Frequent Business Traveler » Niederösterreich

Twenty Five Lusk, San Francisco, California – Restaurant Review

Shannon McClatchey — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:00:38 +0000

Ask someone where Lusk Street is in San Francisco and they would probably shrug their shoulders. In fact, I’ve probably walked past this street a dozen times, but this quiet alley in the China Basin neighborhood hides an amazing dining experience.

From the outside the building could be yet another non-descript rehabbed warehouse. With the $15M renovation of this 1917 meatpacking and smokehouse facility the architects have managed to keep the historical elements while adding modern design comforts. There are also some nice touches that are a reminder of the building’s historic past. Walk downstairs in the bar and you’ll see three Scandinavian-style fireplaces suspended from the ceiling and the cozy, semi-private spaces that were once smokehouse rooms. If the design is reflective of melding the old and the new, the menu from Chef Matthew Dolan puts a distinctly California take on modern American classics.

The offerings include a seasonal tasting menu that’s updated weekly. Though we opted to go à la carte, our meal started off with an amuse bouche from the current tasting menu. The Shigoku oysters on the half shell were served with the simplest of ingredients – caviar, cucumber and shiso – that enhanced the flavor of the oysters without overpowering. The almost citrusy/briny flavor was absolutely delicious – I could have easily eaten a half dozen.

I normally shy away from pasta as an appetizer but my dining companion’s ravioli made with local corn were light and airy served with truffle lemon butter, maitake escabeche and parmesan. I opted for the raw tuna – I loved the flavors of the cucumber, verbena and soy lime vinaigrette and the grilled pineapple was a nice sweet twist that sealed the deal.

Also from their tasting menu was another amuse bouche – the mushroom risotto that is normally served with their Wagyu beef tenderloin. I’m a huge fan of anything with mushrooms and, having failed miserably in my own attempts at risotto, I’m always impressed when it’s done correctly. I only was going to taste but ended up finishing most of the plate because it was so good.

For my entrée I opted for the grilled artic char, which to me was the epitome of cal-asian cooking, served with avocado, fennel, lobster mushroom and lobster citrus vinaigrette. Once again the flavors worked well and complemented a well-cooked piece of fish.

My dining companion reported that the smoked short ribs were nothing short of sublime.

Click here to continue to Page 2 – Dessert, Dessert Wines, and Multimedia Content

Executive Road Warrior 2010 Calendar Released

Jonathan Spira — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:20:38 +0000

The 2010 Executive Road Warrior calendar is now available online for purchase.

This calendar captures the elegance and power of BMW’s latest masterpiece, the new Z4. Jonathan Spira was one of the first to drive the new Z4 in both Europe and the U.S.

This calendar includes 13 photographs of the car taken in places ranging from Vienna, Austria to New York City to Los Angeles.

It covers all three models, the Z4 sDrive23i, the Z4 sDrive30i, and the Z4 sDrive35i as well as the art project based on the Z4, An Expression of Joy.

Click here to order your copy as well as one for a friend for only $18.99 plus shipping and handling.

Austrian Wine Country – Driving the BMW Z4 sDrive23i

Jonathan Spira — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:35:21 +0000

While Austria is synonymous to many for music and culture, its wines don’t have the renown that those of other European countries have. Austria has, however, 51,213 hectares of vineyards, mostly in the eastern part of the country. I’m visiting the province of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), which has over 31,000 hectares of vineyards, to be followed by a visit to Vienna (over 600 hectares but it’s the only capital city in the world to have its own wine region) and then I will visit the Burgenland, which has over 15,000 hectares.

The weather in early September is just about perfect, with daytime temperatures around 21° C, cooling down to a comfortable 14° C in the evening. In other words, it’s the perfect weather to be driving a roadster.

BMW introduced its first roadster, the 315/1, in 1934 at the Berlin Motor Show. The 315 featured a long engine compartment, a six-cylinder motor, two sports seats, and a speedometer that went up to 150 km/h.   The result? Instant Freude am Fahren (Joy of Driving, BMW’s tagline).

After selling 230 roadsters, BMW introduced the more powerful 319/1 variant with similar styling, selling 178. The 328 Roadster followed in 1936, becoming one of the fastest cars on the road (with a top speed of 155 km/h). Only 464 units were built until the Second World War necessitated an end of production.

The company’s next roadster, unveiled in New York in 1955, set the standard for roadsters of its era and beyond. The timeless BMW 507, designed by Albrecht Graf von Götz, a German emigrant who settled in California in 1936, remains an icon of automotive design, later passing its mantle to the BMW Z1, the Z8, and finally the new Z4 Roadster.

The all-new Z4 is the first BMW roadster to sport a retractable hardtop roof (the 3er Series cabriolet has had one, however for several years now). Its silhouette closely resembles the iconic 507, it is almost the same size and weight as the more recent and highly sought-after Z8, and it is far more elegant and sporty in appearance than its immediate Z4 and Z3 predecessors.

Prior to this trip, I had already driven two of the three Z4 variants, the Z4 sDrive35i and the Z4 sDrive30i, so I was very excited when I found out I would be driving a Z4 sDrive23i this time (n.b. this entry-level Z4 is not available in the U.S.). It comes with a 201 hp 2.5-liter inline-six engine, which is more than enough power to get me from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in about 6 seconds and I found myself easily hitting 140 km/h or higher without much effort.

With the top down, I didn’t even turn on the radio or my iPod – the mellifluous exhaust note was really I wanted to hear.

The car came in a beautiful tiefseeblau metallic (deep sea blue metallic) and it attracted a lot of attention whenever I parked. Inside, the standard seats (which I find more comfortable in the Z4 than the sports seats) provide excellent support in cornering and seem perfect for multi-hour drives on Autobahnen as well.

Zwiebelrostbraten

So far, I’ve driven the Z4 from Vienna to Langenlois (link to prev article) in the Kamptal (Kamp Valley); today my driving was relatively local but even short drives become great fun when you get to push a button and the roof lowers into the trunk. Trunk space is not great (I packed lightly for the trip) but the interior, even with the top up, is not at all cramped, unlike roadsters from other manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz. Indeed, I continue to be amazed at how open and spacious the interior feels (a feeling that may be supported by the light interior colors that BMW favors for the Z4).

Niederösterreich is one of the most picturesque regions in the country and I will share more with you about the wine, architecture, and people as the trip progresses. The regional cuisine pairs nicely with the exquisite Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Zweigelt wines and there will be much to report in the coming days.

UPDATE: Next is The Drive to Vienna

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

The Wachau Region of Austria

Jonathan Spira — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:55:33 +0000

The Wachau region along the Danube (Donau) river in Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), namely the village of Dürnstein as well as Stift Melk have become destinations for visitors.

The ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionhearted was held in Dürnstein

Dürnstein is where Richard Löwenherz (Richard the Lionhearted) was held captive during the Crusades and you can visit the ruins atop a hill today. It is also a wonderful place to bike ride, enjoy good Austrian wine (Grüner Veltliner, for example), and excellent Austrian cuisine. Stift Melk is one of the world’s most famous and beautiful monastic sites.

In many parts of the Wachau, you can purchase local wines, Apricot (Marillen) Marmelade, and Apricot Liqueur (Marillenlikör) to take home with you. Wieser, which carries all these items, has stores in Bad Homburg, Dürnstein, Melk, and Weissenkirchen.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

The town of Melk

Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Italy by Car

Jonathan Spira — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:05:53 +0000

THE 2426 KM DRIVE

In 5 days, I covered 2426 km and four countries (Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Italy). I crossed international borders 22 times.   I planned each day’s drive the night before, choosing my destination primarily based on the promise of good weather.

11. November – 460 km, Germany, Austria, and Italy

Friends Rich and Jill joined me for breakfast and soon enough, we were on the Autobahn in two 2006 3er Series BMWs. Our itinerary: drive across the Brennerpaß into Italy and then head back north to Berchtesgaden. I wonder if anyone noticed the consecutively numbered license plates on the two automobiles.

Destination: Berchtesgaden

We headed south in tandem on the A8, continuing on the A93 and then the A12 (Inntal-Autobahn) as it led to the Brenner-Autobahn (A13) and became the Autostrada del Brennero (A22)

Heading south was a good idea as it offered the best weather in the region. It turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures reaching 13°C.

Once we got to Sferzing (214 km later), it was time to change direction and head towards Berchtesgaden. This involved retracing our steps until we reached the motorway intersection at Inntal, at which point we headed east on the A8 towards Salzburg.

I let the navigation system guide me the final kilometers to Berchtesgaden and the InterContinental Resort. Given the fog, the late hour, and the fact that we were climbing to an altitude of 1000 m, I was able to enjoy the ride knowing that a little voice would tell me where to go.

Tired but exhilarated, I checked into the InterContinental. Even though it was dark, I could sense how incredible the view from my window would be. I couldn’t wait until morning to actually see it.

View from the author's room at the InterContinental, Berchtesgaden

The view was incredible. The InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden, built on the site of Field Marshal Hermann Göring’s house near the Berghof, is promoted as being “between heaven and earth,” set on a small plateau 1000 m high overlooking the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria) adjacent to Salzburg, Austria. Innately beautiful, the Nationalpark contains five main mountain ranges; one third of the park is rocky and glaciated, a further third is covered in mixed woodlands of spruce, beech, fir, and other conifers; alpine pastures comprise the remainder.

12. November – 550 km, Salzburg and Niederösterreich

Today was a ca. 550 km roundtrip to Dürnstein. Leaving the InterContinental, I took the windy Alpenstraße (B160) to the Tauern-Autobahn (A10), staying on that a brief 7 km or so until I get on the West-Autobahn (A1).   I stopped briefly along the banks of the Mondsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Salzkammergut. I continued driving west to Melk, where I turned on to the Donau-Bundesstraße (B3), running along the Donau (Danube).

A view of the Danube in the Wachau valley

Dürnstein is where Richard Löwenherz (Richard the Lionhearted) was held captive after having been captured in Erdberg by the Mayor of Vienna in 1192. He was held in a huge fortress on a hill high above the village. His loyal troubadour, Blondel de Neale, found him, so the story goes, by wandering around Europe singing Richard´s favorite ballads outside every castle, until a response came.

I stopped at the Gasthof Goldener Strauss for a glass of Grüner Veltliner (a local specialty), Frittatensuppe, Forelle (Trout), and for dessert, Powideltascherl before returning to Berchtesgaden.

13. November – 370 km, Bayern, Salzburg, Steiermark, Kärnten, Osttirol

Today was a Landstraße/Bundesstraße day. I started on the B305 leaving Berchtesgaden and, after 10 km, crossing the border into Austria, where I continued on Landstraßen and then the B159 for several kilometers. At Hallein, I entered the Tauern-Autobahn (A10), going through the Tauernautobahn Tunnel. After 128 km, at Lendorf I switched to the B100 to get to Lienz. I then headed to Kitzbühel and back to Berchtesgaden taking the Felber Tauern Straße and Tunnel, and for the drive into Berchtesgaden, the Alpenstraße.

I drove through many different climates (coldest: 0,5°C – warmest 12°C in Berchtesgaden), went from light frost and a little snow on the ground to sunshine, and went up and down several times to 1200 or 1300 m.

14. November – 747 km, Germany, Austria, Hungary

For this trip, I planned a mix of Autobahnen and Bundesstraßen, allowing me to take the Tauern-Autobahn for ca. 60 km, and continue with Bundesstraßen (the B99 and the B320) for 75 km towards Liezen in Steiermark. From Liezen I took the Pyhrn-Autobahn (A9) towards Leoben (Kärnten) for ca. 80 km. From there I continued on the Semmering-Schnellstraße (S6) through Steiermark and Niederösterreich. The S6 meets the Süd-Autobahn (A2) at the Anschlußstelle Knoten Seebenstein where I continued on the A2 towards Wien (Vienna). Near Wiener Neustadt I switched to the S4 (Mattersburger-Schnellstraße). From there, I took the S31 to the Südost-Autobahn and in 6 km I was crossing the border into Hungary.

Neon-lighted highway rest area

I did get a chance to practice my Hungarian (which is somewhat limited) and enjoyed some nice palacsintá (with chestnut filling) and Hungarian coffee. With some quick shopping (stocking up on paprikás and Marzipan), I still had a 380 km trip back to Berchtesgaden so I headed towards Wien and took the West-Autobahn (A1) for a fast drive back.

15. November – Berchtesgaden to Garching bei München – 173 km

The weather this morning was the best since I arrived. Sunny, 12°C (of course that was at 1000 m. When I got down to 500m, it was .5 ° C). I didn’t want to leave the InterContinental (in addition to the view, I was becoming especially attached to the electronically-controlled, gas Kamin (fireplace) in the room), but it’s a good thing I did. Two days later, Germany was hit with heavy winter storms and, although my car has xDrive, it also is equipped with high-performance summer tires.

My final drive for this trip would take me to the offices of E.H. Harms in Garching (bei München). A ritual I’ve followed many times before. Condition report; power of attorney form, remove front license plate (I had already removed the first aid kit and warning triangle and shipped these with other sundry items from the hotel), and hand over one key.

Rolf Raffelsieper (see resources), who worked at BMW since 1967 before retiring, was happy to pick me up at E.H. Harms and drive me to the airport in a new 745d.

Before I knew it, I was on board Lufthansa flight 410 to New York. I logged into FlyNet, for on board Internet access. The adventure was over, but I had a lot of e-mails and pictures to send from 11,000 m aloft.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.