09/12/18
Sausage stands are everywhere in Vienna and they are quite different from the boiled hot dog vendors we have on the streets in the U.S. They sling high quality, freshly grilled sausages of all kinds. This stand has a prime location in the city's shopping / entertainment / tourist district and is right by the iconic cathedral of St. Stephen. Our hopes weren't too high given the touristy location and seeming simplicity of the dish, but we figured we had to try this local staple. The sausage may have been the single best morsel of food I ate during a recent trip to Europe. At the suggestion of a helpful tour guide, we got the Kasekrainer, a pork sausage with little cheese curds throughout. The cheese doesn't get super melty, but adds a unique, smooth richness to the salty pork. The casing had a good snap and the sausage was carefully tended to on a flat-top, giving it a nice kiss of a char while still keeping it juicy. It comes with mustard and ketchup for dipping, but honestly this is so good you shouldn't mask its flavor with those. We originally got one as a snack, but then ran it back and got a couple more to make a meal out of it. If in Vienna, you must try Kaserkreiner. I can't speak for other stands, but this one does it right.