R&Bar Weinskandal

Review

All completely natural

Moritz Herzog says that he has never really had much use for the Grätzel: the shopping madness on the neighboring Mariahilfer Straße really repels him. On the other hand, he had been looking for a place for some time where he could not only sell his natural wines, but also have them tasted. Because wine sales work better with wine tasting. The former R&Bar (which somehow went quiet during the lockdown) was the solution. Herzog had already noticed that "natty wines" were a zeitgeist phenomenon, but cloudy wines with colourful labels and trendy names alone were not enough for him. "Just because someone is a good Instagrammer and has cool tattoos doesn't make them a good winemaker." Finding the good ones is his job, and distinguishing the "real" ones from those who make trendy, dull wines is the challenge. This all sounds more serious than it is. Although Moritz Herzog has removed a few tables in the R&Bar in favor of three wine racks, the food here is actually excellent. And in a way that suits these "wild" wines, that is the most fun and also works splendidly in legendary natural wine restaurants, such as Bar Brutal in Barcelona: strong flavours, good looks, great ingredients, small portions, quick preparation. Dave Ferris, one of Herzog's employees in the new R&Bar, worked in this iconic bar for a while and took a few ideas with him, which the young chef Mario Galbavy implements quite superbly.
From "simple" things like sliced Saumaise with mustard cucumber mustard or Sutterlüty mountain cheese with Joseph bread and terrific Bregenzerwald raw milk butter (€ 2.80-10.50) to amazing things like the fried king oyster mushrooms, which they stir into the plate with raw yolk (from winemaker Judith Beck's chickens) (€ 7.00), through to wonderful dishes such as the Catalan fish salad with raw marinated cod, chili and capers (€ 11.00) or briefly roasted skirt steak from Weinviertel Wagyu beef (€ 18.50).
Great food, great atmosphere, cheerful people, indie Britpop - the Bobo haters in the Standard.at forum will despise the restaurant with a passion ... Summary: The new R&Bar is a relevant contribution to enhancing the Viennese attitude to life with dull organic wines and great little things.

More in Bar, Nightclub
Food & Drink in Vienna