Istrian Starter

Location:Tartuf
Website:http://www.restaurant-tartuf.at
Address:Zinckgasse 2, 1150 Wien
Status:Open (last checked on 20 February 2018)
Eaten:“Istrischer Delikatessen Teller,” chesse plate, ¼ Teran, two ¼ Merlot

Having recently tasted Romanian, Hungarian and Italian versions of a Brettljause, going to a Croatian restaurant that advertises itself at the nearby railway station using a poster of an appetizing selection of cold cuts sounded like a logical next step.

Despite its not very glamorous location, Tartuf is surprisingly stylish on the inside, using a lot of dark wood and dimmed lights. It also proudly displays the “one fork award” of Falstaff, meaning that the quality of the dishes and the service must be well above average.

The “Delicacies plate,” unfortunately, did not meet my elevated expectations. A part of the problem was that I, inspired by the poster, expected something resembling a Brettljause. What I received was a fancy starter, with small bits of cheese and meat expertly arranged on a huge plate. Besides, although I am fully aware that the region of Istria is very close to Italy, I would have liked to try something a bit different from the typical Italian ingredients: prosciutto, salami, grana and olives. The Tête de Moine cheese does not count, for as far as I know it comes from Switzerland and not Croatia. The only unidentified ingredient was a slightly smoked cheese of no particular taste. Finally, the quantity was truly tiny – not really in Jamie Oliver’s league, but too small even for a starter. And for what the plate contained, the price was exorbitant.

It can very well be that Tartuf serves quite a few fantastic dishes and is a perfect location for a romantic candlelight dinner. However, if you are looking for a Brettljause, it offers nothing more than a very expensive way of staying hungry.

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