You only have 2 hours in Vienna and want a crash course on the Viennese food, culture and design scene. Take the CAT airport shuttle straight to the Österreicher im MAK, the restaurant at the Museum for Applied Arts. Take notes:

1) Design: architects Eichinger oder Knechtl have created a blown-up version of a futuristic Viennese Gasthaus (traditional tavern). A huge winebar, massive chandelier of bottles, asymmetrical planes. Plus a sculpture garden for al fresco dining.

2) Food: Helmut Österreicher arguably invented New Viennese Cuisine and brought the Steirereck Restaurant to fame. Though the man himself moved on in late 2012, the restaurant still bears his name and his stamp of quality. Find a menu divided into Classic Viennese and Modern Viennese.

3) Wine: the list is a who’s who of Austria’s best young vintners. Your assignment: the Markowitsch Chardonnay or the Triebaumer Merlot.

4) Cultural anthropology: movers and shakers of the arts and culture scene. To do: chat up a specimen. They’ll have stories to tell.

5) Surprise: lunch special costs less than a one-way CAT ticket. Now don’t miss your flight.

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