Taste of Austrian Dishes at Chef Meilis
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
In our search for authentic Austrian food in Seoul, several people recommended Chef Meili's, a new restaurant owned by former Hilton Hotel executive chef Christian Meilinger.
Chef Meili's, located on the second floor of the building near Gecko's Terrace in Itaewon, may not seem like much from the outside. But once you enter the restaurant, there is a warm, down-to-earth atmosphere.
We were pleasantly surprised to be led to the rooftop area, which was decorated with flowers and plants, and offers a refreshing view of Itaewon's streets. It was a good thing the weather not hot, so we didn't mind sitting outside at a wooden bench and table with red umbrellas.
We decided to start with a sausage salad (12,500 won), a bright mix of fresh lettuce, yellow and red peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions and tasty sausage slices in a light dressing.
Chef Meili's menu has several meat and fish dishes to choose from, but we decided to order the daily special, a dish featuring different kinds of smoked fish and braised beef roulade with spaetzle.
The fish variety dish (9,500 won) featured smoked salmon and snapper, with fresh salad and Austrian ginger shavings. The smoked snapper was too salty for my taste, but the salad greens and ginger helped tone down the flavor.
The beef roulade is served with a flavorful gravy sauce, red cabbage and Austrian ginger. The dish was quite good, although somewhat dry.
The highlight of any hearty meal would have to be dessert. Chef Meili's has several tempting dessert choices that would make anyone forget about their diet, such as crepes drizzled with chocolate syrup, banana split, apple strudel and sacher torte.
We chose the Malakof Tart (7,500 won), which was interestingly described on the menu as ``my mom's recipe." The tart features layers of chocolate and moist biscotti, served with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkled with dark chocolate shavings. Paired with hot chocolate (6,500 won), it was an excellent way to end the meal.
Service was quick and efficient. The English-speaking staff was friendly and helpful.
There are several dishes we'd love to try next time, like the cheese fondue and roasted rack of veal. But you have to order these dishes one day in advance.
If you can't get enough of the restaurant's food, you can walk across the street to take home some sausages and meats from the gourmet deli, also owned by Meilinger.
