Having been notified a week ago by Jan, the manager of Dolce Vita, that there would be a pair of visiting chef brothers for the weekend, with a cooking style similar to Thomas Bühner's (who had visited back in April), I booked myself in for lunch this afternoon. Karl and Rudolf Obauer run the 2-starred Restaurant-Hotel Obauer in the small town of Werfen near to Salzburg in Austria, and despite having been around for much longer than, and being on the same level on the Michelin Guide as, Steirereck in Vienna (which I've visited twice whilst living in Europe), it is strangely not quite as well-known internationally. A matter of marketing by the St. Pellegrino Top 50 list as well as location, perhaps? I must confess that I had not heard of the Obauer brothers myself prior to their visit, but nevertheless I was intrigued enough after some brief online research to want to drop by and discover their cooking for myself.
The meal started off with bread and butter, and compared to the generic (but still good) Italian offerings of this restaurant during Bühner's visit, these felt immediately more representative of the region from which the Obauers hail; the multi-grain flatbread with pumpkin seeds (one of Austria's most famous ingredients) and the cottage cheese (also popular in Austria, where it is known as 'Topfen') dip infused with local alpine herbs certainly struck a chord with my tastebuds.
To my pleasant surprise, an impressive platter of amuse-bouches was then set before me. There were no such extras during Bühner's visit, so I had not been expecting them. These little gems were all familiar in their own ways and brought back delightful memories of dining out in Austria. I was advised to eat them from right to left.
First up, there were chickpea with botargo and olive oil, and veal tartare with a touch of lemon, olive oil and capers. The chickpea purée was absolutely smooth and rich in texture with a mild taste. It was aptly enhanced by a generous pool of fresh, fruity and slightly bitter olive oil, while a touch of grated botargo contributed slightly deeper flavours. On the other hand. the rich taste of veal (the meat used for making the popular Viennese schnitzels) was very well-balanced by the sharp lemon juice and capers, while olive oil made the raw meat feel even more tender and succulent. These were very enjoyable indeed.
Next was sheep's yoghurt with zucchini and pumpkin seed oil. The freshness of yoghurt blended with zucchini, contrasted by the deep nuttiness of pumpkin seed oil (my favourite Austrian culinary product!) is something that needs to be tried to be believed. This was simply heaven in a shot glass, and it was so satisfying to be able to relive those wonderful moments in Austria of tasting pumpkin seed oil in everything from salads to soups to savoury dishes and even desserts. Small fresh chunks of zucchini on the surface contributed a further juicy crunch.
Finally, Parmesan jelly with sea salt, and homemade lamb sausage all the way from Werfen! The latter had been, according to Jan, brought into Singapore in very small amounts due to some import restriction, so we the customers were truly fortunate to have been able to savour this unique delicacy. It was very well-seasoned, without the strong gamey smell that often plagues this meat, and firm but moist in texture. The tiny cube of Parmesan jelly was surprisingly more spongy/marshmallow-like than gelatinous in texture, and its rich taste was further deepened by a sprinkling of sea salt on top. Though not immediately apparent, these two morsels packed a real punch.
First course: cauliflower jelly with piquillo pepper sauce, smoked beef from Salzburg, eggplant ragout, goose liver and alpine herbs.
The cauliflower jelly was in fact more like an aspic, with real cauliflower encased in savoury gelatin. The two large chunks were very crisp to the palate, with the natural sweetness of cauliflower combined effectively with a delicate pickled taste. The surrounding piquillo pepper sauce contributed more sweetness and really brightened up the dish with its vivid colour. A sprinkling of alpine herbs contributed lovely fresh aromas. The other accompaniments were somewhat more luxurious: goose foie had a remarkably mild taste (compared to its more common duck counterpart) but a very smooth creamy texture, while the eggplant ragout had a sweet and nicely seasoned taste, with a delightfully rich mouthfeel. Thin slices of smoked beef with a firm texture and deep flavour provided this otherwise generally light and clean-tasting dish with further body. With its multitude of textures and flavours, this dish was the perfect starter and stimulus for the tastebuds.
Second course: lake char lasagna with basil, rosemary, trompette de la mort mushrooms and Grüner Veltliner sauce.
This was comfort food at its most luxurious. Underneath a huge and succulent piece of fish, black trumpet mushrooms with their deep earthy taste were plentifully stuffed between the layers of the lasagna, while a huge basil leaf on top and crushed herbs at the bottom provided some really lovely intense aromas. The only unsatisfactory part of this lasagna was its hard and dry pasta base, which can happen as a result of direct contact with the bottom of the baking dish. A rich Grüner Veltliner sauce with olive oil, poured generously over the fish, completed this otherwise stellar course. Grüner Veltliner is of course the white wine of Austria and her renowned Heurigens (countryside taverns), and its fresh and crisp nature, infused into the sauce, was the perfect complement for the delicate flavour of the fish.
Third course: celery-saffron soup with steamed pike.
The clean sweetness of celery combined with the subtle hay-like aroma of saffron to produce a soup that was remarkably light, yet with an interesting and complex flavour that could best be described as deeply savoury with a bitter/sourish edge. There weren't any actual pieces of celery or threads of saffron present, yet their respective flavour and colour had already been fully infused into the soup. A garnish of shiso sprouts (my favourite Japanese herb) further enlivened the soup with their distinctive minty aroma. Halfway through the soup, a small fillet of pike emerged, a truly sumptuous addition to an already outstanding soup; its fresh, delicate taste and absolutely soft and smooth texture were a pure delight.
Fourth course: saddle of lamb with parsley and anchovy paste, sweet potato roasted with orange zest, and a lamb reduction mixed with vinaigrette. Served with a side of sour cream radish with pumpkin seed oil.
The lamb was roasted to tender and succulent perfection with a utterly crisp skin reminiscent of the best Cantonese roasts (that last bit is what most Western roasting methods don't get right, in my opinion). What really impressed me, though, were the accompaniments that kept this rich meat feeling extraordinarily balanced and easy on the gut through every mouthful. The parsley and anchovy paste provided both lovely fresh aromas as well as more intense flavours, while the lamb reduction with vinaigrette was tasty yet well-tempered with an astringent edge. Even the roasted sweet potato didn't feel heavy or starchy in the least, due to the infusion of crisp and tangy orange flavours. The other star of this main course, radish marinated with sour cream and topped with my beloved pumpkin seed oil, was possibly the best and most authentic Austrian side dish one could have asked for. I really didn't want this course to end!
Fifth course (cheese): alpine 'pizza' with sour cream, onions and cubed smoked beef. Served with a side of mixed salad with pumpkin seed oil.
After the superb main course, this felt rather underwhelming. To be sure, the 'pizza' crust was extremely thin and crisp, and its toppings made for a very tasty, balanced and aromatic combination, but I failed to see how this had transcended the standards of any above-average Italian restaurant kitchen. The sprinkling of alpine herbs, presumably to give the pizza a more authentic edge, was also somewhat futile as the sheer pungence of onions had all but drowned out the aromas of these subtle herbs. The same could be said of the pumpkin seed oil supposedly present in the salad - I simply couldn't taste it at all, which was strange considering its strong characteristic flavour. Perhaps there was too little of it, or the spicy and nutty rocket and cress leaves which made up most of the salad had overpowered the taste of the oil. In any case, this course was pleasant and scrumptious enough, but also lacking in a distinctive character.
At this point, the older of the two brothers, Karl, was going round every table to greet customers (something that didn't happen with Bühner during his visit in April, I should mention), and of course I didn't miss the opportunity to find out more about his restaurant, its location as well as possible links to Heinz Reitbauer of Steirereck. As it turns out, both are long-standing family restaurants whose closely-knit relationship goes way back to the late 1980s; Reitbauer actually worked with the Obauer family for two years, and Karl's nephew in turn also trained as a waiter and cook in Steirereck before returning to the family establishment in Werfen. Karl spoke of his compatriot and competitor without the slightest tinge of professional rivalry - a humble and generous character indeed. Also, as an aside, the Obauer brothers had met Bühner in Paris recently on the occasion of the awards ceremony of Le Grand Tables du Monde - the world of gastronomy is smaller than one would think!
Karl also mentioned that their family restaurant is just minutes on foot from Werfen train station, south of Salzburg, nestled within a mountain valley. Werfen also has the biggest natural ice cave in the world (Eisriesenwelt) and a round trip on the designated walking route takes a good 4 hours. The town is also less well-known as one of the filming sites of the popular musical 'The Sound of Music', and I must have passed Werfen at least once whilst on one of those touristy excursions, though I just never took special notice of its name!
I was then invited to meet his brother Rudolf at work in the open kitchen, and we also exchanged a few pleasantries. Rudolf seemed somewhat more reticent compared to his elder brother but one thing was for sure: both men were very warm, friendly and down-to-earth, and I would love to experience their hospitality again at the actual family restaurant someday. (I might be biased though as we were communicating in German, and they were both very pleased and amazed by my unexpected fluency in their native language!)
Back to the food after this nice little diversion -
Sixth course (dessert): apple strudel on white chocolate cream, chamomile ice cream, cottage cheesecake, poached apples with candied orange zest, and blackcurrant coulis.
What could be a more Austrian way to end a meal than having both apple strudel and 'Topfen' on the same plate? The apple strudel here was unusually shaped in the form of an Italian cannoli with powdered sugar instead of a cake-like layered flaky pastry. The mushy semi-puréed apple filling was very rich and juicy, an absolute delight when paired with the crispy pastry wrapping, the buttery goodness of white chocolate cream and the warm sweet taste of vanilla crème anglaise. The generously-portioned cottage cheesecake was, by contrast, remarkably light in texture and had a refreshing soured taste. Topped with apple cubes poached in syrup and tangy orange zest, this was very satisfying in its own way. Finally, the soothing floral aromas and smooth apple-like sweetness of the chamomile ice cream completed this dessert on a fresh and elegant note.
Petit fours followed, and while waiting for these Karl had also placed a couple of cookbooks published by him and his brother on my table for my perusal. I will probably never be able to replicate their dishes at such a high level, but it is always tantalising to see what is possible by virtue of imagination and inspiration. I noted that they take pride in obtaining ingredients from their local farmers - you can never go wrong with that!
Hazelnut mousse infused with coffee (in the cone), Parmesan cracker, lime and Hendrick's gin marshmallow. Loved the aroma of coffee infused into the rich nutty mousse, as well as the freshness and astringency of the marshmallow - perfect for perking up after a sumptuous meal.
Chocolate biscuit with chocolate and mushroom cream, peach and beetroot jelly with a slice of fresh peach. The chocolate and mushroom cream was particularly memorable for its combination of deep earthiness and intense cocoa flavour - a very unusual pairing that was surprisingly effective. The peach and beetroot pairing was somewhat similar - sweet and also with an earthy edge.
Chocolate sponge cake with blackberry, rich and moist. Lovely.
This had been such an enjoyable afternoon of great food and hospitality. Towards the end of the meal I also had a nice long chat with Jan the manager about his life in Singapore so far. He happens to be German so that might explain all these visiting chefs from German-speaking countries so far. Anyway, I do hope to see an Italian chef featured in an Italian restaurant in the near future - Massimo Bottura anyone?
(N.B. The only thing I would like to see improved for now is the table setting - not sure if you readers have noticed it from my photos, but a crumpled tablecloth does look quite messy and is one of my pet peeves in a restaurant.)
But back to the main focus of today - the sense of pride in, and desire to showcase the best of, Austrian cooking was evident throughout the meal, and my only regret was not having discovered this restaurant earlier while I was still in Europe. I'm sure I'll see the Obauer brothers again in Werfen one day!
