Dear Reader, allow me to share with you a little fact that you may not have known about Austrians. Austrians were known as Bull Washers (or Stierwaschers). The story goes that apparently in 1525, the castle was besieged and they needed to pretend to the outside world that they had plenty of food. They only had one bull and to make it look like they had plenty to eat with lots of bulls they painted their one bull different colours to throw potential invaders off the scent. Of course what happens after they painted the bull is that they had to wash it hence the term Bull Washers. And did you know that the owner of the Red Bull energy drink company is an entrepreneur from Austria called Dietrich Mateschitz?
Carpe Diem
One of his investments is a bar and restaurant called Carpe Diem opened in August 2005. In the downstairs bar you can have cocktails and food served in cones – what they call fast finger food with a difference. The concept was to have food that people could eat quickly and easily (hence I suppose Carpe Diem or “seize the day”) so that it was fast food but not sacrificing their health (although it must be said there’s some sense of irony as the bar is rather smoke filled). Tonight we are indulging in a rather exciting progressive dinner: our entrees, mains and desserts will be at different restaurants across Salzburg that are all within walking distance. We walk into Carpe Diem and it looks stunning, clearly there has been a pretty penny spent on outfitting it. Patrons are young and in front of them sit cocktails and cones. The menu is divided into vegetarian, fish and meat and there are non cone like selections as well. And please forgive the photos, the restaurants were rather dark!
Char with creamy spinach and truffle foam served in a curry cone E6.50
The char (an arctic fish) is delicious with a creamy blended spinach and two asparagus spears on top. It’s accompanied by a small plate with a tiny fried quail’s egg and a thin slice of truffle which is gorgeous although I’m a bit bewildered as to whether I eat this first or after the cone or with it. No matter they taste great separately and together.
Beef tartar with mashed potatoes and cress in a sancho pepper cone E4.90
I adore the perfectly seasoned beef tartar which I enjoy immensely from beginning to end. With some of these cones, the ends of them are stuffed with raw, undressed vegetables which makes for a less than thrilling end but this one starts with the beef tartar and ends with creamy mash.
Pepper couscous with pepper foam served in a pepper cone E5.40
I next try the pepper or capsicum couscous served with a tiny espresso cup of creamy pepper foam which is delicious and well seasoned (Austrians seem to have a real knack with soups). The cone doesn’t taste particularly capsicum-ey, it tastes like a regular ice cream cone albeit slightly crisper. The couscous isn’t as flavoursome as I’d like though.
Beef hamburger in a rosemary cone with french fried potatoes and home made ketchup E5.20
A three parter cone the main cone comes with two small hamburger patties and some thinly sliced lettuce. There is also a cone of home made tomato sauce and fries. It’s so cute, it’s almost like playing with toy food and it’s a favourite at the table.
Red chicken wings with a corn on the cob and spicy dip in a paprika cone E4.90
The red chicken wings are boneless chicken wings marinated in a curry type sauce which is very succulent although there is some major spillage at the bottom of the cone which leaks out all over and should perhaps come with a warning for one’s clothes!
Inside the Arthotel Blaue Gans
Arthotel Blaue Gans
With our entrees eaten, we take a quick look at the restaurant upstairs and then head off to our second destination of the evening: the famous Arthotel Blaue Gans. It was at first named after the pheasant but people often mistook the logo to mean the Blue Goose so it stuck and they concluded they may as well change it. Tonight we are having the house speciality: roast goose breast. I almost die from excitement as this is my first time trying goose.
Complimentary bread
There’s a good selection of three different types of bread: a sun dried tomato, olive and plain and the menu has some interesting sounding combinations like roasted leg of duck with goose liver mousse and saddle of young deer. Interestingly, we notice the cover charge of E2.90 at the bottom of the menu and they tell us that it’s for the place setting, napkins and bread. Only higher class establishments charge covers.
Roast Goose with apple
Our main arrives and it looks magnificent. The slices are pink in the centre and edged with fat. Despite the fact that I’ve had so many cones, it’s moreish and oh so good and if I were a goose I’d like to end up like this. The red cabbage is lovely, I often find it a little bitter but this is deliciously sweet and find it hard to resist. And the dumplings are they’re light as feather and a most unusual consistency so when I take to it with a knife, it’s so fluffy it acts like a souffle and threatens to fly away. The final accompaniment is a whole roasted bay apple stuffed with cranberries which is good but I don’t think it needs the apple as the sauerkraut is sweet enough.
Hotel Sacher
Pushing back our plates we head over the bridge to the famous Hotel Sacher, a magnificent looking brightly lit hotel that created the original Sacher torte. We’re stopping here for a nightcap and a farewell drink. The sparkling wine is very good, almost like a champagne and is made by the same method.
Schlumberger sparkling wine
Christmas cookies
We’re also served little Christmas cookies. One cookie has jam spread between two cookies and there’s also a crispy cookie and a vanilla crescent. As I am full to bursting I take a nibble of each and surrender. And never fear my pretties, we did try the Sacher Torte on another day!
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever experienced a progressive dinner?
NQN travelled to Austria as a guest of the Austria National Tourist Office and Emirates airlines.
Carpe Diem
Getreidegasse 50
5020 Salzburg, Austria
0662 848800
www.finestfingerfood.com
Open 8am-2am
Arthotel Blaue Gans
Herbert von karajanplatz 3
getreidegasse 41-43, 5020 salzburg, Austria
0662 8424910
www.blauegans.at
Hotel Sacher
Schwarzstraße 5
5020 Salzburg, Austria
0662 889770
www.sacher.com
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36 Comments | Add your own
What a beautiful post! And I love the story about the Bull Washers!
This looks incredible! I love the cones.
I have had progressive dinners, but not at restaurants – when I was in my teens they were a popular activity for our youth group – find three people happy to host a course each and move around the houses. I have long been meaning to organise one because they are such fun (and share the work around) – perhaps this is the reminder I need!
Oh that is just wrong!I thought the cones were ice cream!To an ice cream lover it is just a heart breaker
Sacher torte is divine,even home made one!I make it every year for my bf’s bday 
Wow those cones are totally cool. Whilst reading all the different ones you tried I was thinking of how I might replicate this at home.
Salzburg ist wunderbar
I love the food served in cones – what a cute idea!
The goose certainly sounds interesting. I have never taken part in a progressive dinner but it sounds good when consuming large quantities of food to have a walk in between.
Fabulous! What a wonderful adventure!!
Sadly no progressive dinner yet in my life… but I think I’m going to start muttering “Bull Washer” at people who irritate me
That beef tartare cone looks so much like strawberry sorbet, it confuses my head!
those cones look so adorable pity about the one that was leaking though
The cone idea is very unusual….someone is going to copy it and us Aussies will be able to try it soon : )
Great story — and I had no idea that the Red Bull owner is Australian, very interesting! I love that cone idea, Lorraine! It makes for a really beautiful presentation.
Incredible meal! The cones are so inventive, and the goose sounds amazing. Must have been a great evening.
The cones are an interesting concept, it brings out the inner child in everyone =)
I love goose, bbq goose in China is equivalent to our bbq duck in Australia. You can actually buy bbq goose from Top Choice in Burwood!
Haha, interesting info about Austrians…of course I knew nothing about that.
I wish the lighting was nicer, but the food certainly looks like it tasted awesome!
For a conference I am organising in 2011 we are having a progressive dinner at the MCG – with drinks and canapes on the top floor overlooking the ground, entreee and main in the dining room, and dessert and coffee in the Australian Sports Museum. It should be a blast!
the cones are very cute n interesting!! maybe a bit ‘confusing’ too .. they look too much like ice-cream in cones but not anything sweet… hmmm..
I was hoping you would get to the Hotel Sacher, but it looks like you didn’t get a chance to sample their famous torte!! Please tell me you tried it!
Progressive dinners were the staple amongst my parents friends in the 80′s. They were the height of fashion. Although they are a tad impractical now (what with adherence to drink driving laws making them a bit harder) I’m sure they are due for a resurgance!
Loraine, your photos are like Ballet recital, so beautiful, artistic and gently flowing from one beautiful pose to another.
Sounds like a fantastic experience Lorraine. I particularly love the duck with the apples. Such a classic combination.
OMG!!!! i’m so jealous! i can’t believe Emirates airlines flew you all the way over to Austria. that’s incredible. going full time has certainly done you wonders in your network and connections with the industry
well done. i wonder if you could have asked for no cover charge to set the table, napkins and bread? i thought that would have actually been their job to do it anyway being a restaurant. that’s a bit cheeky and a bit of a rort don’t you think?
I didn’t think you could beat your Peking Duck blog but flying around the world to a progressive dinner – okay! The cones sound fascinating but the entree course sounds like a meal in itself and I don’t know if I could have gone on to have mains and dessert. Well done!
No I haven’t but I’d love to try it one day. Tell me Lorraine, are there any restaurants doing progressive dinners in Sydney?
Sacher Torte..Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Disregard my question, was having a ‘Blonde’ moment! Lol
a hamburger in a cone? i never thought i’d see the day.
hmmm, those cone meals would also save on washing up the cutlery, no? Ha ha, lovely progressive meal, I’ve always wanted to plan one…
I can’t believe you’re still eating your way around Austria (metaphorically). Those cones look rather cool, I wonder if we have anything like that here?
Lol I was expecting paper cones not edible ones like ice-cream cones! Interesting idea.
The goose looks sensational.
these cones give me a lot of ideas !! thanks lorraine
I’ve never seen so many cones at one event. Even a burger cone?? Pretty imaginative, I must say. And it cuts down the cost of washing dishes or throwing out paper or plastic plates. Cones — the new environmental godsend.
What a funny coincidence – I was just having a conversation this morning with my Mum and she mentioned that Red Bull was an Austrian company, which surprised me and I wasn’t entirely sure I believed her. After reading this I immediately sent her a text message to say I was sorry for doubting her!
Was going to try a progressive dinner when in Melbourne last year but none of choices worked well around what we had already planned. Love the concept though!
Check out thomas Keller from the famous Napa Valley “French Laundry”. He may the cone appetizer many years ago and it was stuffed with a salmon mixture, I think. I always wanted to do something similar and now someone is really using the idea. Thanks for sharing. kath
Oh wow, the cones are so cute and intriguing! Beef tartare in a cone? And mini hamburger cone?? Crazy! =D
Aww so jealous of your awesome journey =)
Never done a progressive dinner myself though does moving onto a different venue for dessert after dinner count? =D
Wow, this is really becoming my favourite blog! I am from Salzburg and worked for Red Bull (Carpe Diem) and Hotel Sacher.
And I truly miss the food! Luckily I am going to Japan next month and will definitely try Lockup and I really love the restaurants in Japan (mainly in Tokyo as I have the most experience there). During my last visit I went to the Molecular Bar in the Mandarin Oriental – a real treat! And I went to a restaurant (shame I do not recall the name) where you sit in Tatami rooms and the food comes on a water stream (river) and you have to grill it yourself on a charcoal grill in the middle of the tatami room. One of the fish was still alive when it arrived at our room… I love that concept. And of course every trip to Japan includes Shabu-Shabu all you can eat and minimum two Sushi experiences. Tsukiji and one fine-dining sushi restaurant and one Kaizen sushi experience.
Well, getting hungry now and stuck in the middle of the desert in Kuwait…
Hi Mary Poppins in Heels-Thankyou so much! I was fascinated by it when I read it!
Hi Rosa-Thanks, it’s a cool idea isn’t it!
I want to do one now hehe 
Hi Maria-Hehe no they’re savoury! Well except for the sweet ones that is. Ahh lucky bf!
Hi Mark-Aren’t they just and yes you totally could!
Hi Marthe-I agree!
Hi Cakelaw-I know, such a novel idea
Hi sandra-Yes although it wasn’t much of a walk between the first two but a bit of fresh air did us good!
Hi Elaine-Thanks, it felt like it!
Hi Hannah-Haha now that would be hilarious!
I like it! I know what you mean, it doesn’t help with the strange lighting!
Hi Betty-I know, that was a bit of a shame but the rest were great.
Hi Brenda-Hehe now that would be fantastic!
Hi Faith-Yes he’s Austrian and I had no idea either! It does doesn’t it! And easy to serve too!
Hi lisa-We had a wonderful time
I must say progressive dinners are a great idea! 
Hi jess-Hehe that is very true!
Oh really? Thankyou for the recommendation!
Hi sophia-I never knew that either
Yes I could have eaten my entree and main here (in fact I think I did volume wise 
)
Hi Ellen-That sounds like a lot of fun!
Hi YW-Hehe yes although as soon as you taste them, trust me they don’t taste anything like ice cream!
Hi Sian-Yes I did, as I mentioned I did try it later
Yes surely there’d be one teetollaer among the lot that could drive!
Hi Aliza-Aww thankyou so very much Aliza!
Hi trissa-Yes although I don’t think I needed the apple to enjoy the goose.
Hi Simon-Well it’s from a lot of hard work and it’s not just because I do it full time.
Hi Gummi Baby-Believe me I was pretty stuffed after the cones but I persisted
Thankyou!
Hi Matilda-YOu know I haven’t heard of any teaming up! Isn’t that funny! I wish they would as it’s a nice idea
Hi grace-I know, it’s very unusual isn’t it!
Hi Moya-I never thought of that but yes it would!
Hi Belle-Oh I still have some to go! I haven’t seen any here but who knows!
Hi Phunk-Hehe yes paper ones I’ve seen but not these edible cones! It was so good-if only I had more room!
Hi pierre-Yes you could do wonders with it Pierre!
Hi Carolyn-I know, I wonder if that sells well!
Definitely-cones the edible container!
Hi Conor-Hehe that is funny! To be hoenst I had no idea that it was either
Hi mlle délicieuse-Oh what a shame but yes it’s a great concept! And if you walk it helps to work off the food!
Hi Kathleen-Yes I remember seeing that, it was gorgeous! You’re welcome!
Hi angie-I know, it is kind of crazy isn’t it
Yes that does count!
Hi Stefan-Aww thankyou so much Stefan! Oh fabulous, so you know all about it! Wow, they sound like amazing places! They definitely sound like the kind of thing you’d want to blog!
Have fun!
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