I Reviewed AUSTRIA'S FIRST EVER 3 MICHELIN STAR Restaurant

Let me tell you a joke. A Hungarian walks into an Austrian tavern run by a Spanish chef. He meets a Hungarian sommelier, gets Austrian tapas made by a Spanish chef. Heard this before? Don't worry, you will. As you can see, the weather is not on our side today. Luckily, our hosts are. They see us coming and offer some shelter from the rain. After a warm welcome and introduction, we were already on our way to our table. This is the main dining area, the Salar. We are on a working wine estate. Before it was turned into a restaurant, it was originally a Heuriger. It is a kind of pub type in Austria, where they serve fresh wine. By fresh, I mean that year's wine. But there are certain rules about how many Heuriger can be opened at once. And also for how long in a year. I've been here two years ago on a sunny day. And it was a really bad feeling to come from the spring to here and enjoy this interior. But now, because it's raining outside, I think it's just super cool here. I love the chairs a lot and I love the nice painting at the end. So now it's, I think, it's great. I'm not a huge fan of this liquid nitrogen napkin thing. But I understand that for some it is new and fun. It is just a tiny bit better than it should be. But it's fine. The long drive made me thirsty, so let's see what the options are. The wine list comes on a tablet, which I don't really like. Here is why. What I like though is the surprise that comes with it. This is Adam Bence, a fellow Hungarian and a professional sommelier. I'm so proud of this guy. As we move forward, you will understand why. I just came back from Saudi Arabia, which is, well, let's say, you can see more shooting stars than wine there. Don't worry, I survived it. And I'm more than happy to return to my habits. I saw a 2008 Krug in my dreams. Because of my last visit, that was my aperitif. But they are not Krug ambassadors anymore. So I'm going to pick a glass of Ulysse Collin. But then I got another recommendation. A Magnum Bolognese La Grande Anne from 2014. Choice is sometimes the easiest when it seems the hardest. Also, there are things in the world I can't resist. One of these things is on the wine list. And I give in to temptation. What is it? I will tell you later. It needs some time to open up anyway. Now let's talk about the food. There is only one menu option, for lunch at least, which will cost 375 euros per person. It is called Momentum. We start with some tapas, which is an obvious homage to the roots of the chef. The very first tapas, however, is one of the most authentic Austrian dishes, Tafelspitz. Ironic. This small crunchy roll is filled with beef tartare, fresh chives and on top is a little apple salad. What comes with it is basically a meat broth. A very, very rich one. The bottom layer is a custard, made from horseradish, topped with some root vegetables and fresh chives. And then it is finished with the beautiful and silky beef consomme. We stir it up, spoon it out and then give ourselves a few moments to process the crazy flavors. Okay, now we are talking. Super rich flavors. Beautiful acidity. It's super rich. Coming inside from the rain, I couldn't wish for a better start. Full of collagen, smoky and meaty aromas. Then there is the horseradish, fresh chives and parsley. Delicious and perfected to the extreme. We have for you now one more little snack. This time we serve you what we like to call the walk in the forest. Well, the look and the meaning are in harmony. That's for sure. It's like a little tree trunk with mushrooms growing on it. And it was made of mushrooms and bread. If it wasn't obvious by the mushrooms, it is loaded with umami flavor. Soft crunch, then creaminess, a tiny bit of sweetness and a slight parsley decay at the end. A lot and phenomenal flavors are loaded into such a small thing. Here comes the banger I chose at the beginning from the wine list. The 2019 Pudding Lemon Rachet from Love Love. You know me, I'm a simple man. If I see this, I drink it. The latest bite left some really strong flavors on our tongues. The next one is coming in with just the perfect beat. It's called La Gilda. It was originally from Basque country, but it's so widely loved that today you can find it in most parts of Spain. Normally, they stick some green olives, peppers and anchovies on a cocktail skewer. And there you go, one of the best pinchos. Here at Amadeur, it comes in an elevated form. A small basket was loaded with a small fish tatar and covered with a nice green film. It is silky, light and super intense. The olive comes through beautifully with saltiness. Then there is this nice, delicious acidic touch from the green pepperoni that ties it all together. I could eat this thing all day long. The textures are constantly changing because the first texture is gone and then you enjoy the second and then the third and the flavors are changing as well. Really clever. This is so far, this is my favorite. The staff so far is very professional. The mirror service is nice. They are smiling and every movement is calculated and precise. The service has changed a lot. I think now it's beautiful. But with this nice music, I'm sitting here and somehow I just get this unnatural feeling. The whole space just needs a bit more energy. For me, at least. But as long as I get dishes like this, I can live with that. This tiny little thing uses foie gras as gunpowder. The smaller it is, the bigger it explodes. It is soft, cold and creamy. The little crunchy leaves are made of artichoke. The anchovies and apples add another dimension with the sweet and salty notes. However, while enjoying the amazing food and wine, I noticed some small things. The wooden floor, for example, is really loud as people walk on it. There is a very quiet background music that's supposed to make the atmosphere chilling and calm. And then there is this sound. Our final amuse arrives to crown the tapas section. It's king crab and just like everything before, it is fantastic. It comes with a foam, Iberico ham, teardrop peas and crumble on top. Flavor-wise, it's sweet, tiny bit smoked, dry aged flavors. Two things are clear. The chef has a remarkable style and I'm totally in love with it. So let's see, who is this man? His name is Juan Amador, born in Waiblingen to Spanish parents. He aimed for a career in the hospitality business from a young age. Worked and learned in several restaurants, including Waldhorn, where he was growing bigger under the wings of Albert Bully. His first big, big achievement came when he got the role of head chef at Peter's Ile. He earned his first star. He gained his next at Fairhouse Munkmarsch, then the next two at Schlosshotel Weberhöfe. It was 2005 when he finally felt ready to continue on his own. Amador was opened in Langen, Germany. And of course, just like every time before, the stars came. In 2011 he moved the entire operation to Mannheim. Then again in 2016 to Vienna, to its current location. It took just three years to get the three stars and become Austria's first restaurant with that many stars. Now that we know that, let's get on with the menu. You know, there is only one scenario where the bread and butter is wrong. Where there isn't any. Well, here we have just enough. There are two types of bread. One is a classic white, which is always good, and they make it here at Amador. But the other one is what's really interesting. The black bread. It was made with fermented apple, so it has this kind of savoury and sweet honey flavour. Absolutely stunning bread. It reminds me of my childhood, when our most luxurious treat was bread with butter and honey. The butter is also handmade and there is a little spread on the side, which is based on buffalo milk and surrounded by a little lovage oil. The cherry on top is the major Spanish olive oil. And on the side we also serve a little bit from our olive oil, coming from the south of Spain. The producer is called Castillo de Canena and we just call it the QV Amador, because of course it was specially made for us. The first item of the pairing is a glass of Blanc de Blanc from Laurent Perrier. And the first dish of the Momentum section is already on our table. Get something to hold on to, this is Beurre Blanc ice cream. Crazy, right? This is one of the chef's signature dishes. The foam is made of hazelnut milk. Underneath there are pieces of oysters and tarragon oil. And on top is Antwerp caviar. Let's just say these are not from the lower shelves. And still, for me, the ice cream took the show. The game with the temperatures, and just the idea to turn a warm sauce into ice cream, stunning. For the next dish we got a 2025 Riesling from Hans-Jürgen Grapeholtz, a German producer. After that, we continue the line of expensive fish with a humble Norwegian lobster. It is served in three different ways. We have a little bisque, which is made of the shells of the lobster. On the side there is a little crispy dumpling filled with lobster, sitting on crustacean mayonnaise. In the main act of this performance, the lobster shows up as a whole piece. It's covered with tomato vinaigrette, which is aromatized with mellipone honey and pineapple. A macadamia puree comes with it, and crispy leaves of Italian Castelfranco. The foam, which will disappear in just a few seconds, is made of jalapeno. I tell you this, this is one of the most exciting dishes I have ever had. And believe me, I had a lot. But this is mind-blowing. It has a pleasantly burned hazelnut flavor, which goes so well with the honey. I am usually not a fan of foams, but here it has a good purpose. The foam is the jalapeno element, and its flavor is fire. It just ties all the elements together with a beautiful aroma. I have tasted these flavors before, but it was never so exciting like this. We are halfway through the meal, and I'm already thinking about coming back. However, there are some things that I'm not a fan of. The atmosphere of the restaurant is interesting. A bit dark and feels cramped. As a restaurant interior, it's not quite my cup of tea. But as always, it's a matter of taste. But anyway, here comes our next course and our next wine. 2019 Pecorino by Emidio Pepe, Italy. On the plate, we have scallop and sweetbread. Or let's just say, surf and turf. A nice pairing. And the black truffle and chervil bulb make it complete. I am not a fan of most of the black truffles. They are overrated and most of the time overpriced. But here, it works perfectly. And that sauce again. The sauce is mind-blowing. It's silky, shiny, vibrant, and beautiful. You know, it's gonna be good even before you taste it. And trust me, it tastes good. So far, it's been an immaculate meal for me. Big flavors, big wines. I'm usually satisfied with those two. The next one in the line of wines is a 2017 Moulin Evon Stix. And with it comes something familiar. The pigeon is a signature dish here at Amador. And I have already tasted it twice. One of the best pigeon dishes I've had. The breast is covered with a rub, which is made of curry spices and black bread. Around there is coconut puree and mango pieces. First of all, I have to highlight the plating. This is beautiful. A piece of art, one might say. No wonder, since Chef Amador himself is a painter. Turns out, a lot of paintings on the walls are his works. This is a hobby he picked up when he moved here to Vienna. If someone is so good with his hobby, how good can he be in his profession? Well, the answer to that is on the plate right in front of us. The texture of the pigeon breast is perfect. And look at that color. The rub on the top gives an interesting texture to it. Little spiciness and bittersweet flavors. The curry sauce with the port wine reduction does its job. It brings everything on the plate under one roof. This is a signature dish for a good reason. Our glass is filled with the next wine from the pairing. A 2011 vintage port. The dish that comes with it has a piece of pop culture in it. You probably heard that Pink Floyd song called The Wall. If you didn't, then get off the internet for today and start to think about your life. Or stay and press the subscribe button to relieve yourself a bit. Thanks. Anyway, this is it. This is called Brick in the Wall. Anna told us that when it was made, this song was playing in the background in the kitchen. So they figured that it would be called like this. It's funny, but not the flavor. Because the flavor, my friends, is serious. Such a tiny creation with so many elements. Such a creative way to present. There is this Lego custard, which is painted with a white chocolate and beet varnish. Underneath there is a chocolate flooring. Then we have some tiny beet macarons, beet sorbet and beet puree. This is, again, a very complex dish. If you are in the mood to fail miserably, you can try to make it at home. Because guess what? The recipe is available for anyone who would like to give it a try. The link is in the description. It is time for the peripherals, which starts with this little lollipop. It might sound crazy, but it is popcorn, miso and seaweed. Then we get Arthur's strudel, a 2.0 to be precise, which is the deconstructed version of the original one. The lady says that they don't serve it with raisins, since Chef Amador doesn't like them. In that we are similar, so I'm happy with it. We then finish the small sweets with two pralines. One of them is a tiramisu bite with a nice coffee flavor. The other is made of white chocolate, hazelnut and truffles. The final thing we are going to have here is a very Austrian sweet. It is called Mozartkugel or Mozartbonbon. I don't know about the rest of the world, but in Europe it's a well-known thing. Here again we have a deconstructed version of it. It has everything that the original has, but it's like when you turn up the pot meters. The flavors are intense, sweet and refined. And you can perfectly sense every single element in it. Yes, I'm gonna say, this is a worthy closure for a meal like this. Our total for today is around 4100 euros for five. This was my third time here. I would say that from the kitchen's view, it is absolutely brilliant. There are unbeatable classics, which will always bring me back here. Since my last visit, the service improved a lot. It is immaculate, maybe a little bit too immaculate. It's honest, precise, but a little bit pale. And that is completely fine. They are doing an amazing job. I have to highlight the sommelier. He's full of energy and knowledge. I am proud of him. I might be a bit biased, since he's a countryman of mine. But who cares? And this is the end of our story. What was the joke in it? I don't know. But it was hilariously good. That was it for this episode. Thank you for joining me. If you like this video, hit subscribe. See you next time.