FlatSchers - Best steak in Vienna
It is no big secret that I am a foodie, and not always the gourmet type. I like food and I like it plenty. But more often than not, I always find something missing. I've had Steak in Houston, Sao Paulo, Spain, London, Paris, Athens, Hamburg, Dubai, Singapore to name a few big cities, and there always seems to be something missing from the experience. Sometime it is the quantity, sometimes it is the grilling, sometimes the sides, sometimes the atmosphere....well, until last year when I moved to Vienna.
I had already tried a couple of good restaurants in town, including a Michelin Star one, and I must say, my first impression of Steak in Vienna was a good one. You would of course expect that from a Michelin Restaurant. But something was again missing. Meat was cooked to perfection, and sides were really nice, but there was something about the fusion of Meat with Haute Cuisine that was taking away from that experience. It was my wife's birthday in February, and we decided to try a different place close to our house called Flatschers. It looked like your standard American Steakhouse online, so my expectations were modest, but was confident I could get a good honest juicy ribeye Steak. Well, I got a whole lot more than that.
Walking through the doors, the whole place was buzzing, which really, before you even get to the food part, gives you a great feeling of comfort. Wooden decoration, nice comfortable lighting, everyone talking and laughing, the atmosphere was just perfect. We ordered our drinks, and then started looking through the Menu. It was a bit pricy, but who minds paying that little extra for a good meal right? So we ordered a couple of starters, Guacamole and Onion Rings, and both were to die for. Especially the Guacamole, fresh, nicely mashed, just right on the lemon, served with bread, just the perfect way to warm up for the main course. The onion rings, I have to give them credit for the potion. It was large by American standards, but crispy and not soaked in oil like you get in most other places.
For the main I decided to choose the chateaubriand to put the place to the test. It was nothing short of perfect. Dark on the outside, tender pink and juicy on the inside, and soft as butter. Rosemary and Rock Salt complementing it in the best possible way. If I was to compare it to the Michelin Star place, I would still give Flatschers the edge. While the Michelin Star Chateaubriand was textbook perfect in respect of all technicalities, meat quality, cooking, it was perfect in a sterile way. Flatschers chateaubriand had that element of effortless natural perfection, without the sterility of perfection that usually comes with fancy restaurants. That element of the food inviting you to jump in, and not giving you that feeling of not wanting to touch it because it looks so perfect, is something I personally find crucial in choosing my favourite restaurants. So my vote goes to Flatschers hands down. No discussion about it, best steak in town.
Ever since, I have been to Flatschers on a few occasions and tried their ribeye which is also very tasty and discovered some more aces up their sleeve. When you get a mix board, like 800 gr steak and 500 gr of Chateaubriand to share, you also get this double decker tray with all kinds of sides, including a state of the art polenta and cheese mix, which put all other sides to shame. That good.
Overall, if you are in town and you love your meat, you need to try Flatschers. It is not cheap, but you will always feel you are getting your money's worth. Great relaxed atmosphere, great service, great food. It is not just about the good food, but the overall experience. And that is something you cannot put a price on. By far my favourite in Vienna in the 15 months I have been here.
Vrazilianos