On a diet? Be careful on the Graben
by Tim Young
From SIF Satellite #52, Winter 1998-99
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| Ozaki Mioko and Kaneko Akiko on the Graben. Behind them is the base of the Pestsäule monument. |
If you're trying to lose weight and you're in Vienna, be careful when you go to the Graben. In addition to being one of Vienna's most interesting shopping streets, the Graben and adjoining streets are home to many cafés, which serve all kinds of incredibly fattening cakes. This is a proud Viennese tradition with an interesting history.
In 1683, the Turks tried to invade Vienna but were forced to retreat. They are said to have left behind large quantities of coffee beans. This led to the rapid popularization of coffee in Vienna, to the point where the coffee restaurants -- cafés--became an important facet of social life, particularly in the 19th century. "Many writers like Schnitzler, " says the Michelin guide to Austria, "spent the whole day in their favorite café, using it as their study."
The Graben runs west from St. Stephan's Cathedral; the Pestsäule stands in the middle of this pedestrian-only street. Basset notes that the original walls of the city ran along the Graben (which literally means, charmingly enough, "the ditch"), leaving St. Stephan's outside.
Two of the famous cafés in the Graben area are Demel and Sacher, between which there is a long-standing feud over which makes the better sachertorte. As the name implies, this cake originated at Sacher, but the cook who created it had a dispute with the management and moved to Demel, where he recreated his recipe. Richard Bassett notes that there are some differences between the two versions of sachertorte: "Connoisseurs of these fattening affairs will notice that Demel's cake has a layer of jam between the sponge and chocolate coating. I find Sacher's creation, without the jam but with a small amount of cream, slightly superior." He also notes that, after years of litigation, Demel established the sole right to call its version "original sachertorte."
Mioko tried both sachertorte and also found the jamless version at Sacher to be a bit better. She also preferred the atmosphere at Sacher. "Demel was too crowded," she recalls. The more decorative of the two shops, Demel seems intent on packing in as many tourists as possible; while the tables were very close together, Mioko says, nonetheless, "it was very difficult to find a seat. At Sacher the service is better and they are very fast, I think."
Demel is also well known for its window displays. In late December, of course, Mioko and Akiko saw a Christmas display there. So if you're sticking to your diet, at least you can feast your eyes.
