Orlando di Castello
What do you get when the incredible happens and Queen Elisabeth meets 50 Cent the Rapper and a Tyrolean maiden? Apparently, there is nothing impossible about it; it is all in the level of daring and skills. Citing the aforementioned trinity as its main source of inspiration, the new Viennese Orlando di Castello restaurant/bar/lounge walks the razor's edge between naiveté and good-natured futuristic kitsch. The brain-father of the surreal and slightly ironic concept is the Vienna-based architect Denis Kosutic. The decor is dominated by white, adding character with a number of clever details, including bespoke wallpaper adorned with tiny red flower-patterned lampshades. Irregularly spaced various-sized white china plates with hooks pose as clothes hangers, thus making use of the guests' coats as a sort of impromptu addition to the design of the room. Unlike the restaurant section boasting vivid colour accents, the lounge room is almost completely white, featuring white upholstered bumps sticking out of the wall, serving as original back and head rests for people sipping their wine. To avoid the naiveté of the flower-patterned lamps bordering on nauseous mushiness, the room features a somewhat more heavy-weight interior element in the shape of exposed metal ventilation pipes. As befits a proper Viennese restaurant, cakes take the culinary spotlight: a mouth-watering selection of various confections is displayed almost as a centrepiece - by the counter, design object-style. Furthermore, cakes can not only be enjoyed as a dessert but also purchased to take away. Among most other Vienna restaurants, Orlando di Castello stands out with its friendly prices.
1 Freyung
A - 1010 Vienna
www.orlandodicastello.com