Reformhaus Regenbogen ("Rainbow") is one of my favorite places to eat in Vienna. The great food, unique set-up, and comfortable atmosphere make for a truly satisfying experience. I have never left hungry; I have always left happy.
I first visited Rainbow three years ago and have always known it as a stalwart vegetarian respite. However, upon my latest visit I noticed some non-vegetarian options on the menu which confused me:
I won't hesitate to review the restaurant, though, because it has a number of great vegan options and has been so good about filling my belly these past years.
Q: So, what kind of food does Rainbow have?
A: I'm glad you asked!
Had I not been famished, blindfolded, and near exhaustion the first time I stumbled into Rainbow, I never would have considered eating this food. That's mostly a lie, but it does contain a grain of truth. You see, loyal readers, Rainbow takes the "traditional approach" to vegetarian fare, creating everything from scratch. In nanotechnology, this would be considered a bottoms-up approach and I'm not (in theory) a huge fan of this style. 1) Because it often takes the form of a bland, soggy, vegetal mass and 2) gives a bad name to what can and should be a diverse and excel-ent cuisine. But, when done well--and Rainbow does it very well--it can just sparkle. I mean really knock the socks off your tongue.
***
You push the door open; a tiny bell jingles merrily. Every head in the store turns, smiling, to face you. You flash a winning grin and wave. "Hallo! Wie geht's?" you proffer in flawless High German. "Gut, danke!" they reply in unison. You smile and everybody laughs, elbowing each other in the ribs. At Rainbow, everyone is a friend.
You stride through the aisles of spices, scented soaps, and hempen dish towels, eyes trailing over a freezer packed to breaking with soy sausages, chik'n nuggests, and tangy vegetarian burgers. Squarely, you stop in front of the counter and reality sets in.
He's in his late 30's and taking far too long to order. You don't even speak German or understand what he's saying but you're still annoyed (so is the woman taking his order). He's asking far too many questions for so simple a meal. I surmise that he wants the student menu but is clearly not a student. He also seems to be having trouble deciding on his side orders which, had he been here before, would not be a problem because he'd know that he can't go wrong. Everything is good.
He's not Austrian (his German is too grating). He's possibly employed but most likely traveling. You're not even sure that he's vegetarian, though he does opt for a meatless dish. Oh God, he's pointing to the side dishes again. You begin tapping your foot, deciding that he's just mildly retarded. Finally he sidles off and the waitress smiles.
You quickly look at your feet, hands in pockets. Cautiously, you approach the counter and stare greedily at the food helplessly imprisoned behind the glass. You feel the urge to set it all free, to liberate it.
"Run! Run to my belly!" you yell.
"Excuse me?" she says.
"I WANT IT ALL," you scream.
Now the waitress looks at her feet. You sigh and try another tack.
***
A bar, of sorts, surrounds a small kitchen. (Rainbow is half health food/eco-products store and half restaurant.) One portion of the bar has seating for eating and the other part, with food on display, is where you order. The most common dish includes a choice of entree and three sides. (Soup is also an option but I have never tried it; I'm sure it's great.) There are generally three main dishes, all of which are vegetarian, two or three of which are vegan. They have been made earlier in the day, but are reheated to perfection and covered with a sauce of your choosing. I'm a fan of the curry sauce which is (purposefully) not too spicy; extra chili is available upon request.
This time I ordered an entree based by rice and topped with a mix of chickpeas and steamed vegetables. Each portion was individually flavored and the vegetables had a tangy, sesame-ginger taste. The curry sauce with which it was covered is more like a gravy than anything else and adds yet another dimension of flavor.
As if that weren't enough, a choice of three sides (Salate) accompanies this masterpiece. There are about 12 to choose from. I have included a picture of the potential lingual playmates:
As I mentioned above, you really can't go wrong with any of them. They're all awesome. That being said, I do have my favorites. I love the potato salad. I don't know that I would die for it, but I'm certainly a better person for having tried it. The chickpea dahl is also a superb side and, no, it was not overkill with the other chickpeas on my plate. The third side came in the form of genuine sauerkraut. Not too wet, not too dry. A bold accent to this beastless feast.
I seated myself on the bench--there is room for six to eight people--and waited for my food. While I was waiting, the waitress poured me a glass of water from a jug containing rocks. These weren't just any old stones that you drop into a jug of water. These were special rock crystals whose benefits included removing impurities, energizing the water, and balancing pH. The water didn't taste any different but as I drank I felt my heartbeat strengthen.
My food arrived:
Again, delicious. And, though I finished it all, I did not have room for more than another glass of energy water. The waitress asked if I would like a (vegan) dessert; I declined. But let's rewind for a moment.
One of my pet peeves is chewing. As nature abhors vacuums, so do I abhor chewing. It is a combination of sound and tempo that gets me. Loud chewing is one thing but loud chewing at a rapid speed pushes me over the edge. [Hear in your mind's ear an older gentleman in blazer and loosened tie feverishly chewing the mouthful of ice left over from a cheap gin and tonic. Maybe he just finished chewing a handful of peanuts with his front teeth, too.]
Anyway, as I was beginning to enjoy my meal I suddenly noticed the quiet that had descended upon the diners. For most people this would be a good thing: patrons thoroughly enjoying their meal, no time for chit-chat, everyone avoiding eye contact with the crazy guy. For me it signals the beginning of the end. Without fail my ears hone in on the sound of chewing. It came from the right, from a young man eating his lunch. I tried to be Zen about it but found myself losing the battle with irritation. I was rescued by the waitress' putting on a CD, an indigenous rendition of My Heart Will Go On. I finished my meal in peace.
As the waitress cleared my plate the chewing gentleman and I began talking. I discovered that he was not a vegetarian but enjoyed vegetarian food, often frequenting Rainbow and citing its filling fare. I suspect there is more of a market for hearty vegetarian food among non-vegetarians than ardent carnivores would lead you to believe. (If for no other reason than eating meat does not exclude one from eating vegetarian.) In fact, a 2007 survey found that 40% of Americans eat vegetarian on "a regular basis."
Before leaving, I asked the owner whether she would mind if I took some pictures. She misunderstood and took the camera from my hand, snapping pictures left and right. She even surprised some of the guests:
Name:
Reformhaus Regenbogen
Type:
Vegetarian/Vegan
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 10-21
Price Range:
€ (€5,50 to €7,80) see menu
Don't Miss:
Student Menu (Studenten-Teller) which includes an entree, three side dishes, and a drink. It's €5,50; €6,90 with soup. Don't miss the potato salad!
Address:
9th District: Garnisongasse 12, 1090 Wien, Tel. +43 0408 65 85
How to Get There:
Take the U4 or U6 to Schottentor and exit the station, following signs for Schottenring. When you emerge from underground you should be facing the Votivkirche (it's the big church with two steeples) and at the point of a "V" created by two main streets. Take the street to the left, Universitätsstrasse, but walk on the right side (not as confusing as it sounds), taking the second right after the park, Garrisongasse. Two hundred meters down this road and it will be on the right. Enjoy!
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