Vegas Food Finds Loves Viennese Street Food

Vienna is known, among other things, for its fantastic little stands (Würstlstand in "Austrian") that sell sausages of all kinds. Late-night opera goers, dressed in evening gowns, have been known to grab a snack at these humble, very egalitarian places, and I've loved them since I was a kid. Sure, they are not fancy, and you have to stand while eating your Käsekrainer (a sausage with cheese), but it's, well, very Austrian. And it's really good, albeit not healthy. During my seven weeks in Europe, we've made many stops at these little stands, mainly in the first district.

The selection is usually pretty good, and there are sausages of all kinds, with a strong emphasis on Frankfurter, Käsekrainer, Bratwurst, Weisswurst, etc. The mini-meal usually comes with your choice of a slice of fabulous dark bread or Semmel (roll) and a portion of sweet or spicey mustard (or ketchup, but mustard works much better). And yes, extra mustard is, well, extra. The plates are either covered in plastic or which a big piece of wax paper (sounds familiar from Mexican taco stands?) for easy cleaning. I've always loved the small, organized microcosmos that is the Würstlstand, and it's a true Austrian icon. It used to be really cheap, but it's really not anymore -- one sausage, including bread, usually runs in the 3 - 4 Euro range.

--By Judy Jenner