Barcelona – If you want to do some “people and yacht watching” while dining exquisitely, One Ocean club is your choice.
The atmosphere, view and food is very good, but not really a bargain budgetwise…
I recommend having a drink before dinner at around 8 or 9 pm and then enjoy the sunset at dinner. If you are a couple you will most probably get a table directly at the water on the terrace, as these are the only tables for two 😉
Reservation absolutely needed.
Tokyo – The Tsukiji fish market is definitively a must see in Tokyo or even in whole Japan. It is said to be the biggest wholesale seafood market in the world. And if you follow my blog, you know, I love to visit markets in other countries and to discover rare food that you do not get everywhere around the corner.
For this time we booked a private tour. This was a wise decision because I think if we didn’t we might have only seen a small part of it. Acutally, we wanted to see the tuna auction as well but we soon found out, this would have been difficult to be allowed in and secondly start at about 3 am in the morning…definitively too early.
The tour guide spoke quite good English and explained a lot about the actual market and the plans of moving it to a new location. Actually, it should have already been moved to its new place in 2016 but there are still a lot of discussions back and forth with the local people and the government etc.
Good for us, so we could see the “real” market and try to understand the mechanism of all the people working there, all elements with buying and even recycling of waste organized inside the market, the half round architecture of the building, etc.
Last summer a documentary “Tsukiji Wonderland” about the market was presented at various film festivals and is now out in theatres internationally.
I never had eel before visiting Japan but after having eaten it in several restaurants, I became quite fond of it. Something I will definitively miss back here in Switzerland.
Tour www.tsukijitour.com
Tokyo – If you want to try as much Japanese dishes and styles as you can get with a modern twist then go to Teyandei. A Japanese friend recommended it to me and I am really sad such a great place does not exist in Zurich.
The staff does not really speak a lot of English but somehow you manage. It helps if you are seated around the kitchen and grill so you may order a dish you have seen prepared already and just show the staff. The words you DO need to survive are simple: Aligato (Thank you), biru (beer) and oishiiii (delicious). By the way for Swiss people, I strongly recommend the webinar crash course to learn some Japanese by Ronja Sakata.
To summarize, a place with really tasty food, cool and trendy young people (a bit loud maybe;-)) and not at all expensive. I highly recommend! Book early and bear in mind, this is a “take off shoes” restaurant…
Shuzenji (between Kyoto and Tokyo) – When in Japan, a visit of a ryokan (Japanese inn)Â is a must do!
We selected this beautiful place and enjoyed every minute of it. The rooms are in traditional Japanese style with tatami mats in the whole hotel, so you are only allowed to walk in socks or bare feet. As soon as you arrive at the hotel you get rid of your shoes anyway and you receive a beautiful kimono (yukata) to wear throughout your stay…so you can dive into this other world and let yourself get indulged.
During all your stay you can take a bath in the natural hot springs inside and outside (open air). If you feel too hot you can also feed the koi fish (yes, they are always hungry!) in the pond or just relax and enjoy the calming atmosphere.
Dinner is served at any time you want in your room. This time we were also sitting on the floor at a low table, but luckily for us and our bones with a big cushion :-). This food was again beautifully prepared and decorated in the theme of autumn. For the second time we tasted fugu fish…and luckily are still alive.
After dinner the staff prepares your futon beds at the very same place in your room. In the morning you can choose between continental breakfast and Japanese breakfast…after a little discussion I agreed to the Japanese breakfast. I am really NOT fussy at all with food and I bravely ate the grilled barracuda, eggplant, miso soup and rice but when I opened the mussels soup bowl I had to give in 😉
Definitively a place I will never forget!
Kyoto – If you ever happen to visit Kyoto, you should definitively eat at this wonderfully, beautifully and modern interpreted upscale Japanese restaurant.
After we finally found the entrance to this very small place (in a little alley with only Japanese signs outside….) we were in Japanese gourmet heaven.
We had a 10 course menu with the best of Japanese kitchen you can imagine. As it was autumn season, the food and decoration was all dedicated to it in perfection.
See the pictures and be inspired. If you go: Take time and bring the big briefcase…..
Zermatt – This restaurant is probably the one I have eaten most when in Zermatt. Also it is really one of my favourites in the World.
Why? First class view with the Matterhorn, best tuna carpaccio, best sweetbread with salad or pasta and biggest and best “Cremeschnitte” (see pic) in the world.
Book your table in advance! You reach the little restaurant either directly from the slopes or after a short hike up the hill from Zermatt (about 40 minutes). It is great in Summer and Winter time but check opening times.
Zermatt – I have been many, many times in Zermatt. But this year I first managed to visit restaurant “Adlerhitta” near Chez Vrony and Findlerhof – and the location and view are not less spectacular.
Book your table in advance and enjoy a wide range of good quality and fresh products.
Zermatt –
Matterhorn
Finally back in Zermatt – 5 days of sunshine, perfect slopes and gourmet cuisine!
To start our long ski weekend we had a table booked with some friends in After Seven.
I just found out that the last time we were there is already 3 years ago.
The food was great as expected. Some dishes were familiar but some small surprises tickled and picked on our tongues….I want to leave the surprise a surprise for the ones who still plan to go so you have to find out yourselves.
sybillesbeenthere 