Category Archives: Bar

Bar Basso

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Zurich – Recently I went to Bar Basso restaurant with a friend to have a relaxed evening and decent dinner. I can really recommend the pizzas there as they have a proper wood fired oven. The other food – mostly Italina style – on the plates looked also yummy. The restaurant is informal and very relaxed in a nice atmosphere. The prices are ok for what you get. They have a terrace outside in summer as well.

www.barbasso.ch

Bar Basso belongs to another restaurant in Zurich that is open already for many years, the Rosso www.restaurant-rosso.ch.

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Ammolite – the new jewel in the Europapark

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Rust – Sure, if you hear Europapark, you do not think about fine dining. You associate it with screaming children destroying the buffet in the hotel you are locked up at a weekend – no way to escape.

But we went with my godchild on a two day trip to Rust and checked in the new built Bell Rock Hotel. For me the coolest hotel you can book there. And they even harbour a gourmet restaurant – The Ammolite. It was really great, service, food and ambiance! This restaurant is located on the ground floor of the lighthouse and does not really match the rest of the area. I can definitely recommend the foie gras covered with chocolate with rhubarb and the lamb in a heavenly herb crust. You can also get a 3 or 6 courses set menu if you like to taste more of their great food. Even my 9 year old godchild enjoyed the treats between the courses…countless amuse bouches…as they were a little bit hectic and behind the plan in the kitchen.
Definitely worth visiting.

PS: The wine was excellent too: 2009 Winklerberg, Spätburgunder Großes Gewächs

Fuji in the mountains

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Zermatt – Last year we discovered this restaurant. Today, I count it to my top 10 restaurants in Zermatt. Actually, I do not wanted to eat any Asian food in a mountain village any more after the disappointing experience we had in a well know Chinese restaurant (that even has Gault&Millau points – for whatever reason…). But….I wanted to give it a try. The restaurant is located in a hotel. As a teen I even spent a vacation with my parents in this house and had very good memories.

The people working there are just adorable and very welcoming. This place could also be somewhere in London, Hong Kong or New York. I also like a lot the whole modern atmosphere with the big glass front and the pop art on the walls.

But not to forget the food. This teppanyaki place serves several menus, one for every “gusto” with fish, meat, vegetables and dessert. The mostly Malayan cooks make a great show preparing the fresh food with a lot of knife jingleling and fire explosion on the hot plates.

It is really worth going as you will eat great food and not be bored at all this evening.

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www.hotelalbanareal.com/de/restaurants-de/fuji-de/

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

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

Seasick on Balena? No way!

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La Balena in Locarno is an elegant boat, tightened at the docks of Locarno harbour. We went there on a warm summer night and sat outside. The food that night was a special menu for the “Luci & Ombre” festival with fireworks and a lot of food stalls selling their stuff. Our dinner was delicious especially to name the beef on a hot stone. Unfortunately this evening there was not enough staff available why we were waiting for everything, but they were still friendly and did their best.
www.ristorantebalena.ch