Feine Sichuan Küche — Restaurant in Vienna

This restaurant experience wasn't great for me, and I'll explain why:

I came in the evening when it was relatively busy as a single customer who didn't reserve a table in advance - and I think the staff wasn't a fan of it. It seems as if this restaurant only has tables for four people so I was seated in a corner at the only visibly broken table when in the same room, there were at least three free, non-reserved tables which looked just fine. My table had two large fractures in the middle - one of them was "fixed" by putting grey duck tape on it, the other right next to that was left as it is (the whole area was around 30% of the table so it was very visible). I also found it weird that this table wasn't just left there for customers but also that there seems to be a staff table (the same as every other table but for staff members) in the room which was fine. So why didn't they swap these two tables or replace mine?

Anyway, it took a while until I could order and circa 15 to 20min until my food came: I ordered tofu slices with peperoni and a gemai tea. It was weird when they asked me "if I wanted rice" because apparently, that wasn't included in the original dish. First, a waiter tried to bring me meat skewers which were for a neighbor's table. Ttjen, my actual food came but scorchingly hot - probably because it came in the hot oil it was cooked in along with some spices. In fact, the tea - which was also hot - was "cooling" in comparison to the dish. The food tasted good and I was surprised how filling it was considering that it was literally just thin tofu slices and chopped peperoni in oil with spices + rice. The tea was more like flavoured water and I saw in the teapot that it was literally just a teabag in hot water - not even actual tea leaves like restaurants usually do. It also came with an underplate and after trying to pour in some tea which always spilled, I understood why there was a plate.

When I was done, I paid some attention to the staff and noticed how most customers got checked upon if they needed anything - not me though. That evening, I also got the impression that the one young waitress was the only staff member who managed to smile, look customers into their face and show friendliness. The other waiter:esses either made a disinterested and robotic expression towards everyone else.

On my bill, I noticed that the rice indeed wasn't included in the original dish: 'tofu slices and peperoni' was very literal in what was being served, and I am not sure if it is worth 9€.

A few days later, I went to another Asian restaurant just two streets away called 'Aming Dim Sum Profi' where I ordered the same dish. It was less hot, less expensive, the rice was already included, the table was fine, all of the staff members were friendly and quick, and I had to pay around less for the entire experience.

This confirms that it is possible to do it better than what I experienced on that particular evening at Feine...

For a restaurant that calls itself "Fine Sichuan Kitchen", the experience was honestly underwhelming. Like many Asian spots around here, the menu seems filled with dishes that feel more like vague reinterpretations than anything rooted in tradition. Take the sour cabbage and chicken noodle soup I ordered. Traditionally, this dish is made with fish and rice noodles, and the sourness should be sharp and unmistakable. What I got instead tasted like a half-hearted instant noodle experiment. It lacked depth, authenticity—and flavor. And for the price they’re charging? It’s simply not justified. I mean, I could throw marmite and blue cheese on toast, but I wouldn't turn around and call it an...

Gut, aber könnte so viel besser sein. Grundsätzlich wird hier gut gekocht, und liebevoll serviert, das Personal bemüht sich durchaus.

Manche Gerichte wie die scharfen Wan Tan sind auch wie erwartet, angenehm gewürzt. Beim Mittagsmenü waren im Standard Stir Fry Gemüse sogar ein paar Blätter Pak Choi, das ist nett. Der "fried pork intestine" war leider nicht knusprig frittiert sondern nur "pan fried". Schade. Man hat ihn uns dann wenigstens mit etwas mehr Chillie auf einem Stövchen gebracht, da war er wenigstens geschmacklich besser. Preise sind leicht über dem Durchschnitt.

Das "Chilli Öl" war überhaupt nicht scharf aber sehr aromatisch - fein, ist mir recht. Wie auch schon von Anderen berichtet, gibt es hingegen einige als "extra scharf" markierte Spezialitäten, die leider überhaupt nicht scharf sondern geschmacklich durch und durch fad sind. Das "scharf-saure Rindfleisch" hab ich selbst in Wien woanders schön scharf und sauer bekommen. Hier ist es beides nicht, weder scharf, noch sauer, obwohl wir bereits bei der Bestellung betont hatten, daß wir es gern extra scharf hätten. Das offensichtlich ganz andere Gericht wurde grundsätzlich auch zurückgenommen. Daß der Preis dafür dann nicht nur doch auf der Rechnung war, sondern daß man das auch noch diskutieren mußte, stößt aber unfreundlich auf. Eine korrigierte Rechnung kam nie. Wir haben dann eben in bar gezahlt und sind gegangen.

Was die Gerichte angeht, haben wir auch noch den scharfen "frog dry pot" probiert, und der war sehr fein. Ausreichend Sichuan Pfeffer, Chilli, und ein kräftiges Grundaroma in der Sauce. Man kann hier also doch scharf und gut essen!

Der Gesamteindruck war also durchwachsen. Vielleicht probieren wir das nächste Mal den Hot Pot oder ein ähnliches rot-scharfes Gericht.

Wenn man sich was wünschen darf: Wenn jemand "extra scharf" bestellt und man das nicht glaubt, bitte doch einfach nachfragen, statt eine fade Suppe zu servieren! Sollte es jemals doch "deep fried pig intestine" am Menü geben, würden wir das sehr...