Monthly Archives: March 2013

Chez Vrony – A safe value since years

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Zermatt – A wonderful sunny day in the mountains, perfect weather for skiing. What more can you ask for than a terrace with Matterhorn view! But – there is more: Chez Vrony is a true value since years. The staff, especially Vrony and Max are always so friendly and welcoming and although the queue can be long if you have no reservation.

If you managed to get a table you will start with the nicest roggenbrot (rye bread). This time we had the raclette, accompanied by fig sauce and strawberries, very yummy. I had the Vrony salad with chicken breast, also very well and not too heavy. Because I know from earlier years, they serve one of the Worlds best apple pie, I just needed to have it. Like this, our lunch was perfectly rounded up. By the way, also Chez Vrony’s interior design is all from Heinz Julen.

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www.chezvrony.ch

Lebanon in Zurich – Libanon il Achdar

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Zurich – Zurich is pricy? No way. The Lebanese fast food and take away just 200m from the main station of Zurich serves fresh Schawarma for 8 franks. If you want to taste this tasty brother of the döner kebab be prepared of a lively small and simple restaurant. The guests are mostly speaking Arabic and the guys behind the counter are very friendly – they even let me try the spicy lamb meat before I made my choice of filling.

I can recommend this restaurant to fill your stomach before going to the cinema (but without onions) or a quick lunch.

www.libanonilachdar.ch

La Zagra – Elegant Italian eating in Zurich

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Zurich – On a Thursday evening, we visited the restaurant with another friend-couple of us. The atmosphere in the restaurant is a little cold and the painted portraits on the wall were for my taste a little disturbing.

We had salad and mixed starters as first course. The others tried the loup de mer, osso bucco which they liked a lot. I had once more the tagliata – this time interpreted not with rocket salad but with some very delicious artichokes. The meat itself was made to perfection, really worth the price.

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www.lazagra.ch

Le Gitan

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Zermatt – Le Gitan is one of the classics in Zermatt. It is cozy with its white walls that have holes, little corners and a wood fired grill in the restaurant. It reminds me a little on the style of the 70ies as well as the art shown at the walls with “Picasso eating a fish” or the hippie girls photographed in black and white by Helmut Newton.

The restaurants specialty is the gipsy skewer. The tender beef is marinated in a tasty and bit spicy sauce and comes just as it needs to be – crispy on the outside and red on the inside accompanied by a yummy potatoe gratin. The dessert of rhubarb and strawberries could have left out. All in all a very nice evening and friendly service.

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www.legitan.ch

After 7 in Backstage

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Zermatt – On our first night in Zermatt we booked a table in the restaurant of the Backstage hotel. The restaurant kitchen is managed temporarly by Ivo Adam (www.seven-ascona.ch).

The hotel and restaurant was opened only in 2011 and designed by Heinz Julen, the renewed Swiss designer (www.heinzjulen.com).

No need to mention that the design of the whole house ist just stunning with the known combination of industrial and wooden material. The biggest chandelier is in the welcome area of the restaurant, including champagne glasses, violins, saxophones and even a mirror ball.

The food was just excellent and also the service. Specially to mention the sourdough bread that was baken at the table in a heated stone. After 30 very long minutes of waiting, we ate this fresh bread with different dips, oil and salt. We chose the menu with different wines offered and were amazed.

Although we paid a fortune for the evening I would recommend the visit (if Ivo comes back to Zermatt next winter).

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www.backstagehotel.ch

Zum See

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Zermatt – Finally back in Zermatt and back at the Zum See restaurant!

Since i discovered this restaurant 6 years ago it is a MUST to visit at least twice per stay.

The restaurant is located on rhe ski piste just below Furi, and also accessible by foot in about 25 mins from Zermatt. It has approx. 50 seats inside and also a nice terrace outside with partial view of the Matterhorn. If you got time, have a look at the kitchen…a wonder how they can prepare all these dishes out of this tiny room.

Today we tried the fish soup – which was just delicious with a bit of fish, a bit of mussels scented with saffron. After that, we had the pan fried liver with roeschti and of course the legendary milken (sweetbread) on asparagus. I believe, everyone ever said “I dont like that” would at least be surprised how good it tastes, if not after all starting to love it. It was crispy on the outside and very tender inside. Accompanied by a fruity Heida (regional white wine) this meal is perfectly finished.

Awwww no, not yet…. there is the famous cremeschnitte for dessert! A pastry filled with cream: it feels light like in heaven. Thank god the slope is almost finished and the way home just enough to help digest a little.

For me one of the best restaurants and of course the best in Zermatt.

http://www.zumsee.ch/

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Golden Star

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On our way back from Savigno to Switzerland, we had a late lunch in the Ristorante Stella d’Oro in Soragna (Parma). When we were there, we found out that they have also 14 small rooms to stay overnight.

The lunch was great and the wine too, although we were a little bit in a rush. The pasta I had – fresh handmade agnolotti filled with pumpkin were a feast! Simple but made to perfection. They serve also an egg omelette with a filling of leek and gorgonzola topping, just sensational. Fresh meat and fish is also worth ordering.

The detour of 10 minutes from the highway is worth it.

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www.ristorantestelladoro.it/

Trattoria da Amerigo

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Finally we managed to organise a weekend in Bologna. Of course it is not possible to go to Bologna without visiting Alberto’s lovely Trattoria and Dispensa “Amerigo” in Savigno. Actually that was the reason to go again to Bologna…..

The Trattoria is a kind of its own. It is not a bed and breakfast but a dinner and bed concept. The rooms are all decorated individually and located in a separate house. We chose the disused ancient stable room. It is all very nicely done with a touch of Italian industry design.

But to come back to the restaurant – this is the real Italian eatery you can find with local wine, fresh seasonable food. Antonio and his team offer a warm welcoming atmosphere. It is a real ordeal to choose your menu for the evening, as your stomach will never be big enough for all the good food that is served in the Amerigo. So I cannot put everything in words, but best advise: Go, try and indulge the temptations of fresh cut ham, salami, daily made stuffed pasta, meat from the farmer next door and dolci made by mamma…..

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www.amerigo1934.it/