Lion D'or in Geneva

I have written about my experiences at the 1 Michelin starred Lion D'Or in Geneva once. Actually I eat there almost every year, and am constantly delighted with the quality of the cooking as well as the excellent service.

As it is SIHH season again, I had the opportunity to dine there again. I started with a lobster dish, Lobster “à la plancha”, medley of autumn vegetables artichoke fritters, roquette salsa

At first taste, I wanted to rise to my feet and applause the chef. The lobster was truly excellent. The flesh nice tender, but not so tender as it melts in your mouth. It has a nice, firm feel to the bite...I suppose al dente is the correct description. But yielding with pressure, and releasing a wonderful aroman and flavour. Very sweet meat. Magnificent. The vegetables served well as supporting cast, but the lobster was certainly the star.

My dining companion had the cannelloni with black truffles.

As the dish was presented to the table, I could already breath in the wonderful aroma of the fresh black truffles. Shaved in thick slices, and placed over the rolls of canneloni...the pasta, was of course cooked perfectly. And the simplicity of the dish made it all the more excellent. I tried one canneloni piece with a slice of truffle. Heavenly....unless you don't like truffles...but otherwise, highly recommended, despite the high price of CHF95+++ for the dish.

I had the whole sole from Brittany, sauteed in a butter mixed with meat sauce potato mousseline and wild mushroom enhanced with crispy sage petals

Also very good...though just short of the supreme excellence of the lobster and truffle pasta dishes. The sole fish was superbly fresh, and perfectly cooked, with the butter sauce permeating and embuing the meat with a wonderful mouthfeel and flavour.

For dessert, I had the souffle.

Ultra light, warm qunce souffle with a walnut biscuit and quince sherbert. Again quite excellent. The souffle was a bit smaller than I had expected, being used to the huge, airy soufles in Paris, but it was nonetheless very light, very tasty. The light quince flavour permeated nicely, and ably supported by the sherbert, which gave a more accute and sharp taste of the quince.

Overall, excellent plus plus restaurant and great cooking. A bit pricey as Michelin starred restaurants tend to be. Highly recommended if budget permits.

Lion D'or
chefs: Dupont & Byrne
Place P. Gautier 5
CH-1223 Cologny
+41 (0)22 736 44 32

Feasting in Switzerland: Les Mossettes

When good friends invite you over to lunch at a restaurant where their sister is chef and the sister's husband is the sommelier, you don't think twice. You get up early for the 2 hour drive from Lausanne, and go.

So when Marco and his lovely wife Veronique asked me to join them for lunch at Les Mossettes...a restaurant in the mountains, where Veronique's sister has just taken over...and earned a respectable 12 Gault Millau points on the first year...I jumped at it. We were also joined by another good friend and gourmand: Alex and his lovely girlfriend Sophie. Makes wonderful company.



It was late November, up in the Swiss mountains...when in most years, it should have been covered in snow and freezing temperatures. But 2011 is an unusual year. And there we were, basking in the sunshine. At about 3pm, we got up to continue lunch inside the restaurant, after eating and drinking al fresco since noon...not because it was too cold, but because the onslaught of the sun was merciless...and it was getting too hot (!!!). But promptly at 4:30pm when the sun set, it became quite cold.



A quaint little cottage, almost in th emiddle of nowhere. As we drove up to the restaurant, we passed the Abbey of Valsainte...the monks who bottled the water we were to drink...and who are silent monks. The Abbey has been there for perhaps 700 years. And the Abbey complex was quite large and beautiful...especially considering that the community who lives within numbers about 20.



Anyway, this was an unforgettable lunch. Not only the food was unusual and only vaguely familiar to me, as all the ingredients were sourced locally. But the wines were also superb, well selected and quite unfamiliar to me as well. The wines turned out to be the star of the afternoon for me. All superb.



We started with some deep fried leaves...a bit of grease stuck on to the leaves, but it was crisp, light and seasoned with a little salt, very nice.

And the aperetif to go with this was a beautiful bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse...the only wine whose domaine I recognised that afternoon...



The starters were some seafood...



Well, I guess not all ingredients are from the area...we were up in the mountains, hundreds of kilometers from the oceans...so the scallops must have been flown in. They were juicy, and sweet. Fresh. The fish, I understand is from the neaby lake - Lac Noir.

We had an intermediate white...a Premier Cru from Nuit St. George...an unfamiliar domaine for me, but the wine was gorgeous:



And for mains, quail



Very nicely roasted, perfectly done. The quail had a slightly gamey flavour, but remained very mild, more like chicken with a bit of bite...and smaller. Very tasty.

To accompany...two reds...





All the wines were organic..and from vineyards who practice sustainable agriculture. And they were magnificent. All were chosen by the sommelier, Georgie (I am not sure how we spell his name...but it sounded lime geor-gee)...



And the cheese...



Being close to La Gruyere, of course it featured a large slice of the famous cheese. Magnificent.

And we went inside for desserts...too hot...



Fresh, light, and very nice. But the dessert wine was the surprise



Sparkling! yes...see the bubbles...but not from grapes, but from 20 different types of pears...



This was magnificent. Like a beautiful champagne...dry, beautiful bouquet. And the tingling bubbles, which were small, well formed and quite vivacious. Made only in magnums, and in very small quantities. This was a great treat. Truly memorable.

Magnificent trip. Beautiful food. Wonderful wines. And fantastic company. Plus what a great weather in November. What more can a man ask for.



La Pinte des Mossettes
La Valsainte, Cerniat 1654 , Switzerland
+41 (0) 269272097

Feasting in Switzerland: Restaurant de la Croix Ouchy

Eating with friends are the best. Absolutely! Good friends make a meal much more memorable, and much more enjoyable. This visit to Switzerland, I had the fortune of the company of my Italian Swiss friends...and of course, we eventually ended up at an Italian restaurant.

But not before experiencing some magical bartending at the bar of the Lausanne Palace.



Angelo, the attending barman is a sort of a legend in these parts. The bar was decorated like the set of a 1930s movie...I am almost expecting to see Hemmingway stroll into the bar and nod at Angelo for a drink...young Ernest did spend many a winter in Lausanne, and I would imagine he might have had a drink or two at this bar.



Angelo would ask you what you feel, and magically concoct up something which will soothe and suit your mood.

But it was getting late, and we were getting hungry. So off to the port of Ouchy...to a little bistro, serving home made Italian cuisine...Restaurant de la Croix Ouchy.



When we arrive...the place was jam packed...to the brim!

We thought we have had too much meats and fish, so we opted for 3 servings of carbs...two pasta and a risotto. And we did the communual thing and shared all 3 dishes. The pictures are the serving size of our individual portions...

First the pappardelle:



Beautiful, fresh prawns. Wonderful home made pasta. Al dente. Cooked perfectly.

Next, ravioli with stuffed veal



Again, magnificent. Done the traditional Italian way, the sauce was enough...but not drowning the pasta...as it should be.

But for me, the star of the evening was the risotto...



I have a soft spot for good risotto. And this one hits the spot for me. The rice was perfectly cooked...each grain absorbed the broth and was bursting with the flavours. The tomato sauce was wisely balanced...the right touch of acidity with the perfect balance of sweet and spice. And the prawns were magnificent. Really good risotto.

For me, this meal was a return to the basics in Switzerland this trip...where gastronomic indulgence was the order of the day. And perhaps its the little boy in me, but I do feel a good pasta (or noodle, or ramen) makes my day. Two thumbs up for the restaurant, and to Marco and Alex for bringing me there.



La Croix d'Ouchy
Avenue d'Ouchy 43 CH - 1006 Ouchy
Lausanne, Switzerland
0216162233

Feasting in Switzerland: Le Poisson at Auvernier, near Neuchatel

Neuchatel. Lovely city. Pearched on the lake, it enjoys the mountains on one side, and the lake on the other. However, being a little lower in altitude, and by the lake, it does get quite a lot of fog.

Click here for a wide pano from the mountains looking over Lake Neuchatel. The Alps in the distance, and the fog over the city.

In the evenings, it is a bit more lively than most Swiss cities. But a short drive away, in the little village of Auvernier, lies this wonderful fish restaurant...its namesake in French Le Poisson (meaning fish).

We started with a glass of champagne and oysters. I cannot imagine a better combination for fresh oysters.



Fresh as it can be. Sweet, delicious. With a whiff of the fragrance of the distant sea.

And of course, I had fish...sole, pan fried with butter, and a serving of shoe string fries.



Needless to say, the sole was fresh. Firm flesh, white creamy. Pan fried to perfection...thin, slightly crisp on the outside. Smooth, rich, moist inside. Beautiful.



And the fries...superb. Crisp covering...and a creamy interior. I imagined the fries to be deep fried in tallow or a mix of tallow and butter to give it the rich, creamy mouthfeel. Sinful, but oh, so good.

For desserts, I had a small scoop of ice cream...pistachio



Home made. Delicious. And...



a triple decked decadence of pear and cream within crisp pastry. Heavenly.

Truly a magnificent place to dine in or near Neuchatel. We went to the restaurant on a Monday evening, and it was brimming...full. Merely 5 days later on Friday, we had a magnificently catered meal at a private residence attended by the chef of Poisson himself labouring in the kitchen.



He moves fast, this man.

Needless to say, it was a magnificent meal, featuring one of the best langoustines and veal dishes I have had in a long time.





The meat was superb. Sous vide, and expertly browned. Tender to melting. Smooth, creamy mouth feel. Superb.

Washed down with these magnificent wines.



I cannot begin to describe the Chateau Cheval Blanc. The first bottle (yes, we had 2 bottles) was superb...truly magnificent, in its prime. The second was still excellent, and had it not been the wonderful palate and nose of the first, we would have hailed it as a beautiful drink. But in comparison, it was perhaps a bit over in terms of aging. Perhaps a month earlier. But both bottles were superb. All its touted to be.

And for desserts, home made glazes...the marron was particularly wonderful.



Again fully confirms that this is one of the best restaurants in the land. Superb.


Restaurant Le Poisson
Rue des Epancheurs 1,
Auvernier 2012, Switzerland
032 / 731 62 31
www.lepoisson-auvernier.ch/

Feasting in Switzerland: Auberge de L'Onde

I recently had some extremely good gastronomic experiences with my Swiss friends. So in my two weeks in Switzerland, I ate well. Very well indeed. Allow me to start with L'Onde. An extraordinary restaurant in a small town (compared to Asian towns and cities, Swiss towns and even cities are miniscule. But each with character, and pride.).

It garnered its first Michelin star for 2012, I believe...and currently has 16 Gault Millau points. Housed in a two storey building, with a full grill on the upper floor, the restaurant is bright, and airy.



The pastry chef is remarkable. All the pastry churned out in the restaurant is lovingly hand made by him. The bread platter is no exception



Exceptional. Light, fluffy. And yet very tasty.

I started with the lobster soup...made from Boston lobster.



Exquisite. The meat was firm yet yielding, tasty, and sweet. The broth had a wonderfully aromatic crusteacean flavour. Excellent.

And to accompany, a crisp, French white wine...



Beautiful. Dry, crisp, very fine. The nose hints of vanilla and spices. On the palate, its refined, composed even...and very smooth, delicate. Flavours meld. And goes extremely well with shellfish. Perhaps 2010 is a little young, but still delicious.

And for mains, a nice, juicy steak...Australian Angus



As usual, I am not particularly fond of the red wine reduction sauce...should have remembered to ask for the sauce on the side. But the steak was very nicely done...perfect medium/medium rare.



And a great bottle of red from the area...



Swiss wines are an interesting bunch. Less famous than their neighbours...France and Italy (and even Germany), they do nevertheless make some excellent wines. Full bodied, more a Bordeaux style than Burgundy. Ripe, luscious with strong hints of berries and a very light bite of tannins. On the nose, a floral bouquet sends its greetings. Nice.

And for desserts, a selection of ice creams and sorbets...all home made.



A truly superb meal. Beautiful surroundings. Magnificent wines. Great food. And most importantly, wonderful friends. Thanks Marco and Veronique.

Highly recommended if you are in the Lausanne area.



The Auberge de l'Onde
Village Centre
1071 St-Saphorin
Tel. +41 (0)21 925 49 00
Fax +41 (0)21 925 49 01

Le Sentier: Hotel Bellevue le Rocheray: Wonderful fish in the Lac du Jour

Hotel Bellevue le Rocheray...a quaint little hotel, right by the lake...Lac du Jour. In the middle of the watchmaking district in Switzerland.

The hotel is called bellevue not for nothing...in French bellevue means beautiful view. And indeed looking into the lake, the view is nothing short of breathtaking. Click here for a panorama (1920 pixels across).

I had once stayed here at this charming little hotel and enjoyed its cuisine several years ago, and being back this time brings back fond memories. I particularly remember a wonderful lunch I had with the Grandmaster of watchmaking Philippe Dufour, which featured a fillet of pike from the lake, which was truly a marvel in cooking...wonderful tasting fish, done beautifully.



I returned again this time with Philippe and my friends, but pike was not on the menu this time. We had a kind of lake trout.

But first, starters...a grilled liver of chicken in an interesting savoury, slightly sweet and a tad acidic sauce which was absolutely wonderful.



The sauce nicely sets against the rich, slightly powdery, but supremely tender chicken livers. And the small cup of salad and caramalized pineapple cubes in the foreground. Nice. Shiok.

For the mains, a beautiful trout from the lake:



Served with a rich buttery sauce, and french fries, it was almost reminscent of the wonderful pike I had, though not quite. The pike was a white fish, and the trout's meat was a bit pink...half way towards salmon. The flavours were also different. The trout was a bit more flakey. But nonetheless delicious.

Highly recommended restaurant if you are in the region. The dining room is often filled with the who's who in watchmaking at the Jura...with the independents like Philippe and Daniel Roth (the man, not the company), and large manufactures like Jaeger LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet just around the corner, their executives entertain their clients in the restaurant. On the way out, we spotted a little poster on the 50 watchmaking greats...and indeed our friend Philippe is one of those featured:





Hôtel ***Bellevue Le Rocheray
CH-1347 Le Sentier
+41 (0)21 845 57 20
+41 (0)21 845 47 20
info@rocheray.ch



View Larger Map

Neuchatel: La Maison du Prussien

La Maison du Prussien is a small, country hotel and restaurant half way up the mountains in Neuchatel. Referring to the Prussian origins of the city of Neuchatel, it offers an interesting respite from the travels across the Swiss Jura and watchmaking districts. Many watchmakers are based in La Chaux du Fonds/Le Loche area, just minutes from the hotel. As are the manufactures in the city of Neuchatel. I was visiting with some friends an independent watchmaker by the name of Kari Voultilainen, a Finnish gentleman, who is a superb watchmaker and lives in the town of Motiers, some 45 mins drive away.



We checked into the hotel...my room was no 3, just above the restaurant, and the accomodations were very large, especially by Swiss standards. The timber floor was charming, and there was even a large jaccuzi in the bath. The restaurant in the basement had the reputation of 18 Gault Millau points, so it promises some interesting dining.

The amuse bouche was a combination of pates...all smooth, rich, and originated from fruits and vegetables.



The menu looked heavy, but rather interesting, and I was assured of an gastronomic evening. I started with what I perceive what the menu (in French only, no English) describe as a salad of endives and lobster.



What an interesting dish. A web-wall of sugar protects the creation from being directly assulted by the diner...a curious leaf of endive sticks out from what seemed to be a rather generous serving of lobster. The wall was crisp, hard, and sweet, of course. But it lends well to the taste of the lightly poached lobster, which was bursting with rich savour flavours as a fresh lobster ever could. The endive was more a decoration, and tasted like, well an endive leaf. Nice salad, even if there was more lobster and fanfare than salad. Enjoyed it.

For my mains, I had the beef with cheese...this was a heavy dish, Kari warned...but at the time of ordering, I thought it a good idea. But first the wine..




We consumed 2 bottles over the course of the evening. The first was in magnificent form. nice round tannins, with a beautiful nose reminiscent of berries. The second bottle was rather more powerful in its tannins, biting the tongue. On the palate it remained the same. We discussed this a bit, as we also found it strange that the sommelier told us that our taster need not taste the second bottle as he had already tasted it himself and declared it fine. Odd, as our taster had tasted and approved the first bottle, and eventually we found the second bottle to be inferior. But not wishing to cause a scene, we went along silently.




A thick slice of beef, cooked very nicely medium rare...a bit more medium than rare...but nicely done indeed...



The meat was magnificent. It literally fell off its sinews and almost melted in the mouth. The cheese provided able support with richness, and a saltiness which is characteristic of well matured cheese. I found the dish delightful, but after about 3/4 of the dish, I felt it was a bit too heavy, and could not finish it.

For desserts, we had an interesting sorbet of 4 mushrooms...



Interesting dish, allowing the flavours of the mushrooms to show. Obviously hand made in the kitchen by the pastry chef, this provided a nice round-up to the heavy meal.

Petit Fours were served, and as is typical of a high end restaurant, featured some hand made candies by the pastry chef:



Wonderful dinner, albeit a bit heavy. Perhaps I should have elected to go with the scallops instead of the beef. But overall, excellent service, great cooking. Fine food.



Hôtel-Restaurant La Maison du Prussien
Rue des Tunnels 11
CH-2000 Neuchâtel
Tel. +41 (0)32 730 54 54
Fax. +41 (0)32 730 21 43




View Larger Map