Feldkirch
I had read about Magma online and it had been on my list of places to try for a while, but unfortunately I don’t get to Feldkirch that often, and so on a chilly Saturday I set aside time to visit and enjoy lunch there.
Just off the main street on Schmiedgasse you will find Magma nestled into one of Feldkirch’s beautiful buildings. You step in off the street into the bright and airy cafe and shop, but the cafe also extends deep into the back offering a really cosy dining area under a large arched ceiling.
Erwin (Owner and Chef) and David (Head of Service) gladly took the time to sit with me and explain a bit more about Magma and what they had set out to achieve.
Magma works with a select few farmers and producers in the area who send them new produce everyday and so depending on what they get sent one day will be reflected on the menu the next. Therefore their lunch menu is always changing, and is sometimes even a surprise to them.
They offer no set cuisine, just developing dishes that really showcase the quality produce they receive. Therefore you can expect to find indian inspired food, mediteranean, thai, japanese or traditional austrian dishes just to name a few.
Here it is all about quality over quantity with their small lunch menu. They offer hearty meat lover and vegetarian mains that will keep you going all day, as well as a soup or salad if you’re looking for something a bit smaller. On the day I visited the lunch menu looked like this:
- orecchiette pasta with a mushroom and vegetable bolognese
- Montafoner deer strofganoff with pumpkin and spätzle
- braised red cabbage salad served with herbed goats cheese, orange slices with a date dressing.
Other lunch time options have included:
- prawn curry with wild rice and peanuts
- fish with a chirizo crust, served with fennel and orange vegetables and rosemary potatoes
- chicken in coconut and lemongrass with chilli pasta
- chickpea hummus salad
- vegetable and potato gulash with majoram crusted pork
I settled on the red cabbage salad and when it was set down in front of me I knew I was in for some good food. It looked and smelt amazing. The red cabbage was cooked beautifully and had a lovely smokey flavour and combined with the herbed cheese, the tangy oranges and the fresh salad it hit my hunger in all of the right places.
After David spent a bit of time in Australia and New Zealand he understands the quest for a great cup of coffee, and for all you Aussie’s out there, he has bought back to Vorarlberg the “Flat White”. They also offer speciality coffees for you to sample beans from around the world. On my return visit I got to enjoy their coffee along with one of their homemade cakes. This again was a hard decision between the cheesecakes, linzerschnitte, brownies, and carrot cake, however I choose the in-season pumpkin cake, which was delicious.
After a remodel a few years ago, I returned to Magmas to try their breakfast offering, and I have to say it was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had.
I ordered the French toast with bacon, a fried egg, avocado, and maple syrup. Some people might be a little sceptical about this combination, but it was absolutely delicious. The balance of sweet and savoury flavours worked perfectly, with each element complementing the other.
I have to admit, we have since been back for breakfast, and I ordered exactly the same thing — because why change something that already works so well?
They offer cooking courses, and a chef’s table where you can watch their chef Erwin at work, or you can simply rent Magma for that special occasion. They are more than happy to work with you to develop the perfect menu for you and your guests.
Don’t forget to take a look in their shop on the way out and stock up your pantry with goodies like chocolates, wines, vinegars, oils, marmalades or pre-made gulash and chilli.
Website: Magma
Address: Schmiedgasse 12, Feldkirch
