein."  And,  thanks to a decree issued by Emporer Franz Josef II in 1784, which stated that proprietors may, along with wines they've produced,  sell "other food," there's usually a substantial selection of homemade goodies - things like cheese, bread, dumplings, salads, sweets -  on offer as well. 

And in keeping with the unhurried Austrian approach to all things pleasurable,  a heuriger is a place to while away as many hours as you please, to sip and snack and unabashedly relax and enjoy life.  I definitely approve.

Hungarian Detour: Two Frantic Food-Filled Days in Glorious Budapest

 Stealing a peaceful moment in bustling Budapest:

Where Vienna is order, Budapest is frenzy. If the Viennese tend to be slightly undemonstrative and reserved, in Budapest emotions seem to bubble to the surface, where they spill over. While German (at least to this Western eye and ear) seems logical and somewhat decipherable, Hungarian Magyar is nearly impenetrable. It's closest linguistic relative is, after all, Finnish.

All this is to say that in my too-brief two-day stay, I fell completely in love with this strange, hectic,  and beautiful city.

Vienna Dispatch: A Tale of Tiny Sandwiches (A Love Story)

Leave it to the Viennese to take the sometimes unweildy and occasionally messy sandwich and turn it into something logical, neat, and elegant. Behold the tiny topless sandwich:

Austrian Dispatch: Classic Viennese Fare, with a Twist

Viennese cafe culture in action at the Cafe West End in the Mariahilf district:

Grüß Gott from Osterreiche! After three-and-a-half days of eating, drinking, taking in the beautiful architecture, gawking at the incredible Egon Shiele paintings at the Leopold Museum, strolling around the grounds of the Hofburg Palace and trying - with some  modest success, if I do say so myself  - to communicate in monosyllabic German, I have finally found some time to sit back, relax, and share a tiny slice of Vienna as I've experienced it so far. (And of course I am sipping some Austrian wine as I type this!)