A Heuriger – not quite an Enoteca, not quite a quinta, far from a restaurant. Its a Heuriger! An Austrian wine tavern owned by a wine grower to showcase his wine and allow his guests to experience something the Germans and Austrians call Gemutlichkeit… a place where everyone knows your name and where you can leave all your troubles behind. Unless your neighbor and her annoying dog got the same idea and frequent the same place. If that’s the case, perhaps its time to forgive and forget and leave a little “gift” in the pooches Schüssel.
A true Heuriger may also serve some menuless food. “Do you also want food?” “Yes”… now that’s the kind of decisionless menu I can get behind. An array of homemade spreads, made in this home, not other homes. Fresh vegetables, and fresh kills brought in by the local hunter a few days ago. All delivered to your table until there’s no more room to put your ellbogen. There was a delicately fresh goat cheese, black pudding that could convert you BP hater [insert family relative]. Porky fat spread that you will be hard pressed to find in the states. There was a cheese spread infused with onions and paprika, salty ham, and pickles with just the right balance. And just when you thought things can not get any better than this, there she comes. Roasted pork belly so tender you can cut it with a dirty stare, along with crackling so good, its worthy of a dentist appointment
Pulker’s Heuriger is right off the main road in the village of Rührsdorf in picturesque Wachau Valley. Google maps shows it inside the village, but its actually on the main road, right before the turn. Couple this one with a visit to beautiful Dürnstein on the other side of the river. For the first time in history perhaps, those monthly travel magazines paid off, coming up with a nice and timely tip.
Eating With Ziggy 