Reserva Ibérica by Paco

Review

Jamón, jamón!

Photo: Heribert Corn From 1960 to 1995, Spanish ham was under quarantine because of African swine fever, which appeared in Spain during this period. The only strange thing is that this disease has also appeared in other countries since then, for example in Italy in 1993 and only this year in Hungary, but the trade in prosciutto or Hungarian salami has hardly been restricted, at least nothing has been noticed. And now, of course, there is the suspicion that the European ham lobbies were conspiring against the Spanish at the time. After all, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is the best ham in the world, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying. In any case, good ham is now available in abundance, not to say on a massive scale. Enough to enable wholesalers such as Reserva Ibérica to operate three stores in Barcelona, one in Zaragoza, one in Hong Kong and one in Hiroshima, and now one in Vienna. In other words, it's not the ham multinational that runs it, but Patrick Troger, who opened a very appetizing tapas restaurant on Nussdorfer Strasse two years ago. But of course, if you want to open a snack bar with goods worth 26 euros per 100 grams, you have to go to Kohlmarkt. But for the fact that the legs hanging from the ceiling are really worth a lot, the ham bar is pleasantly uncomplicated, simple and unpretentious. The center of the small bar is formed by a counter on which two hams are placed, from which the ham master slices the pieces for the public, next to a display case in which a few nice tapas are arranged, vacuum-packed Ibérico cold cuts, some cheese, and a well-stocked Spanish wine fridge.
The croquetas de jamón ibérico, homemade potato croquettes with a filling of minced ham slices, are unfortunately a little bland (€ 2), the tortilla española not bad, but made from boiled potato slices instead of raw ones, and that makes a difference (€ 6). But the Degustacion de Ibéricos is great, and that's what we're talking about here: the chorizo is still a little restrained and tastes like plastic packaging, but the lomo is great, melting and nutty, the salchichon with its wild, smoky paprika flavor is also great and the four pieces of "jabugo" (the most prominent origin of the black-footed acorn-fed pork ham) are heavenly, complex, dark and rich (€ 12).
The fact that you have to pay extra for bread is perhaps a little stingy, but the Ibérico is actually better enjoyed with a glass of Manzanilla anyway. It's also available here. So there you sit, nibbling on salted almonds and the world's best ham and watching the crowds of tourists stream past - just like in Barcelona! Summary: A snack with a difference - namely small pieces of ham from the acorn-fed Ibérico pig. Reserva Ibérica by Paco, 1st, Wallnerstr. 5, Tel. 0660/473 71 14, Mon-Sat 11am-2pm

More in Spanish
Food & Drink in Vienna