Mayrhofen Restaurants
Wirtshaus zum Griena
For Ziller Valley cuisine, Wirtshaus zum Griena is the place to dine. Here, Anneliese Steinlechner serves local specialties in a 400 year-old farm house located near Mayrhofens second gondola, the Ahorn-Seilbahn.
The restaurant consists of four rustic dining rooms of varying size. We ate in one that years ago served as the children's bedroom. Behind us, bunk beds were built into the wall and our server pointed out a small hole in the ceiling which allowed heat to rise from the children's room to the parents room on the floor above. In all rooms, exposed wood-beamed ceilings are low, walls are dark, and the light dim and cozy.
We sat at a well-worn, thick wooden table in a corner, and ordered green salads to start, followed by entrées of Blutwuchtreaschtl blood sausage and diced potatoes pan fried and then baked in a heavy iron skillet until the top is crusty (105 AS /$8.27) and Kaasschpazlang, sinfully rich noodles baked with cheese and topped with bread crumbs (120 AS /$9.50). For dessert, we shared an order of Apfelreaschl, sliced apples baked and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with whipped cream for 95 AS ($7.50).
The menu is written in the local dialect, so even if you know the German words for certain dishes, you might not recognize them here. Thankfully, the servers are happy to help guests make their selections.
The overall effect of the Griena is to create something of a time warp. By the time we finished eating, it was a shock to walk back outside and see a parking lot full of cars. In fact, for the full effect, many guests opt to arrive at the restaurant in a horse-drawn sleigh.
Wirtshaus zum Griena, Dorf Haus 768, tel +43 5285/62 778 (reservations advised).
Rating: Quality: 16/20, Value: 16/20
