Die Speis

Review

Self-knitted socks

Torsten is the more reserved of the two. When Michaela said they should buy a little house, for example, the man from Delmenhorst near Bremen replied that they would never be able to afford it. Somehow it worked out in Schwechat. And when Michaela said that they should finally open their own place, Torsten warned of the costs, risks, hassle and stress. But then they looked around, found the Landkind on Schwendermarkt, which was up for sale, liked the neighborhood and its residents, and embarked on the adventure of self-employment last November.
The conditions were perfect: firstly, the Landkind people had created a kind of culinary market center and a considerable pool of regulars since 2016; secondly, they were able to take over the charming market barracks in full, and that's worth something these days; thirdly, Torsten Nazarek can cook really well; and fourthly, he still likes to get tips from Michaela Ippolito on how to make it even better.
"The people in the Grätzel have welcomed us well," says Torsten, who seems genuinely grateful and tells us that neighbors have not only sewn cushions for their "Speis", but have even knitted woollen socks for the two new landlords. Some guests come by up to four times a week, and the restaurant's function as a lively Grätzel center becomes clear when you look at the flyers left on the Budel: from film museums to pelvic floor training ... But the main attraction remains the food. Especially the dishes of the day, each with generous portions of world cuisine ranging from cauliflower curry with chickpeas to dumpling trio and rice meat.
Torsten Nazarek almost regrets this a little, because he actually enjoys the sometimes slow and carefully cooked dishes on the weekly menu much more, such as a really great, balanced and sour Vietnamese onion soup (€ 6.50) or the so-called braised beef schnapps, a kind of mini Italian beef roulade with prosciutto, rocket and parmesan filling, which is fantastic (€ 16.50).
Michaela is responsible for cakes and tarts and bakes them every day, the undisputed highlight being the Torta della Nonna. And yes, it's easy to win hearts with Italian cuisine, but Torsten also wants to try some German recipes in the future. Great and, above all, less exotic than you might think: "Of the many young families who live here, half are compatriots ..." The Schwendermarkt, which has been so sadly run-down for a long time, shows a culinary will to survive. With this charming, personal market pub.

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