(December 2007)

By Warren Rojas

Food: 6.8 Ambiance: 7.3 Service: 7.5

Veal sweetbreads may not be for everybody, but those of us who do enjoy them treasure the few places that can satisfy our offal itch. Sadly, Café Renaissance has pulled the specialty selection from its proudly Gallic carte—a not-so-subtle departure that has not gone unnoticed by this Vienna mainstay’s rapidly graying clientele.

A sentimental favorite amongst the Greatest Generation set, Café Renaissance remains a cozy retreat for devotees of traditional Eastern European fare. Though the alluring sweetbreads have disappeared—one waiter says patrons routinely call to inquire if it’ll be on daily special, management claims they can accommodate special orders with just a few days notice—gourmet staples like calves liver Bercy and seasonal game dishes continue to satisfy.

Roast eggplant gives way to a pleasing ricotta and prosciutto filling. Flattened chicken filets arrive smothered in a brazen gorgonzola-tomato sauce bolstered by capers and black olives (bravissimo!). Tilapia leaps from subtly sweet to sublime after a quick soak in lemon butter with tart apples and sliced almonds. An eponymous pasta dish scatters a bounty of fresh mussels, shrimp and jumbo sea scallops in the homemade sauce of your choosing (vodka cream adds bite, olive oil and garlic let the seafood do the work) atop steaming capellini.

By-the-glass wines are limited, while bottles top out at $600 for a 1971 Chateau Latour Pauillac.

(August 2006)

By Warren Rojas

F 7.3   A 8.1   S 8.0

It is astonishing how adept perfectly charming neighborhood eateries are at hiding right out in the open. And it is even more amazing when the locale consistently prepares gourmet cuisine and lavishes attention on its customers-as is routinely the case at the underappreciated Café Renaissance.

Classic paintings adorn a tastefully decorated dining area featuring just a handful of tables, most of which are claimed by long-time customers. Nattily dressed staff (looking sharp in vests, bowties and sometimes full suits) casually tick off a wealth of daily specials from memory, offer recommendations with ease and compliment each guests' dining selections.

The menu reflects strong Gallic and Roman influences, although staff do their best to accommodate any special requests. A trio of jumbo shrimp smothered in curry cream, or crispy scallops in a citrus beurreblanc whet the appetite. Brandy-infused veal paired with tart apples is French to the core, as is a plate of calves' liver in a red wine reduction. Fresh monkfish ensconced in garlic and mushrooms is superb, while rainbow trout gets dressed with asparagus, crab and plenty of hollandaise.