Old Vienna Restaurant
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Phone: (805) 773-4521
02/09/2008 Posted by vik_granger
I was in the area on a business trip and one of the guys on our team wanted to sample some Austrian fare, so off to Old Vienna we went. The atmosphere is casual and has a strong Teutonic flavor. As I sat there, I thought it would serve well as a movie set for a World War II story...I could imagine a couple of German officers seated nearby, drinking schnapps and sporting uniforms with emblems reminiscent of a time when Germany still had a chance to lay claim to mastery of euroasia. I was almost expecting Christopher Plummer to walk in and start singing "Edelweiss". I always wanted to try weiner schnitzel, so that's what I ordered. The menu advertised it as "flash fried" and "tender and delicious". I'm not a big fan of fried meats, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. It was certainly tender, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. The schnitzel was thin, so the ratio of fried surface area compared to the thickness of the meat made it have too "fried" a taste. Coupled with the fact that there was no seasoning, this accentuated the fried texture. Please keep in mind I'm not an expert on German fare, so maybe this is exactly how weiner schnitzel is supposed to taste. Therefore, this place might just be what you're looking for. One of the ladies in our group really liked the red cabbage, though I thought it was average. The beer was rather nondescript and not particularly noteworthy. If you're a guy and go with mixed company, order the large stein - it'll enhance the ambiance and feel of being in a German beer hall and you'll avoid the harassment I took from the ladies when I ordered a small mug. "My, that really is a small mug you have..." they joked. Service was quite good. The girl who served us was very welcoming and friendly. She had an authentic old style German look, dressed in traditional garb, replete with pig tails and blonde hair.
Pros: Friendly service
Cons: Weiner schnitzel (my personal opinion)
Write a review and share your thoughts with others
