Vienna and Budapest

 Neil C. wrote:

 >I will be travelling in November to Vienna and Budapest.  Does anyone
 >have suggestions for restaurants in either city?

   The English language newspaper (The Sun?) in Budapest publishes an excellent
 and comprehensive review of restaurants--not just the usual stuff in the tour
 books.  I followed their recs for a restaurant right around the corner (and
 somehow mysteriously associated with) from Gundel.  Sorry, don't have
 the name.  Extremely good food in a picturesque setting, though the menu
 posted outside did not look like any great shakes.  Moderate prices for
 Budapest (meaning cheap for most Western countries.)  Also, you will enjoy the
 pastries and ambience at Cafe Miro right near the Castle.

   Bring wheelbarrows of money for Vienna.  For a splurge, we liked the lunch
 fixed price at Die Drei Hussaren, right near the Stefansdom.  Very elegant,
 superb and friendly service even though we were dressed quite casually.
 However, when we were there (this September), the lunch crowd was mostly
 tourists.  (Lunch was about 390 oS, excluding drinks.)

   For an even bigger splurge, you might try Zur Alte Wien (or similar to this
 mangled German), near the Westbanhof.  Extremely pricey (about 890 oS for the
 fixed price dinner) with menu that changes daily.  Gracious, multilingual
 service and a comprehensive wine list featuring Austrian wines.  Mostly
 Austrian cooking with strong French overtones.  I would give it a Michelin one
 star, but, alas, the prices approach those of a 3 star.

   Of the cafes, we liked Cafe Central the best.  Piano music, lots of English
 language and German language newspapers and magazines, and a decent selection
 of pastries.  Steel yourself not to wince at $US 4 for a cup of coffee:  you
 can't buy the ambience in the US.  (Well, ok, we have a little Viennese pastry
 shop here in Columbus, Ohio, where you can.  It's Mozart's on North High, with
 classical piano music and candlelight on Fri and Sat nights, mixed piano music
 on Sat morns and Sun afternoons, and actually better tasting pastries than I
 had at the major cafes of Vienna this go around.  Standard disclaimer.)  If
 you are into cafes, best do most of your hopping in Budapest, with similar
 quality and much lower prices.

 Chuck

 From [email removed] Thu Oct 15 08:20:00 EDT 1998
 Article: 41752 of rec.food.restaurants