It is said that a woman wearing a satin ball gown can sit on a perfectly made wiener schnitzel and it won’t leave a mark on the dress. I don’t know any woman foolish enough to participate in this experiment, but I do know a place that could possibly make a schnitzel fine enough to pass the test. Seasonal Restaurant & Weinbar in Midtown Manhattan manages to give its Austrian/German cuisine a contemporary lightness that feels…well…positively sleek and healthy.

Although the Michelin one-star restaurant focuses attention on traditional dishes made with organic or locally produced ingredients, sometime surprises slip into the offerings.  For example joining the spatzle, schnitzel, apfelstrudel and wine list that is decidedly European, is the Seasonal Wellness Drink based on acai—the health food’s darling berry from Brazil.

Odd choice for this restaurant, but chef/owner Wolfgang Ban says the drink is delicious, detoxifying and health promoting and he enjoys it. He’ll even add crème de cassis, rum, or vodka and serve the drink as a house cocktail.

Go figure, the best of Austrian/German specialties and acai—what can I say? Perhaps “prosit!” will do.

Seasonal's Wellness Drink

SEASONAL’S WELLNESS DRINK

4 ounces pineapple juice (fresh is best)

1 ounce passion fruit puree, strained (or substitute juice)

1 ounce acai berry puree or juice

Combine juices and serve in a tall glass on the rocks.

1 serving.