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Vienna Cafe & Wine Bar
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
3 reviews for Vienna Cafe & Wine Bar
It's typical that when you find a restaurant you like, it's because there's one particular dish on the menu you keep wanting, over and over again. At Vienna Cafe, it's the Sonoma Salad.
I didn't even eat salad until about 4 years ago - and I'm still not a big fan of a plate full of green leaves - but it's the dressing and combination of ingredients in this one that has me addicted.
Field greens, grilled chicken, raisins, walnuts and apple (minus menu item of blue cheese) with the most divine balsamic dressing that is sweet, sweet, sweet! I'm a big fan of sweet - and abhor cheese.
I truly could eat this dish every day. I'm sure the ingredients in the dressing offset the calorie-savings in the salad itself, but that's what eating is all about - balance!
As for the venue - it wouldn't last in any other location than South Florida - home of strip malls and non-decor. Personally, as a marketing type, I cringe at the restaurants sign and logo on the building, too amateurish for me. Inside, the quasi-looking former "house" has the potential for so much more charm that it currently exhudes. It has a small bar area, and you can eat there too - and then the single, large dining area can get a little noisy at times. A change in tables and chairs, plus a coat of paint, could take it a long way.
I won't go into the details of all the menu items. Believe it or not, I have actually had other dishes than the Sonoma Salad, and they were all good - particular the scallops appetizer.
It really is a good venue for a work dinner, or group outing. And I recall them telling us about special wine tastings they do - you'll need to call directly for more details about dates and costs.
Overall, it is quite a gem - by South Florida standards. I have the urge to put them forward for one of those Restaurant Makeover shows though - not to revamp the dining or food, but the space and ambiance.
I so want to love this place since it is so close to my house. Maybe if I ate chicken or beef it would be better. My b/f had a beef dish that looked good, but he said it was just OK. I had the salmon, not bad, but nothing too exciting. We made it just in time for the early bird they have through Oct. For $20 pp you get salad or soup, entree (3 to choose from) and desert. We ordered a bottle of wine also, but it was just average. The service was very good, the food was good, but not great, and the ambiance is not too bad. The special was a good deal, but I think the regular prices are a little high for this area. These are Los Olas prices in West Davie?? If you have the bucks, give it a try.
Vienna, Cafe, Wine Bar, Davie Strip Mall.
One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong...
My friend turned me on to this little place for lunch. We work down the road in Plantation. She is in love with their specialty, Sonoma salad. (I'll cover that later. ) I also had dinner here with a bunch of out of town work peeps. Everyone at the very large table left larger and very satisfied. Yes- strip malls and fine dining can coexist peacefully in the universe.
The locale and look/feel of the place is what first through me off. You can see it from Rt. 84 driving East. The sign painted outside kind of sort of looks like something my 9 year old could paint- (she has a gift, really.) The building looks like a toy house from my 3 year old's Little People Town play set. (Let's see, how can I work my 13 year old in here? Oh- yeah-- she'd look at the place from the outside and say what she says to everything, these days, "Ewww. You're ruining my life!") Teenagers--Oy!
Inside - it's - well... artificial flower arrangements, all around. That kind of sets the tone, you know? But the dining room is quaint. Like grandma's house. If you've ever been to Vienna, you'll know - this place NICHT Vienna. Well maybe the Taster's Choice, Instant Vienna Coffee type of Vienna. It's cute. I'll leave it at that.
The food. The wine. Jah, jah-- three-stars. The wine selections especially should be lauded. Our server at dinner knew his wine, big time. He helped pair our dishes with the perfect sips, and suggested wines to just swirl around in our glasses and sniff. Lovely. If you enjoy wine and live nearby, I think it is worth a trip for dinner, for sure.
There are many little bistro-inspired menu items to choose from. The salad they are known for - the Sonoma-- is classic and yummy- mescaline greens, raisins, walnuts, gorgonzola, apples, balsamic. My pal from the office hardly ever picks stuff out of it - she just orders it without the cheese. She's one of those picky pickers - (orders a turkey BLT, takes the T out, scrapes the mayo off the bread, eats only part of the turkey, gives me her side pickle.) I happily accept and love her for who she is.
I would stick to the salads at lunch. Cheese plates are also good. Sandwiches - meh-ish. Burgers- good. Sliders, das guhd, too.
Dinner -it's Vienna (sort of) so they likah the Schnitzel. The group I was with was scared off by all the schnitz, for some reason and went with the steak, pastas and fish. I think we sampled most of the main appetizers. All were good. The pate I recall being really good. They do the rich and meaty quite well.
For dessert- we were lured in by a fabulous description of dessert wines and cheeses. Ok- I was. The rest of the crew went for the sweets. There was a crisp apple strudel - my favorite - unlike the schnitzel with noodle-- (anybody? anybody?)
I suggest you put yourself in a European mood, grab an accordion and sashay over (much nicer than marching) to Davie - to the little toy-grandma-lookin' house, brush up on your German and enjoy. And go ahead - try the Schnitzel- it won't ruin your life!
