It was my first time having an all-vegetarian meal.
I’m sure it takes a lot of care and effort to prepare.
The only downside was that the variety of vegetables felt a bit limited.
I wish there had been more seasonal vegetables, like eggplant or young corn, since there are so many options out there. It felt like those summer vegetables were missing.
Still, it was a great and valuable experience.
The food was mind-blowingly good. It’s an eight-course tasting menu but many of those course have three or four contrasting elements. Each tasted amazing.
It compares very well to other Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurants but that excellence comes with a pretty hefty price tag.
Great for a very occasional treat but not one for return customers who don’t have a trust fund. Honestly, it is one of Vienna’s high points.
I had a great experience at Tian four years ago, so on a recent trip, I brought my in-laws to hopefully create some happy and delicious memories. What a huge mistake. I feel absolutely awful for putting them through this experience.
To be clear, I was not disrespectful nor did I refuse to pay any part of the bill. I promptly paid my dues and left the recommended 10% tip. This review is me sharing my experiences as a warning for others.
The good:
* The dishes are still plated with pretty details and splashes of colorful flowers.
* My father-in-law says the wines were smooth and not too intense.
The awful:
* We ordered the 8 courses set menu. The last two dishes are sweet. The first 6 went progressively from "are my taste buds off?" salty to "I cannot eat this" salty. I always try to eat everything, but I just could not force myself to eat the baked bun thing with the salted brown filling. I took a bite and knew there was not enough water to choke all of it down. We had a party of four and each of us acknowledged the saltiness of every dish. We tried to be respectful and finish everything, but that baked bun dish broke all of us.
* The set menu has drink pairings: alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. I don't know if it is required to pair the salted foods with these drinks to make them more palatable. My father-in-law ordered the 5-wine pairing and he lamented that the alcohol did not help.
* We arrived at 6 PM for our reservation and the eighth course arrived around 9:20 PM. Long-winded dining is ok when you are having fun. It is absolute hell when you feel like you're a demonic misfortune being shooed away with salt.
* Service is ok, but a bit of a miss compared to other places. They explained each dish and wine, helped answer questions, promptly filled water and prepped the table, and showed us our table when we arrived. It was nice of them to show my mother-in-law the restroom after drinking so much water. Not really any other small talk. I still tipped 10% as suggested, since I don't think the wait staff can do anything about the food.
* Four years ago, we ate at Tian and then Tian's Bistro. Both places were so good. Right after eating at Tian this time, I asked to please cancel our reservation for the Bistro the next day. Probably not fair to make negative assumptions, but after this experience, the risk of wasting time and money is too high when our time in Austria is so short.
We heard about this 1-star Michelin restaurant that is fully vegetarian and can even be vegan if you choose. While in Vienna, it was among the highly anticipated restaurants on our list. We had an eight-course dinner. The flavors delighted your senses with each dish, and even though you saw the menu beforehand, tasting it in person was much better than just imagining the details of each course. Some vegetables used are usually strong and pungent, but the way the chef presents them makes them simply delicious. I can also confirm that you won't leave hungry after several small vegetable courses. In fact, you'll feel like you've eaten incredibly healthy during your vacation, for a change! I'm not vegan or vegetarian by any means, and I wouldn’t likely eat most of these veggies again on their own. But this dinner was incredibly flavorful and delicious, and I only wish all my veggie dishes could taste like this all the time. Highly recommend.
