4.5 Stars and two thumbs up. Who says that there are no good Italian restaurants in Vienna that…read moreprepare fresh pasta! As the devil is in the detail, I am not giving Mario a 5 star rating, due to several flaws I found in the dishes (they were still great but since it is a pricey place, everything has to be absolutely perfect for a 5 star review).
Let's start from the beginning:
- Bread and olive oil tapenade. The bread is a kind of focaccia, served warm and delicious. The tapenade has a delicate olive flavor with a note of acidity. Very nice!
- Tuna tartare - with avocado base. 3.5-4 stars. This is the dish that needs to improve in order for Mario to score a solid 5 star rating. The tuna was not bursting with color and it looked tired. The preparation is simple, although with a better grade tuna this dish could be tremendously improved.
- Beef tartare - very good. The quality of meat is excellent and the overall execution of the dish is very good. I like the chili peppers on top, which definitely kick it up a notch. So far, I would rate this the second best beef tartare in Vienna, right after Le Salzgries.
- Ravioli stuffed with ricotta in a sage-butter sauce. Very good to excellent. A solid 5 star dish - simple and not pretentious but very delicious.
- Spaghetti Bolognese - made with veal. Excellent. The spaghetti are also freshly made and combined with an exquisite bolognese sauce, create a culinary symphony. 5 stars.
- Gnocchi - with shrimps, spinach and vegetables in a curry sauce. Interesting dish. Not your typical Italian go to item on the menu but definitely worth a try. Gnocchi were cooked al-dents and that made all the difference in the world.
The service is also very good and I will definitely be back!