Don’t Tell Bernhard Mairinger That Lustig Isn’t Austrian Enough (2024)

Bernhard Mairinger triumphantly returned to the LA restaurant scene with his new Culver City restaurant, Lustig, which opened in November 2023. Mairinger operated the acclaimed fine-dining Austrian restaurant Bierbeisl in Beverly Hills from 2011 to 2014 and the casual Austrian bakery Bierbeisl Imbiss in Downtown from 2015 to 2016.

Since then, he has been doing private chef gigs until debuting Lustig at the historic Helms Bakery complex. The restaurant serves a mix of Austrian and other European dishes in a charming, high-ceiling space with splashes of primary colors. Eater sits down with the chef to discuss the real challenges of Lustig’s first eight months and how he hopes to continue navigating a difficult time for full-service restaurants in Los Angeles.

On the most challenging parts of the first seven months

Bernhard Mairinger: “There’s been a learning curve teaching us a little about what people are looking for in the neighborhood. It’s still primarily people who think we are an Austrian restaurant. I’m trying to steer them away from that, even though there are still a lot Austrian aspects. There’s a European theme running through the menus, but reviews and comments keep saying, “It’s not an authentic Austrian restaurant.” Are you going to argue with me?

“I think we have to change our mindset. Lustig is Austrian-inspired, but there are other European flavors. We have a croque monsieur, hamachi crudo, and ratatouille pizza. I mean, there are worse things than being called an Austrian restaurant. I want people to keep an open mind when they see the menu.”

On why people might have strong opinions of Austrian food

“Austria has every flavor in the world. In Vienna, you have Mediterranean, Italian, and Eastern European influences. It’s like someone is telling us they went to Austria once or twice and ate three or four classic dishes — then trying to tell us they know Austrian food.”

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On opening a restaurant in 2024

“Culver City is very different. In Beverly Hills, we had a lot of clients who eat out every day for lunch or dinner. Culver City is more of an office-driven neighborhood. There are a lot of locals, too, but they’re more selective. They only go out on certain days and don’t go out for lunch and dinner on the same day. Big studios are next to us, but with the pandemic, they’re in the office for two or three days. Some people rarely go into the office. So it’s been a fun kind of dance to figure out what people are looking for here.”

On the many adjustments that have been made since opening

“We originally had late-night hours, but we cut that down very quickly. There wasn’t that much foot traffic or demand. After the last table left at 9:30 p.m. there was literally nothing. There’s only so many times you can do that without paying the price. We lowered that to midnight, then 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, which is plenty.

“A lot of LA restaurants don’t even bother with lunch. Helms Bakery complex is a walkable location with great stores so you can hang out here for a few hours. Once the bakery opens [it was supposed to open in 2014] it will just draw people here for lunch.”

On the casual takeout kiosk situation

“We have a takeout kiosk for more affordable, easy, grab-and-go, and freshly prepared items. The turnaround time is eight to 10 minutes, which should be more friendly for locals. There’s a pretzel bun, a pig in a blanket bratwurst with puff pastry. We have these bento boxes with the mains as veal or chicken schnitzels, or three sausages, a veggie strudel, and two sides. It’ll cost between $30 and $40. It’s a steal for the quality of the food that you’re getting. There’s an ice cream sandwich or apple strudel hand pie for those walking around.”

On the happy hour, also known as sausage hour

“People want sausages. We have chicken liver profiteroles and other cool snacks that people wouldn’t order if we had a sausage sampler, which we serve with other sausage dishes at the bar from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. We’ll encourage people to order the other dishes but will eventually have the sausage sampler on the dinner menu.”

On the ambience and design

“This is such a cool building with so much potential. The design team and builders knocked it out of the park. I love the feeling you get, with bright colors that feels gentle. You have elemental colors and midcentury booths. There’s a certain elegance to it but it still feels fun.”

On menu adjustments and the best-selling dishes

“We’re always making seasonal changes, swapping out the pomegranate with Japanese baby peaches. The Caesar salad is now made with grilled asparagus. The tuna tartare cannoli and chicken liver profiteroles. People love the semisweet creaminess. Our top-selling dish is still the schnitzel. For dessert, people love the fun twist on Black Forest cake with marinated cherry, mascarpone ice cream, and crispy layers — it fits all the flavor profiles and notes you want.”

On coming accolades and landing on the Michelin Guide

“This was never designed to be a Michelin-star restaurant. The fact that they included us in the guide, it means we like what you’re doing, you’re doing things right. It’s the largest dining guide in the world. I’ll be completely open to whatever they want to do, but once you’ve got a star, you’re not really a neighborhood restaurant.”

On super tall guests and their free meals

“We had about five or six people come in. Most tall people aren’t aware of the promotion, so when they’re close, I grab them, take their shoes off, and see if they’re taller than the line near the door. We had Danny Devito come in, and we took a picture together.”

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