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Day 7 -- Danube River cruise, dinner at Sylvio Nikol.
Most of this day was spent on an optional Danube river cruise through the Wachau, Austria's wine region.
The Danube is very low now, but you can see the flood levels from as recently as 2013.
Wade's thumb, with Kimberly in front of the main church in Dürnstein, where we embarked.
We climb up this tunnel from the river dock area to the town proper.
It's another town that was probably quaintly beautiful in its day, but is now mainly a tourist trap.
The countryside in this area is beautiful.
Off to our boat; it's kind of a water bus that continually goes up and down through the small towns of the Wachau.
It's amazing how much terracing has been done for the wine growing region.
Some others making use of the river.
Coming in to dock at another small town.
The boat had a full kitchen and bar: Kimberly having a bacon cheeseburger, and Wade having a wrap.
The river winds through all this beautiful scenery, like Schönbühel Castle; it was an excellent casual day.
The cruise ends at the city of Melk, where we go to a monastery called Melk Abbey.
As in many such places, photography is not allowed inside...
...so we have to content ourselves with some outside shots.
The picture of the map to remind us where we are.
In the middle, we go out on a balcony for the view down...
...and back up the Danube.
From the balcony back into the interior courtyard.
We stop for a bathroom break, and Wade is amused. I guess when you get visitors from all over, you have to be specific in your prohibitions.
After the Abbey tour, we go for a quick wine tasting. The majority of the wine produced is Gruener Weltliner.
Later that evening, we go out for our supermeal. The restaurant is Sylvio Nikol, and it is in the Palais Coburg.
The table is, of course, immaculate.
The setting is a sort of art nouveau throwback to the 60's.
A little appetizer of a sesame cracker.
They brought us three amuse bouche: front is a sesame ball with goat cheese over quinoa, to the right is a crudo (fish) course, and behind it is a bacon-wrapped barbecue "pop". Back left is the bread with two types of herbed butters.
You wouldn't know to look at it, but this is Kimberly's duck liver with elder, chive, and hazelnut. It was some of the best she ever had.
Wade is not much of a duck liver fan, so he chose the white sturgeon with bean and chili and madeira.
The carabinero is like a cross between shrimp and lobster, and is one of the most delectable bites you could ever have.
Wade had the Iberico Presa, a sumptuous ham with radish, pink lady apple, and caramelized whey chips.
Kimberly opted for the Nuart lamb, with charred cherry and ginger.
As has been typical lately, the cheese course was very fancy and not very tasty. This is raw milk goat cheese with radish, cucumber, and salty caper.
Kimberly takes a smoke break, and they have this beautiful patio area with lamps in the trees.
This was their take on a palate cleanser, but it was too savory and not crisp enough to really cleanse.
The first dessert: apricot with chocolate, almond, and pericons. Apricots were in season, and we saw them being used everywhere. The fuzziness in the picture is from the mist from the granite.
Their signature dessert: a white chocolate shell...
... around ice cream to simulate the egg white, with a caramel center to simulate the egg yolk.
It is meant to echo this decoration, I guess.
Looking very toasty and satisfied.
The menu from the evening. It's a shame they didn't list all the details of the amuse bouche.