Vaivai – Italian steak in industrial chic

In Frankfurt, there seems to be quite a few fine steak houses. Vaivai is one of those, it’s a trendy restaurant with an interesting concept. They offer finer Italian cuisine and prime steak cuts. It has a trendy feel since its interior is designed in the industrial-chic-look. Yet, it is clearly upmarket and is a popular spot to eat dinner after a business day. We visited Vaivai the other Friday after work. We have had reserved a table already some time ago, then did not make it and now tried for the second time. One should indeed reserve quite some time ahead, because the regular dinner times of Friday are quickly booked out.

Vaivai is located on Grüneburgweg in Westend. This short street passes from Grüneburgpark to the subway station of Grüneburgweg on the main north-south line. There is a cluster of restaurants and cafés serving the surrounding residential neighborhood. There are also multiple small and medium-sized offices around, so that workers can get lunch deals or after-work dinner here. Vaivai is situated in one of the modern office blocks of the street. When we entered, I was surprised about the cool New-York-style feel inside. I just love the industrial charm of the interior design.

The menu basically offers three main categories: Mediterranean antipasti, pasta and meat from the grill. The dishes are not strictly Italian, for example there are also ceviche and tempura creations served as antipasti. But I did like the concept very much, especially because the food menu was complemented with a very good wine menu. Vaivai exclusively offers more upscale quality wine, matched with upscale prices, but totally worth it. I got a Spanish red that was really fruity and paired well with my food.

As for the dish, I went for a rib eye steak and my wife for a cheese bake. My steak was fantastic. The meat of high quality was grilled to the spot. It had a proper size considering that I chose the small version. The grilled vegetables on the side were also superb. My wife, too, was very happy with her bake, that contained various cheeses and vegetables. Eggplant and parmigiana were the main ingredients. I also took a bite, and indeed it was really good. I therefor had the impression that the other pasta and antipasti dishes must be pretty good as well. Overall, Vaivai is a great restaurant for a nice dinner. I really enjoyed the classy service, the trendy decoration and flair and of course the good meat and wine.

Style: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian/Mediterranean/Steak house

Location: Westend-Nord

Website: http://vaivai.de/frankfurt