Gourmet cuisine in the city, magic on the mountain

09 August 2022

Post originally written in: Deutsch

A "perfect match" is not only in love, but always when two things come together that complement each other perfectly, such as - and this is what this article is about - good food and a unique ambience. After all, the eye always eats with you! It's hard for me to pick out one place in Innsbruck that is the most beautiful of all. But if I did, my choice would probably be the Nordkette. Not for nothing is it also called the "Jewel of the Alps".

Here you can experience the Mountain Moments: culinary evenings with high pleasure on the Seegrube

Top of Innsbruck

Every first Friday of the month, you can experience the highest pleasure with the most beautiful view with changing culinary highlights in the Restaurant Seegrube experience. A special event took place on August 5, when chef de cuisine Christoph Bickel and his team from the restaurant Oniriq invited to the Fine Dining. And what can I say, it was unique! Already the journey is an experience. Although I have been to the Nordkette many times, grew up in Tyrol and am surrounded by wonderful mountain scenery every day, the ride on the Seegrubenbahn is always a highlight. I love the view over Innsbruck and the Inn Valley, the houses getting smaller and smaller. And, that you can wave to the Serles (a prominent mountain in the area).

Haubenküche goes Seegrube

Since my husband and I were late again, we had the gondola to ourselves. The other guests were smarter and had understood that "fine dining from 6:00 p.m." means that you really should be in the restaurant at 6:00 p.m.. Despite being late, we didn't miss a single course. I was set for four - because that's what the program said. Before that, a small amuse-gueule (which means greeting from the kitchen) and each one was a delight. I'm easy to please: Give me a plate of pasta, accompanied by a glass of white wine, and I'm happy. But what Christoph Bickel conjured up was on a whole other level. It exceeds anything I've eaten before. I've been to really good restaurants (more on that in this blog post), but here we're talking absolute top class. You don't get four toques for free either, you have to earn them.

A symphony for the palate

The menu was perfectly coordinated, each course, each ingredient harmonized and complemented each other perfectly: a grandiose composition of textures and surprising accents. The menu was rounded out by a fabulous wine pairing. Now, writing this post, my mouth is still watering thinking about it. Our lovely dining companion described it quite aptly, "You have to forget everything you think you know about food and cooking!" A quick example: when I glanced at the menu ahead of time, I was surprised that the dessert would be something as simple as Butterzopf. What we were actually served, however, had nothing, but really nothing, to do with what I had imagined as Butterzopf.

A dream in the Bürgerstraße

So if you really want to treat yourself or celebrate a special occasion and can invest a few euros more, reserve a table at Oniriq. The name says it all (onirique [French] = dream). Christoph Bickel cooked his way through the kitchens of the world until he fulfilled his dream of owning his own restaurant in September 2017. Since June 2021, Oniriq at Bürgerstraße 13 has been shining in new splendor. It fills a gap in Innsbruck. Fine dining in this class is new in the city. There are a number of excellent restaurants: Sensei, Sitzwohl in the Gilmschule, Lichtblick, Gaia Cuisine, Wilderin, Café Sacher Innsbruck, Fischiff, Il Convento and Das Schindler have all been awarded a toque of Gault&Millau awarded. However, only Oniriq was able to win four toques.

Mountain Moments

If you weren't on the Nordkette on August 05, don't be sad. The Mountain Moments take place every first Friday of the month. On 02 September 2022 you can unpack your skewers, because fondue will be served in the Alpenlounge on the 1st floor of Restaurant Seegrube. On 07 October celebrity chef Bernie Rieder cooks a gala menu and also in November, December and in 2023 there are certainly again delicious things to try