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Hotel Sacher, Philhar-monikerstrasse 4, Vienna, Austria


Philhar-monikerstrasse 4, Vienna, Austria

00 43 151456

Although it is over three years since I had coffee and Sachertorte in this establishment (27th Feb1997) when I read David Churchill's article in the August issue of Waitrose Food Illustrated, I nearly choked on my Weetabix. The article is called "Ten of the Best Destinations - travel writer David Churchill picks a few of his favourite food experiences around the world" He says "I'm not a great fan of chocolate except when in Vienna and staying at the Hotel Sacher....Sachertorte - a rich, chocolate cake - is simply wonderful" Fellow Spies, I cannot let this go unchallenged. I am a great fan of chocolate, I know a bit about it and furthermore have been baking cakes since I was 11. Chocolate cake is something I know and love. So, finding myself alone in Vienna, I walked a very long way to the legendary Hotel Sacher for what I was convinced would be a treat. This is what I wrote home "I'm eating Sachertorte as we speak, and while it is very nice, it's not as good as - say - John Lewis' chocolate truffle cake of blessed memory....I'm struggling with it, even though I had a light breakfast" In fact it was terribly dry - a hard, pale cake tasting faintly of chocolate, covered in chocolate fondant and I didn't finish it, despite having paid quite a lot. The coffee I had with it was OK, but by no means the best I had in Vienna. The place was less than 50% full, and while I quite enjoyed the air of ancient glory gone to seed, it was neither charming, comfortable nor friendly. Vienna is my least favourite city, and friendly isn't something you expect here, nor is value for money. The Hotel Sacher has a cast iron money spinner - Sachertorte is so famous that all they have to do is stay in business and keep on serving this dismal and expensive cake. They could of course serve excellent cake and decent coffee and be 100% full. That would bring in the gastro tourists. Foreign gastro tourists. And maybe that's it, because if there is one thing the Austrians don't like, it's foreigners. Rejected. DM Feb 1997