Basel is known – amongst other things – for its proximity to the two neighboring countries of Germany and France. And just as Switzerland’s biggest city of Zurich, it has a good offer of fine-dining outlets. Whereas Zurich’s high-end culinary scene is very dynamic – see my post about it -, Basel is a bit more modest in this context. However, that does not mean it is not worth visiting as a foodie. Quite the opposite, it boasts one of only four three-star Michelin spots existing in Switzerland. Furthermore, it also has two two-star Michelin establishments. One of them was already the subject of an earlier post about Basel’s fine-dining scene. I will cover the other and the three-star spot in the sections to follow. And my overview on best fine-dining restaurants in Basel will also include one from abroad, which fits this city as meeting place for three countries.

I begin with the highflier here, the mentioned three-star Michelin place before coming to the two-star and the one-star establishments.

1. Restaurant Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl at Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois

three-star Michelin restaurant featuring fantastic classic French cuisine with a twist in a splendid historical hotel dining-room by the water

This classic French high-end restaurant was for me the last on the list of all the three-star Michelin places in my home country. The reason for this was probably the fact that it is not considered as modern. And I am a big fan of contemporary cuisine. Yet, in hindsight I have to say this should not have hindered me so long. That is because everything was top-notch at my dinner at Cheval Blanc. The chef here, Peter Knogl, has been working here since 2007.

And since day one, he celebrates French haute cuisine, yet influenced by Mediterranean and Asian influences.

The chef is considered as king of sauces, and it really is exceptional what he accomplishes in this field. Each and every sauce was perfect, bursting with flavor and wonderfully balanced. But everything was of the highest standard, and this made by first rate produce and presented in a pleasantly reduced way.

And the setting is beautiful, at Basel’s most upscale luxury hotel – Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois – just by the river Rhine.

The 300 year old dining room (30 seats) is splendid. It is kept in a classical and somewhat opulent style, with intricate chandeliers and fine antiques.

And to my delight, the restaurant manager (Giuseppe Giliberti), although dressed in a black tailcoat, was not stiff at all but showed a good mixture of professionalism and relaxedness.

The dinner I had with my husband and friends at Cheval Blanc was utterly enjoyable. It was full of culinary highlights, accompanied by an immaculate service performance and the most glorious setting. This level of quality along with the highest possible rating (three Michelin stars, 19 point Gault Millau) comes with a price. Notwithstanding, it is still far from being astronomically expensive. On offer is a sole menu, either in the complete version (six courses for 320 SFR/US$) or in five courses (285 SFR/US$).

2. Restaurant Roots

two-star Michelin dining spot with excellent modern cuisine in relaxed ambiance a bit away from the city center at the river (with some service issues)

Our party of four enjoyed excellent modern food at Roots, and this in a chic contemporary setting.

Unfortunately, the dinner was overshadowed by an underwhelming service performance. Right after the opening we entered the premises and were welcomed with the words: Do you have a reservation? Of course we had one, otherwise you get no table at a two-star Michelin restaurant on a Saturday evening. And this was only the start to several service hiccups. It followed insufficient advice on Champagne selection, inflexible dining choices (see below) and not refilling our drinks. While we are at it, everything as to service was immaculate when related to food issues. The staff was obviously drilled to ensure that the cutlery was set when the chefs came to the table with their creations. They did this with every course, which was informative and entertaining at the same time.

Food wise, you can decide on six, seven, nine or ten courses (178/189/208/219 SFR/US$). The server let our party of four know that six courses involve following dishes: twice seafood, once vegetables, twice meat and once dessert. The seventh course would be a dessert, the eighth something with truffle, the ninth langoustine and the tenth cheese. When we asked whether we could have the truffle dish instead of the second dessert as seventh course, it was rejected. And this without giving an understandable reason. Be it as it may, the food we got was really remarkable. The cuisine of the young chef, Pascal Steffen, is innovative and often vegetable-based.

He started here in 2017, at the “Rhypark”, a convention center by the river Rhine a bit away from the city center.

The food is worth two Michelin stars (Roots got its second end of 2022), but this is not enough to create a memorable dinner experience. As a diner at a highly decorated venue (18 points Gault Millau) you certainly may expect a higher standard of service.

3. Restaurant La Table de l’Auberge at Auberge Saint-Laurent in Sierentz/Alsace (France)

well-made modern and traditional cuisine at historical coaching inn in nearby France with an one-star Michelin award

I mentioned it, Basel is located in the tri-border area of France, Germany and Switzerland. And because of that it is common that locals also go abroad for eating out. That is exactly what a dear friend from Basel and I did on a cloudy winter day when heading for Sierentz in the Alsace (France). You get here in less than 20 minutes by car. It is also possible to take the train (18 minute-ride plus 8-minute walk). A lovely 18th century coaching inn awaits you here in rural surroundings. The well-preserved Auberge Saint-Laurent oozes lots of traditional charm. And it offers – apart from ten guest rooms – two Michelin listed restaurants.

On our occasion, we were on our way to the one-star Michelin Restaurant La Table de l’Auberge (16 points Gault Millau). Yet – as my friend told me – the more relaxed Winstub À Côté (Bib Gourmand) is also a good choice. The property has been family-owned since 1982 by the Arbeit family. In 2010, the second generation took over. Chef Laurent, who continues his father’s work, trained in the kitchens of some big-name chefs (Haeberlin and Ducasse). He does this in a differentiated manner. Some traditional dishes that made the house famous such as the duck foie gras with sauerkraut jam are unchanged on the menu.

Furthermore, he revisits others classics and reinvents them in a more contemporary way. Plus, he does his own modern creations. And he was able to retain the Michelin star that his father had earned more than twenty years ago.

We arrived to find a newly refurbished dining room. It now has a fresh look yet without denying its classical origins.

In terms of food, you can choose between an à la carte offer and three menus. As to the former, starters are from 28 to 40 €, mains from 35 to 48 € and desserts from 15 to 20 €. Menu wise, there are three options: the classic “Gourmet” (62 €), the choice menu “Tout à votre Choix” (95 €) – both with foie gras – and the surprise menu “Surprises et Gourmandises” (125 €). My friend and I opted for the middle – with foie gras of course. And we liked what we got. For dessert, I requested a change as I wanted to try the “Tout petit vacherin glacé”. That was no problem, and it was heavenly, although not exactly “tout petit”. Quite the opposite, it was much too big – just as the foie gras. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable meal with a friendly and reserved but not stiff service.

Looking back as to dining in style in Switzerland

In case you are not only interested in best fine dining restaurants in Basel but in Zurich too, then check out my two former posts. One is about great options to dine in style in Zurich city, and this divided in casual places (four options) and sophisticated ones (3 spots). Furthermore, I also did an overview of recommended fine dining restaurants in the Zurich area, i.e. outside of the city. This is about three dining spots, all of them Michelin starred respectively by a Michelin star chef.

Date of visits: December 2023 – January 2024

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Eating out at Zurich’s (casual) fine-dining restaurants is not a new thing for me, quite the opposite. I have been doing this on a regular basis for years – see my posts about it. Yet there are still lots of great (casual) gourmet (Michelin) restaurants in Zurich that are either new in town or I have not dined at so far. So it is time for an update as to Zurich’s flourishing culinary scene. I have visited all the places I am going to write about in the years of 2023 and 2024, and this usually for the first time. In addition, it is exclusively about restaurants geared to fine dining. And it does not matter whether they feature a casual ambiance or a sophisticated one. Plus, almost all of them are listed in the Michelin and the Gault Millau Guides.

Find below short descriptions of seven of Zurich’s best gourmet restaurants. They fall into two categories: casual fine dining and fancy fine dining. In a post to come, I will also go into such dining spots in Zurich’s surroundings. I start with the ones offering a relaxed setting however serving high-quality food nevertheless.

4 of the best casual fine-dining restaurants in Zurich

The first one on this list is the dining spot longest in business, the last one being the newest in town.

1. Restaurant Maison Manesse (district 3)

UPDATE: Maison Manesse closes its door at this location end of 2024

highly creative & surprising Michelin-starred cuisine in a perfectly relaxed setting

Maison Manesse, a pioneer in the field of casual fine dining in Zurich, opened its door in 2013. And this at a location a bit away from the center. At the time, chef Fabian Spiquel and host Miguel Ledesma were in the lead. In the meantime, chef Benjamin Plsek and host Raymond Fuerer have taken over. They brought in some new blood yet otherwise pursued the combination of experimental cuisine in an informal setting, although in a weakened form. A surprise menu is on offer at this unpretentious former neighborhood restaurant. It is available in a vegetarian, plant based or “everything” version. You can order either four courses (125 SFR/US$ without meat and fish, 135 SFR/US$ for “everything”) or six (165 SFR/US$ without meat and fish, 175 SFR/US$ for “everything”).

Alternatively to the menu, you can choose from an à la carte menu. Mains cost between 34 and 42 SFR/US$, cheese in two sizes (18 or 24 SFR/US$). Desserts range from 10 (sweet bites) to 21 SFR/US$.

When it comes to awards, Maison Manesse got a Michelin star in the second year of business, which it holds to this day. Gault Millau gives 16 points. As to the food, inspirations for the refined and well-balanced creations come from all over the world. The chef knows how to do subtle and unusual combinations of flavors and textures. As far as ingredients are concerned, the dining spot stays local. In terms of wines, Raymond Fuerer is very proficient in this field. The interiors are young and funky. And in summer, you can dine in the pleasant outdoor area too!

2. Restaurant Gül (district 4)

Turkish comfort food, sometimes also with creative touches, in an informal, vibrant setting

At Gül Restoran it is about Turkish cuisine, although with dishes not copied “one to one” from the originals. Rather, Elif Oskan, the woman behind Gül, brings in her own philosophy at this fun place. She is Turkish, brought up in Zurich, and partners up here with boyfriend Markus Stöckle (Rosi) and culinary entrepreneur Valentin Diem (Brasserie Süd). At the center of Gül is an open kitchen. The most important equipment items here are a charcoal grill and a wood oven. From those come the grilled Alpstein chicken or the home made bread just as the Pide or the Lahmacun. The oriental dessert classic of Baklava comes with almond frangipani and ice cream.

The atmosphere at this spacious restaurant (90 seats) is relaxed and lively.

In addition, there is a nice outdoor area as well.

When Gül is fully booked, the staff – who is otherwise friendly and accommodative – might be struggling with the demands of the guests. The calming force in here – when things are a bit hectic – is Elif Oskan’s father, “Baba”. On our two visits, my family opted for the Gülty Menü Sürpriz, the surprise menu for 80/85 SFR/US$ reflects the best what the kitchen has to offer. And it was both times a good choice! If you like champagne, it makes a perfect combination – and they have some excellent ones on the wine list.

You can also order from a comprehensive à la carte menu: snacks from 3 to 8 SFR/US$, cold starters between 6.50 and 16.50 SFR/US$, items from the wood oven from 2 to 18.50 SFR/US$, warm starters between 6 and 18.50 SFR/US$, grilled mains at 38 and 39.50 SFR/US$ as well as desserts at 12.50 and 22 SFR/US$. The latter is the mentioned Baklava and serves (at least) two persons. When it comes to how the food is, I am no expert in Turkish cuisine. From some online comments I read, it does not seem to be authentic all the time. Yet Elif Oskan does not pretend to be. I for one liked what we got, which was often hearty yet sometimes also imaginative! Gül, opened in 2019, has a Michelin Bib Gourmand and 15 Gault Millau points.

3. Restaurant Kle (district 3)

refined Michelin-starred vegan cuisine at Zurich’s female culinary shooting star

Kle is one of the hottest dining spots in town! The vegan restaurant, opened in 2020, took the hearts of many foodies from near and far by storm.

And among them are lots of “carnivores” too. Zineb “Zizi” Hattab, the woman behind the restaurant, has made an amazing career. Actually, she is a software engineer from Spain with Moroccan roots. Yet she developed a flair for cooking and worked for several known names in the business (for instance Andreas Caminada). And now she has become Switzerland’s vegan queen with her inventive and elaborate dishes!

Is is difficult to get a table at Kle, despite their offering two dinner seatings. The restaurant, a former neighborhood dining spot, is rather small.

In case you are not successful at securing a reservation here, give Zizi Hattab’s second restaurant, Dar,

a try. It is bigger, more down to earth and family style (see my post). Or go for drinks and snacks to the wine bar Cor,

her third spot. And her latest project was it to move her Kle during five weeks to Saint Moritz to the prestigious Hotel Badrutt’s Palace! She really keeps herself busy.

Busy is a good key word when it comes to dining at Kle. It is a well organized affair, yet sometimes you feel as guest like being in a steady assembly line operation. And the pleasant staff seems to be overwhelmed at times. If you happen to be in the first shift, people already queue for the second one long before the designated time. And this might make you – and the servers – a bit jumpy, especially in case you are seated outside. But the most important thing, a high food quality, was still granted on my visit on a hot Saturday evening. Dining at Zurich’s top shot chef is really worth it. There is a surprise menu only, either in five or six courses (120/134 SFR/US$).

Kle has a Michelin star and 15 Gault Millau points.

4. Restaurant Chicería Cantina (district 4)

hearty Peruvian food at Restaurant Barranco’s little sister

Cantina is the smaller sister of Restaurant Barranco (see my post).

And this is literally meant. Everything is a bit simpler and more down to earth than at the much beloved Barranco. The leader crew is the same, Christina Tobler Orbegoso, a half Peruvian, as manager and chef José Severino. You get hearty Peruvian food home-cooking style at this former neighborhood restaurant.

As to the food offerings, they serve two kinds of ceviche – of course –

and other rather rustic dishes, yet sometimes with a twist. On my visit not long after the opening in late 2022, it was a traditional starter-main-dessert structure. Now the food is meant for sharing as it is the case at its sister property. Whereas the selection of hot items was a bit underwhelming at the time, this obviously has changed in the meantime. There seem to be more intriguing options on the menu lately. Specifically, there are ten plates to share between 12 and 36 SFR/US$. Plus, you find three side dishes from 4 to 10 SFR/US$ and two desserts at 16 and 17 SFR/US$.

As to how it is at Cantina, the setting is nice albeit the tables are tightly packed. I liked the decor with lots of multi-colored South American cushions and doilies.

Food was fine, especially the ceviches and the desserts. The hot dishes were good yet not really exciting. The staff was friendly enough yet a bit taciturn – probably due to lacking language skills. Overall, going through my dinner at the Cantina in early 2023, I thought they still needed to step up their game a bit.

After these four restaurants with ambitious cuisine yet a rather relaxed ambiance, now to three more conventional fine dining establishments.

3 of the best fancy fine-dining restaurants in Zurich

The first dining spot I am going into is not exactly a new discovery in Zurich. Yet I have not dined here for quite some time – and have not mentioned it on my blog so far. Plus, it is quite a unique place in Zurich. So, I thought that I should it include here. The other two however are newly (re-)opened restaurants. And I am sure we will hear a lot more about them in the time to come.

1. Restaurant Bianchi (district 1)

for sure the freshest and probably the best fish restaurant in town

Bianchi is a local fixture.

The restaurant is a joint venture between the most known Swiss fish dealer Bianchi and Bindella. The latter is a family owned company in the wine and gastronomy business. It goes almost without saying, you get fish and seafood at Bianchi, and the possibly best in town. It is about classics here. Many of the dishes have been on the menu since the beginnings in 2008. Think of freshly caught pikeperch, sea bass or tuna, prepared in various ways. And imagine, fish is delivered twice daily!

When dining at Bianchi, you look in vain for meat dishes on the menu. Instead you can make your choice out of several starters (from 18 to 44 SFR/US$), pasta and risotto (29 to 68 SFR/US$), freshwater fish (54 and 56 SFR/US$) and sea fish (49 to 68 SFR/US$). In addition, there is a variety of grilled fish and seafood. King prawns, scallops and king scampis cost per unit (8.50 to 12.50 SFR/US$). A seafood selection from the grill amounts to 78 SFR/US$.

As you might have noticed, dining at Bianchi is no inexpensive affair. Yet the portions are generous and the kitchen helmed by Lucio Paiano, knows how to prepare the delicate fish and seafood. From what I read, there are exclusively Italian chefs at work at Bianchi. This is evident in the desserts with lots of Italian options (from 12 to 16 SFR/US$). Service under the lead of Paulo Alexandre, a born Portuguese, is old school, polite and efficient. The restaurant, set on the water (Limmat river), is elegant and very close to the main train station. As to awards, Bianchi is Michelin listed and has 14 Gault Millau points.

2. Restaurant Orsini by Mandarin Oriental (district 1)

refined high-end Italian cuisine at one of Zurich’s chicest restaurants

Restaurant Orsini used to be one of Zurich’s fine-dining fixtures (see my post). And now it has reopened under a new management, hosted by Mandarin Oriental Savoy, end of 2023. And this hotel group has big plans with its flagship restaurant in Zurich. The “old” Orsini was a high-end Italian restaurant and the same is true for the “new”. But there is a difference, now it is about modern Italian cuisine, while in the past there was an emphasis on a traditional one.

When entering the premises, you soon notice that not one stone is left on another. Said that, the entrance gate remained, however the art nouveau lamps lining the entrance area had to give way to more contemporary ones.

I liked the modern interior design, kept in light beige tones and with striped columns, wooden floors and panelings.

And the staff led by Anaïs Boutin suited the chic space. It was professional, obliging and smooth. But of course, my husband and I together with good friends came first of all for the substance, not for the style. And that is of course the food (four-/six-course menu 155/175 SFR/US$, à la carte from 20 to 95 SFR/US$).

What can I say? I was delighted by what they had in store for us. The dining experience at the new Orsini restaurant was nothing short of fantastic, both in terms of appearance and taste. The six-course tasting menu was a series of highlights.

Among others it featured a fabulous lukewarm mackerel with almond almond milk, two best-of pasta dishes or a succulent blue lobster.

And the sweet dishes were out-of-this-world amazing! Here, the highly talented Andy Vorbusch – Restaurant Memories (see my post) – is at work. As to the chef, it is about Dario Moresco. He was appointed by two-star Michelin chef Antonio Guida (Mandarin Oriental Milan), who also acts as a supervisor at the new Orsini. I am sure the first Michelin star will be awarded soon! There is just one downer, the wine list with overpriced wines too young to drink.

3. Restaurant AN Fine Dining (District 1)

UPDATE: Oscar de Matos leaves end of June 2024

new worlds of taste at stylish restaurant headed by brilliant chef who learned his craft at El Bulli

And yet another highly talented chef pitches his tent in Zurich! It is about Oscar de Matos who took over the fine dining restaurant at Restaurant AN as from February 2024. He does this in cooperation with Marcus G. Lindner, a top shot in Switzerland’s culinary scene. The whole thing takes place at Restaurant AN, which was opened end of 2023 just a short walk from the main train station. In a first step, only the casual dining spot on the ground floor started the business. Here you get Chinese-European cuisine with a special focus on dumplings.

The thing with the dumplings is not just a coincidence. Behind AN is Yifei Li Ledermann, a Chinese-born ex-model. Since some time, she has been working in the hospitality industry and now established AN – her nickname, it means calm – together with her husband, entrepreneur Marc Ledermann. It was her dream to create a place where East and West meet in a culinary experience. And this in a cozy, refined atmosphere. While this involves a cool, chic place in red and black on the ground floor, it is about an intimate one on the upper floor. AN Fine Dining caters for a maximum of 22 guests only and is kept in subtle rose and blue hues.

Whereas chef Oscar de Matos – known as Lucerne’s culinary star at Restaurant Maihöfli where he earned a Michelin star – works in the kitchen, his partner Nadine Baumgartner is responsible for the front of the house. And she does this in an amiable, competent way. Yet also the chef was very visible on the evening my family and I dined at AN, which was not busy (Sechseläuten-weekend). He placed all the plates of the five-course meal (185 SFR/US$) – can be expanded by three more courses – in front of us and explained them.

And the food, it was a culinary revelation! The chef really has a knack for fermentation! He creates dishes that are unparalleled in terms of taste. It is mind blowing what he does with supposedly ordinary ingredients that he combines with unusual ones from foreign cuisines just as the Japanese or the Mexican ones. While I loved everything I ate here, I was absolutely blown away by the first course “Kohlrabi”, paired with salted caramel chipotle, buttermilk vinaigrette and chili oil.

What an intense taste sensation! Michelin stars are just a matter of time …

Outlook on what is to come as to fine-dining restaurants in Switzerland

As announced earlier, this is not all I have to offer when it comes to (casual) fine dining in Zurich.

There is more outside of town. It is about three Michelin (starred) restaurants to reach from Zurich city in less than half an hour, either by car or train. Later on, I will also blog on three gourmet dining-spots in Basel that I visited in 2023 and 2024 for the first time.

Date of visits: March 2023 – April 2024

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Is Bhutan on your bucket list for your next vacations? Then I have not only lots of travel information about the Land of the Thunder Dragon for you (see next section), but also suggestions where to go for a pre- or post-Bhutan stay in style. Doing so is for all those a necessity who come from a distant country of origin. When my husband and I went to Bhutan recently, we flew via Bangkok. Thus, we opted for staying in Bangkok before flying to our final destination. On our return to Bangkok, we drove on to Hua Hin, a seaside resort south of the capital, for a few quiet days on the beach.

After a short look at my Bhutan mini series, you will find more details from which cities you can get to Bhutan (Bangkok is not the only option). Plus, there will be some advice where to stay at great luxury hotels in those places. Then I come to the actual topic, my pre- and post-Bhutan stays in Thailand.

My mini series about Bhutan

As announced, there is more content on my blog about visiting Bhutan. I started with a travel guide, continued with a perfect 9-day itinerary and informed about touring the country by arrangements of the three luxury hotel brands operating here. As we had opted for COMO as a provider – alternatives are Aman or Six Senses – , you learn in a further post how it was. And just now, I am setting the end point of my Bhutan mini-series, detailing opportunities for ideal pre and post travel plans.

From where to fly to Bhutan?

As mentioned above, you can fly to Bhutan via Thailand. When my husband and I did this at the beginning of April, there were no direct flights from Bangkok. Instead, the plane made a short stop in Dhaka/Bangladesh – where you could stay on board. At the time, you could only fly to Bhutan once a day, and this starting at 5 am and landing in Paro/Bhutan at 08.30 am. The flight was carried out by Drukair, one of two airlines flying to the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Alternatively, you may fly into Paro from India. When doing so, you may choose between Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and Bagdogra. As I can safely assume that the first one is your best choice as a Westerner, here are suggestions as to where to stay in Delhi. And when you are in the area, do not miss a side trip to Agra/Taj Mahal. This is such a worthwhile thing to do!

Another option is it to fly via Singapore. Here is advice which hotel to choose here as a discerning traveler. Finally, you may fly to Bhutan via Kathmandu/Nepal (where I have not been to).

Pre- & post-Bhutan stays in Thailand

As my husband and I have never visited Thailand before, we appreciated the chance to get to know this destination a bit more. We settled for three nights in Bangkok and four nights in Hua Hin, a beach town in Bangkok’s south. While this may sound of quite long stays for stopovers, it actually was not. This because of two reasons. First, we had to leave our hotel in Bangkok at 2 am in the morning of our third night to catch our flight to Bhutan. Second, after returning to Bangkok from Bhutan, we only arrived at our hotel in Hua Hin at 9 pm.

While Bangkok was given as pre-Bhutan stay from the outset,

we thought longer about our post-Bhutan one. We contemplated flying to Kos Samui (flight time 1 h 05 min) or Phuket (flight time 1 h 20 min), Thailand’s most popular vacation destinations. Yet, we were daunted by the thought of more flights. As to upscale beach towns not too far away from Bangkok, there is not much around. Pattaya Beach, the city of sins (2 h by car), was not really an option for us. So, we decided to give Hua Hin (3-4 h by car) a try.

A pre-Bhutan stay in Bangkok

We had heard much about Bangkok, the good and the not so good. Yet, we were positively surprised about its vibe. Of course, it is a modern city nowadays, with lots of skyscrapers and traffic. Yet, if you search hard enough, you find some glimpses of the “old” Bangkok too. While traffic is bad at many times, the drivers are usually well behaved. And yes, at the beginning of April, we had already missed the best travel time for Bangkok (November to February).

When it comes to staying in style in Bangkok, there is an immense number of options. I have not really looked into it as our hotel was fixed from the beginning. Only so much, if I were free to choose I would opt for a luxury hotel by the river

not far away from the Grand Palace and Wat Arun (maybe Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons or Capella). In our case, we made use of a special combination offer by COMO Hotels and Resorts (our choice for Bhutan lodging). Actually, we had two nights free at their Bangkok branch, COMO Metropolitan. And here is how it was.

Hotel COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

As I outlined above, booking COMO Bhutan for your touring the Land of the Thunder Dragon comes along with special rates at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok (just send COMO Buthan an email). My husband and I happily took the occasion as we had liked our stays at other COMO branches (London, Miami).

COMO Metropolitan Bangkok was built in 2003 and last renovated in 2016. It is a modern high-rise building with 11 floors featuring 169 rooms.

Location

While I rate its location in the central business district of Sathorn as good, I personally think it is better to stay near the Chao Phraya river. This allows you not only to see river life close up but also brings you in proximity to ferries. And traveling on the water is often faster and more relaxing than by other means of transport in this city plagued by traffic. And the latter is especially bad on Sathon Road, where the COMO hotel is located. That said, it is situated in a quiet side street where you are not exposed to noise.

Whereas you need about 40 minutes to reach the river by foot, you are only ten minutes away from the nearest metro station (MRT, Blue Line, Lumphini). Plus, there are numerous great restaurants nearby. And one of the best rooftop bars in town, the Moon Bar at Banyan Tree Hotel, is just round the corner.

Rooms/Pricing at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

You find quite a wide range of room categories at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok: City Room (26-39 sqm, from 123 US$), Studio Room (43 sqm, from 138 US$), Metropolitan Room (51-54 sqm, from 146 US$), Terrace Room (80 sqm, from 174 US$). Plus, there are three different kind of suites. Price wise, you get away inexpensively. This is especially true compared to luxury front river hotels just as the three I mentioned above. These will easily cost you double or triple.

As mentioned, we spent three nights here, at a discounted rate. And we had a Metropolitan Room Twin.

Metropolitan Room

Our room was on the highest floor with a beautiful view of the central business district of Sathorn.

As to its style, it is sleek with clean lines and neutral colors. While it is predominantly kept in a western style, you also find the one or other eastern accent.

The bathroom is spacious, with the same view as the bedroom. There is a large open shower and a separate tub, all in limestone.

Unfortunately, there is only one, rather small sink, although you could have made two of them without difficulties (enough space).

My husband and I felt at ease here as the room was generously sized and offered lots of natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Ambiance/Staff at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

There is an atmosphere of calm and pleasant minimalism throughout the property. As to the rooms, you clearly notice a western vibe yet discreetly paired with eastern touches.

Staff at the reception and the doormen were friendly, helpful and attentive. When it comes to the restaurant (Nahm, modern Thai), I have mixed feelings. As to breakfast, we had no issues.

Dinner was a bit different. While everyone around us got one dish after the other, we had to wait one hour for our amuse bouche. When we inquired about the delay, we got an unsatisfactory response from the waiter. Once the dinner (tasting menu) finally took off, there was an ongoing coming of plates (many at the same time). And the last one was served in less than an hour from the starting time! This is not what a tasting menu is supposed to be! On the positive side, food was good.

Plus, at one time, a friendly female maître d’ came by the table to chat to us.

Facilities/Restaurants 

On site you find a wellness center, the largest of all COMO city hotels. It comes with ten treatment rooms, a 25 m/82 ft outdoor lap pool, a fitness room, a yoga studio, steam rooms and hydro pools.

As to dining at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok, I already mentioned their one and only restaurant Nahm. You get here a modern take on traditional Thai fare. I will go into this Michelin one-star restaurant in more details in a separate post to come about fine dining restaurants in Bangkoks’s Sathorn district.

A post-Bhutan stay in Hua Hin/Thailand

Before singling out Hua Hin as our destination for a relaxing time on the beach after our Bhutan journey (see above), I have never heard about this place. As I learned later, the rather provincial town of Hua Hin has become a popular getaway for both locals and tourists. And this not least to its easy accessibility from Bangkok.

What once began as a quiet fishing village, turned into a summer retreat for Thai royalty in the early 20th century and later also drew Bangkok’s nobility. Nowadays, lots of upscale second homes line the beach front.

As to the latter, it does not earn a prize for being one of the most beautiful ones in Thailand, yet it is not too bad either. The most known is Hua Hin Beach, which stretches for about 5 kilometers (3 miles). It is nice for a long walk, although, in certain parts, much of the beach disappears during high tide.

Aside from being a beach resort, Hua Hin is known for its night markets, numerous golf courses and wellness offers. If you want to do some sightseeing, I would not qualify it as super ideal for this purpose.

As to staying in style, there are some places that fall in this category. Yet, you are not really spoiled for choice here. Now to where my husband and I resided during our four-night stay, and this was at The Barai.

Hotel The Barai Hua Hin/Thailand

While The Barai was opened as standalone luxury hotel and spa in 2007 by Hyatt Hotels, it became affiliated with the adjoining Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Resort in 2012. It is very boutique, with eight suites only.

Location

The Barai is situated about 4 km/2.5 mi south of downtown Hua Hin. I would not encourage you to walk to the town center as the way leads along the busy, nondescript main road. However, you might think about doing so along the beach, for which you need about an hour.

By car, you reach downtown in about ten minutes, but only if traffic is light. This may not be the case on evenings and weekends.

As to other attractions nearby, there are two night markets, open from Friday to Sunday. On the one hand, there is the Cicada Market for predominantely non-food products like art, jewelry, clothing and handcrafted things. On the other hand, you find here the Tamarind Market for foods.

Rooms/Pricing at The Barai Hua Hin

There are eight suites in four two-storey villas.

In case you opt for downstairs (The Barai Pool Suite) as my husband and I did, you are in for a verandah,

plunge pool and garden.

If you go for upstairs (The Barai Balcony Suite), you have a balcony (5 sqm) with sea view.

Both have in common 101 to 144 sqm of space, an oversized king bed (3 m/10 ft wide!),

an entry hall with daybeds, a dining area as well as separate coffee and tea stations,

a huge bathtub with two oversized daybeds,

two individual walk-in closets with bathroom for him and her and a sizable shower (with steam function).

Included in the room rate are a butler service, a daily 60-minute massage treatment for two, an in-suite aromatherapy steam and milk bath (prepared by your butler), laundry service for two items per day, as well as full breakfast, all-day beverages, pre-dinner drinks and snacks (all served at Restaurant McFarland House).

The total package is really impressive! The Barai Pool Suite (101 – 124 sqm) is available from 541 US$, The Barai Balcony Suite (144 sqm) from 495 US$. Another accommodation is also part of the The Barai, the Presidential Pool Villa. It is suitable for a maximum of six adults and comes with a private pool, garden and beach as well as kitchenette, study room and dining table for eight persons (434 sqm, rate upon request).

Ambiance/Staff

As a guest at The Barai, you have to check-in and check-out at the “regular” Hyatt Regency, all the rest is separate. On the hotel’s premises, you also find a restaurant (McFarland House, see below), which is – of course – open to the public. It is the place where you have breakfast when staying at The Barai. Those from other parts of the Hyatt premises may also do so if they wish, but not within a bed and breakfast package. On our four breakfasts, there were never many other people around. It always felt quiet, as it was the case throughout The Barai property. It really had an exclusive feel!

What stood out at The Barai was the excellent butler service. Their staff already got it touch before our stay to arrange bookings for the included daily massage. After check-in at the main reception, a butler picked us up and gave us all the necessary information on the hotel. Every morning, someone from them checked on us during breakfast. When our daily massage came up, one of the team appeared to accompany us to the spa. They also reconfirmed our dinner reservations, organized transport to the restaurants and picked us up to bring us to our car driver.

As to the other staff, the one at the McFarland House was friendly enough. At the spa, we only had contact with the masseuses, who were immaculate (the administrative part at the reception was done by our butler).

Bottom line, it was a very pleasant stay in beautiful and serene surroundings, being pampered all day long!

Facilities/Restaurants

As I already mentioned here at several occasions, the spa plays an important role at The Barai. The name goes back to barays, large reservoirs created by the Khmers for use of their daily life. They were considered as life-determining, yet also a source of their spiritual wellbeing. Here at The Barai, these barays are remembered, both in the construction of the spa

and the tranquility court, a 30 m-/100 ft-long unique swimming channel in a court.

As to the spa treatments, they marry traditional Thai rituals and innovative western therapies. 18 single and double treatment rooms are on offer here at this maze-like red building, where the light is caught to reflect the elements of earth, water, air and fire. All the massages we experienced here were expertly executed, enhanced by the building’s special architecture.

The restaurant on the premises, McFarland House, was already a topic in other sections of my post. It is a two-story pavilion on the beach front, dating back to the 19th century.

It was home of Dr George Mc Farland, a man of many merits for Thailand. Parts of his original house were incorporated in the new building. It is a casual all-day dining venue. On the menu you find modern comfort food plus some healthy options. My husband and I only had breakfast here, which was enjoyable. We especially liked the Energy Bowl, the freshly pressed juices and the inventive egg dishes.

It goes without saying that you can also make use of the facilities and restaurants at the other Hyatt hotels onsite. Yet, we did not see the need to do so as we had with The Barai the perfect sanctum of serenity at our disposal. That said, we ventured to town to have dinner. A future post will go into three fine dining spots we visited.

Looking back and forward on my blog

This was the last of five posts on my Bhutan travel reporting, which went into following topics: travel guide, 9-day itinerary, travel plans of luxury Bhutan hotel brands, COMO Bhutan journey and pre-/post-Bhutan stays.

As announced, there will be some more information about Thailand. As my husband and I are serious foodies, we made sure that we enjoyed ourselves in this respect in Siam too. Find more about our culinary Bangkok and Hua Hin adventures soon on my blog.

Date of visit: April 2023

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Basel, Switzerland’s third largest city, is a good place for dining out in style. While its culinary scene has not been as dynamic as the one in Zurich in the recent past, it is still worth going to as a gourmet. In case you are heading to Zurich in search of great restaurants, also check out my posts that I published a short time ago: fine dining Zurich, casual fine dining Zurich and (casual) fine dining Zurich area. But back to Basel where I have lunched quite a few times lately, and this due to the fact that I resumed a relationship with a dear friend who comes from here. So I am able to provide information of five of the best fine dining restaurants in Basel and surroundings.

Before coming to the establishments in question, four in the city and one in the Basel area, a few lines to the city’s top fine dining outlets.

Short overview of Basel’s top gastronomy

As mentioned, Basel’s upscale restaurant scene is not as broad as the one in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city. Yet it is impressive all the same. The showpiece here is Restaurant Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl at Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois for sure, one of only four Michelin three-star dining spots in Switzerland. I have not eaten yet at the grand master of “haute cuisine classique”, but a visit here is certainly on my bucket list.

Another well known name in Basel is the Michelin two-star Restaurant Stucki – Tanja Grandits. I have dined here several times in the past. And I also happened to have lunch here a short time ago, so I can report on a recent eating experience too. On offer is a modern, creative cuisine.

The rising star chef in Basel is Pascal Steffen at Restaurant Roots, no doubt. Since he has opened his relaxed place in 2017, he knows how to persuade with creative and varied creations. While they are predominately vegetarian, you also get meat and fish. And the young chef’s efforts were crowned with the second Michelin star in fall 2022. Again, I have not been here yet. However, my friend and I had a lunch reservation at Roots just when the second wave of Covid-19 started. Therefore, we cancelled it. After restaurants were allowed to open again, there was unfortunately no lunch service anymore. Yet Roots is still on my “to do” list!

Some of the best fine dining spots in Basel and surroundings

I have visited all the restaurants I am going to write about in the course of the last two and a half years. And I have been at four out of five spots for the first time ever. The only place I was familiar with, is Restaurant Stucki – Tanja Grandits where I had already enjoyed dinner on two different occasions in the distant past. Having said that, I know one more chef from the restaurant he used to cook before, and this is Andreas Schuermann, currently at Restaurant Zum Wilde Maa.

1. Restaurant Stucki – Tanja Grandits Basel (left river bank, Bruderholz)

creative cuisine by the country’s best female chef in posh neighborhood

This is the place I know best as I have already eaten here three times, this with bigger time gaps between. And each time, the experience was quite different from the one before. I limit myself on the recent visit where I had lunch at Restaurant Stucki – Tanja Grandits.

Tanja Grandits, Switzerland’s most known and probably best female chef, has been in charge at Restaurant Stucki since 2008. If you wonder about the restaurant’s name, it goes back to the former chef, Hans Stucki, who helmed it during 40 long years (and got two Michelin stars). In terms of awards, Tanja Grandits is as successful as her predecessor (two stars Michelin, 19 point Gault Millau). She, who once studied chemistry, celebrates a subtle cuisine and is considered as “queen” of  colors and flavors. Harmony is important to her, not only from the point of view of culinary but also aesthetically speaking. And nature is her biggest source of inspiration.

When I had dinner at Stucki for the first time, not only the food was kept in aubergine but also the dining room. Nowadays, the interiors are decorated in warm colors, as you experience it in many restaurants these days.

The restaurant is housed in an imposing building that suits the posh neighborhood where it is situated.

On my latest visit, staff was discreet, cordial and smooth. The chef said hello to us, as she had always done on previous occasions.

Food is a big deal here, also at lunch time. There is either the business lunch or the full menu to choose from. As to the former, you can decide on three to five courses (95/125/140 SFR/US$). There is a selection of two starters, two second courses, three mains and two desserts.

In terms of the latter – the flavor menu – it comprises of nine courses and costs 265 SFR/US$. Price wise, eating here is not inexpensive yet probably justified for the experience.

2. Restaurant Im Ackermannshof Basel (left river bank)

best upscale Italian cuisine in historic premises

Since April 2021, chef Flavio Fermi has been back in Basel (before in Bad Bubendorf), where he started his culinary career. He his now at the Ackermannshof, a dining spot in a historic townhouse in the city’s St. Johanns-Vorstadt (suburb of Saint Johann).

He brought along the hosts from his former place of work as well (Roland and Evelyne Tischhauser). The chef is considered as the master of the Italian cuisine in the area. And he ist not only talented but also ambitious.

When my friend and I lunched here, three months after opening, it was not overly busy. We were told that is the “new normal” as a consequence of the pandemic and that they would not offer a lunch service after the summer season anymore. And I had read, that the Ackermannshof’s location is considered as “difficult” in town. Some predecessors already failed here. Be it as it may, I think that Flavio Fermi’s chances to succeed are good! The premises are not large,

you find here a somewhat small dining room, a tiny bar and a nice courtyard outdoor area. The decor is timelessly modern.

On our visit, we were first cared for by the friendly chef himself before the host, Roland Tischhauser, took over. Also the latter is amiable and at the same time knowledgeable and helpful. The food offerings for lunch were limited. We could make our choice between chicken stripes with a cream sauce, mushrooms, spaetzle and vegetables or linguine noodles with white wine, fresh tomatoes and olives. This together with a small salad or a soup costed 34 SFR/US$ respectively 29 SFR/US$.

My lunch companion and I both chose the linguine, and they were fantastic! While it was a simple meal, it was impeccably done. And the dessert, rhubarb compote with yoghurt ice cream was of the same caliber (10 SFR/US$)!

We really got value for money! I immediately knew that I had to come back for dinner soon (4 to 8 eight courses at 133/173/213 SFR/US$, awards: one Michelin star, 16 point Gault Millau).

3. Restaurant Puro at Hotel Moevenpick Basel (left river bank, main train station)

well-made South American fusion cuisine with Asian touches in new hotel high rise

When Hotel Moevenpick opened in the new built high-rise

in September 2021, this was also the hour of birth of the Puro Restaurant. It is located on the second floor of this splendid building and offers a South American fusion cuisine with Asian touches. While all the dishes are suitable for sharing, you can also order individually.

The chef, Pablo Loehle, a German who was born in Argentina, is familiar with South American food. After years of wandering through hotel kitchens in Argentina and Germany, he settled in Basel. Here he was executive chef at the Brasserie at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois. And now he has the same function at Restaurant Puro at the new Hotel Moevenpick Basel (14 points Gault Millau). Together with Raphaël Mazurek, he is in charge for the well-made dishes, which I found especially convincing when it came to starters.

For lunch, there are three options to choose from. First, you can opt for the Weekly Business Lunch (1, 2 or 3 courses for 30, 38 or 46 SFR/US$). Second, you can go down the sushi road (Puro Susi), a miso soup (10 SFR/US$), followed by three different sushi variations (29 to 36 SFR/US$). Third, you may try out the Puro Sharing Experience (3 to 4 dishes from 6 to 68 SFR/US$). My friend and I ordered our two individual dishes from the Cold and the Grilled & Co section and shared the bread as well as the dessert (76 SFR/US$ for each).

I found it quite expensive for what we got and it was not that plentiful either.

Dinner is a bit different, again there is the sharing experience, either in the form of the chef’s choice (4 courses for 105 SFR/US$) or you compose it yourself (3 to 4 dishes from 6 to 68 SFR/US$). When doing so, I think that you can also include the Puro Signature Sushi (2 variations, 48 and 68 SFR/US$, plus 4 sorts of Uramaki, 22 to 28 SFR/US$, and Nigiri, 6 to 14 SFR/US$).

As to the interiors, Puro is a large restaurant, but it is cleverly divided into several areas. When I was visiting a few weeks after the opening, one of them was closed down. I suppose they need all this space for their hotel guests (breakfast service etc.). The dining-room is modernly styled in warm hues, paired with natural materials. It feels elegant yet contemporary at the same time.

4. Restaurant Le Murenberg Bubendorf (Basel-Countryside, 19 minutes by car)

exquisite classic French cuisine in rural surroundings

This is the only restaurant I am going into that is not in the city of Basel but a bit outside of it. It is about Le Murenberg, located in the canton of Baselland (Basel-Countryside), precisely in Bubendorf. This is a small town in a rather rural area. And here this dining spot is housed in a somewhat unassuming building in a residential neighborhood. Yet the interiors are nice, decorated contemporarily in subdued colors.

And there is a cozy outdoor area too.

Denis and Melanie Schmitt, a husband-and-wife team, have taken over Restaurant Murenberg in 2012. And they renamed it in Le Murenberg, probably because Denis Schmitt is an Alsatian und celebrates a classic French cuisine (one Michelin star, 16 point Gault Millau).

His wife is responsible for the desserts and the service. And both had worked at 5-star hotels in Zurich before.

For lunch, you can decide on two or three courses (55 or 65 SFR/US$). The rate includes a small bottle of mineral water and a coffee. Instead, you can go for the degustation menu, the same as you get in the evening. Here you make your choice out of three to six courses (100/115/130/145 SFR/US$). In case you do not want to have the degustation menu for dinner, they also offer alternatives.

When my friend and I had lunch at Le Murenberg, the “lady of the house” was absent but we were well cared for by hospitable and informative staff. We could make our choice of two starters and three mains from the lunch menu. There was only one dessert available but this one was delicious.

The same was true for the rest of the meal. This place is a real find, not only is the food exquisite, but it is also competitively priced.

5. Restaurant Zum Wilde Maa Basel (right river bank, Kleinbasel)

UPDATE: out of business end of 2024

excellent modern cuisine by experienced chef in neighborhood-style restaurant

As stated, I know chef Andreas Schuermann from several dinners at his former place of work, Restaurant Bonvivant in Basel. Yet, I am going to report only from my recent lunch at his new restaurant. And that is Restaurant Zum Wilde Maa (stormy guy in English) that was opened in June 2020. This happened to be in the midst of the first wave of Covid-19.

This small neighborhood-style dining spot with just a few outdoor tables is located in Kleinbasel.

This is the area on the Rhine river’s right bank which was long considered as the “lesser Basel”. Nowadays, it has turned into a vibrant neighborhood with lots of trendy eateries and bars. And Zum Wilde Maa is one of them, helmed by Andreas Schuermann who is an accomplished chef. In an earlier job he even gained a Michelin star (at the moment, he holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and 14 points Gault Millau). And you notice it! Everything I had on my recent lunch here was superb, from the beetroot soup to the Lostallo salmon with risotto (35 SFR/US$) and the chocolate tart with hazelnut ice cream (19 SFR/US$). And you do not have to break the bank for a lunch here!

Petra von Gunten, the chef’s partner, is responsible for the service, and she does it in an engaged manner. She is also into decorating. When my friend and I were here before Christmas, we astonished at the wreaths on the walls that she had made herself. I liked the interiors at Zum Wilde Maa, which are a mix between traditional and modern. And the white-clothed tables give the restaurant a stylish touch.

Short, it is a place where you feel at ease and epicurean delights are for sure. Apart from the lunch offer mentioned earlier, there is a dinner menu as well. You can either choose the chef’s menu (3, 4 or 6 courses at 69, 89 or 119 SFR/US$) or go for the à la carte menu (small dishes from 15 to 28 SFR/US$, big dishes from 19 to 55 SFR/US$).

What I found a bit odd was how a reservation request was answered when I wanted to eat here again. The host let me know that the reservation was only provisional and that there would be a follow-up. At my request two days later, I was told that she cannot book us into their restaurant right now. She informed me that I would have to wait one or two days longer. And this was three days before we wanted to have dinner here! So I canceled the request. A day later, I got another message from Petra von Gunten, and that was a cancellation from their side.

Date of visits: October 2020 – November 2022

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The post (Casual) fine dining (Michelin) restaurants in the Basel area/Switzerland first appeared on Swiss Traveler

The post (Casual) fine dining (Michelin) restaurants in the Basel area/Switzerland appeared first on Swiss Traveler.

After outpointing some of the best fancy Michelin restaurants in Zurich, now the same for casual fine dining. And note well that the most prominent thing that distinguishes the more informal places from the fancy ones, is the setting. The standards concerning used products, their preparation and partly also their arrangement are more or less the same. It may be that casual fine dining is a bit more on the modern side. You are likely to encounter contemporary concepts just as family style dining (shared plates) and dining spots only offering vegetarian or even vegan food. Also it is often about world food. And in some cases, you will find that prices are a bit lower than at the more formal places. This may also be related to the fact that they are often in areas which are not considered as particularly posh.

Now that you know what to expect when heading for casual fine dining (Michelin) in Zurich, here are some of the most desirable hip spots in town. In case you should be interested in fine dining in Zurich’s surroundings as well, my next post will go into this topic.

1. Restaurant Josef (district 5)

urban hip restaurant with modern European cuisine, served as shared plates in small portions

My son and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at this trendy restaurant at the end of the previous year. From what I read on their website, they stopped offering lunch as from May 2022. But I am confident that their dinner will persuade as well! When doing so, you can make your choice out of a menu of about ten savory (21 to 24 SFR/US$) and three sweet dishes (12 to 14 FR/US$) plus cheese (16.50 FR/US$) and ice cream (7 FR/US$ per scoop). They are all shared plates in small portions and with no recognizable difference between starters and mains.

While I cannot judge about the individual dishes, they all sound exciting. David Heimer, a young Swedish, has been in charge here since spring 2020. For him it was a return to his former place of work as he already had been sous chef at Josef some years ago. On offer at this eatery is modern European food (Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau).

As to the ambiance at this dining spot, it has an urban hip vibe. One wall is full of black-and-white portrait photos, another one is wood–paneled in black plus decorated with mirrored tiles, alternating with colored ones. This is quite a sight.

The restaurant is rather large, there are about 100 seats at tightly packed tables. Service on our visit was friendly and attentive.

2. Restaurant Pueente (district 5)

cool eatery with contemporary Peruvian food, yet a bit too loud and smelly (Grill!)

Already when climbing the steps to this modern, vibrant eatery you smell the coal heated grill.

And your first gaze falls on the open kitchen where the husband-and-wife team is at work.

Before coming to Zurich, Paulo Timoteo und Lorena Olmo were at the famous three-star Michelin restaurant DiverXO in Madrid. Since summer 2020, you can enjoy their exciting Peruvian food at this informal restaurant not far from the city’s main train station.

While the menu is designed that the dishes are shared, you do not have to. And so our party of four decided on a starter and a main with a side dish each. For dessert we shared one among two persons. The ideal dish to begin your meal is one of the ceviches (18 to 23 SFR/US$), which were great.

Yet the other appetizers sound good too (19 SFR/US$). One of our party had Dim Sum and raved about it. To continue your meal (32 to 36 SFR/US$), good choices are either the grilled half chicken or the grilled octopus. Add rice or bread, and you are all set! When it comes to desserts, there is only one, Pai de Lucuma, a fruit that is native to South America, paired with meringue.

Overall, we enjoyed our dinner at Pueente, which offered an exotic mix of sights, flavors, sounds and smells. Although the latter two were a bit overpowering. Staff was pretty good yet did not really leave a lasting impression.

3. Restaurant Dar (district 5)

flavorful Moroccan comfort food in relaxed ambiance

Restaurant Dar is the second restaurant of Zineb “Zizi” Hattab. The first one is Kle, serving upscale vegan cuisine inspired by the Moroccan roots of the former software engineer and the Mexican cuisine. Although it was only opened at the beginning of 2020, she did not shy away from another project. After all, Kle became one of the city’s most desirable addresses for foodies (Michelin one star, 15 points Gault Millau). And so, she opened Dar in late summer 2021 (Michelin Bib Gourmand, 13 points Gault Millau). Here she celebrates the cuisine of her Moroccan parents, simple comfort food and again vegan only.

When I saw the the place, I was astonished to see how large it is. The restaurant already used to be a Moroccan one (Maison Blunt) before Zizi Hattab has taken over, and it definitely has something of a riad. Yet there is also the vibe of a neighborhood restaurant with its simple wooden tables and artfully mismatched chairs.

And the outdoor area, where we had reserved a table, is a green oasis!

The pleasant and helpful staff explained the eatery’s dining concept to us. We got to knew that the menu was created with the purpose of sharing. You can compose your meal out of a range of starters (from 12 to 18 SFR/US$), mains (18 to 32 SFR/US$, sides (4 to 6 SFR/US$) and desserts (12 to 16 SFR/US$). Or you may opt for the chef’s choice, costing 68 SFR/US$ per person, what we did. And this was a full success! You get to know a good cross section from what the cuisine has to offer, food that is bursting with flavor, zing and spices!

4. Restaurant Rosi (district 4)

refined Bavarian inspired cuisine that surprises at every turn

When getting here from the nearby tram station, I was taken aback a bit. Of course I had known about Zurich’s forth district, the nightlife quarter. Yet I found the Rosi’s immediate neighborhood a bit on the more undesirable side. However, this impression does not hold true for the restaurant itself. It occupies a block’s corner house and features a nice outdoor area, where our party of four had a table.

On our visit on a hot Sunday summer evening, it was not overly busy so that only a part of the surface was set for dining. Precisely, we were planned in for one of the long wooden benches with backrest on one side only. Luckily, my husband and I were here with our son and his girlfriend so that they sacrificed themselves for the “bad” side. By the way, the interiors look nice (and a bit more comfortable).

Hence, we came here not for a short meal but for a tasting menu. We wanted to try out the refined Bavarian inspired cuisine of chef Markus Stoeckle, a Bavarian himself (Michelin listed, 16 points Gault Millau). Yet do not expect plain Weisswurst sausages or so. After all, the chef had been working several years for Heston Blumenthal in London. Our party went for the middle menu. It consists of eight courses (140 SFR/US$).

The small one is the classic version with rather traditional dishes (seven courses for 75 SFR/US$). The big one has ten courses (180 SFR/US$). Both, the small and the big one feature more sophisticated creations. Alternatively, you may opt for à la carte. Here you get starters from 8 to 26 SFR/US$, mains from 38.50 to 64.50 SFR/US$ and desserts from 14.50 to 18.50 SFR/US$.

Dining at Rosi is an out of the box experience. The chef has some really crazy ideas! For example there are the Magic Mushrooms which are fluorescent when illuminated (torches are provided).

Or I also think of the Stamperl in Latex, a balloon with helium and schnapps (you swallow it bit by bit, and of course your voice becomes like the one of Donald Duck). It is a fun affair yet the food quality and preparation persuade too. And the young service is hospitable and informative.

5. Restaurant Barranco (district 4)

amazing Peruvian food in unpretentious place with colorful South-American graffiti

This is supposed to be Zurich’s best Peruvian restaurant! Barranco is quite a small eatery with a neighborhood feeling. Its location is nice, just by a traffic restricted square (Bullingerplatz), where it occupies a block’s corner house.

Thanks to its colorful graffiti – done by the Peruvian street artist Entes – its interiors have received a South-American touch.

And the outdoor area is presentable too! The dining spot is a project of the half Peruvian Christina Tobler Orbegoso, launched in fall 2018. For this purpose she teamed up with the Peruvian chef José Severino. He prepares delightful modern Peruvian food inspired by this country’s street food (Michelin Bib Gourmand, 15 points Gault Millau).

The menu is small, divided into four sections: from the coast, the mountains, the city and also sweet things. You can choose among two to four dishes in each category. Of course, you find here ceviche, yet also lots of other Peruvian specialties. Prices range from 15/16 SFR/US$ (desserts) to 28 SFR/US$ (seafood/meat). They recommend ordering six to seven plates (without dessert) for two persons to share. On our visit (there were the three of us), we sampled all the dishes on the menu.

And it was a greatest-hits album indeed! All the nine plates were amazing, we savored each and every bite! Not only were the products of good quality but everything was masterly done and presented. Plus the food was also inventive, what I had not necessarily expected!

As to the atmosphere at Barranco, it is laid-back with tables that are rather tightly packed. Staff is young, gracious and informative. And I think that everyone has a Latin background. I would gladly return here as soon as possible! After dining here, I do understand why this Peruvian eatery is one of the hottest reservations in town!

Date of visits: November 2021 – October 2022

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The post CASUAL fine dining (Michelin) restaurants in Zurich/Switzerland first appeared on Swiss Traveler

The post CASUAL fine dining (Michelin) restaurants in Zurich/Switzerland appeared first on Swiss Traveler.

It has been a while since I last wrote about Zurich’s culinary scene. That does not mean that I have not dined here any more. Quite the opposite, I have headed to my home country largest city pretty often looking for a fine meal at one of its many (Michelin) fine dining restaurants. And this must be no surprise as Zurich really has dressed up in this respect in the last decade or so.

All the restaurants I am going to mention are such ones that I have gone to in the course of the past two and a half years. And I have visited them all for the first time. While some of them are fine dining venues with everything that goes with it, others are more casual. Yet every one of them offers high-quality cuisine.

For a better understanding, I will make three categories. These are the following ones: first “FINE dining in Zurich city”, second “CASUAL fine dining in Zurich city” and third “(casual) fine dining OUTSIDE OF Zurich”. I am not going to make a difference with the latter as to being more formal or informal, but I will mention it in the text. And there will be three blogposts to cover all the venues I visited, one for each category.

One more remark before I start with the establishments that fall in the first category, “FINE dining in Zurich city”. Should you be interested in the fine dining scene in the Olten and Aarau area, my home region, I have recently made some posts about it (overview, Olten town, Aarau town, Olten-Aarau region).

1. Restaurant Marktkueche (district 4)

vegan cuisine in stylish however laid-back atmosphere

Since 2014, the young chef, Tobias Hoesli, has been serving his vegan creations in Zurich’s district 4, the city’s nightlife quarter. What began as a bistro with light cuisine has blossomed into an upscale fine dining venue with one of the best vegan cuisine in town.

The food is not only well prepared, of great quality and carefully done, but also nicely arranged.

As to the ambiance at Marktkueche, it is a whitetable restaurant, however it has a pleasant, relaxed feel.

Staff is amiable, knowledgeable and eager to give you more information on the dishes by request.

On offer here is a tasting menu only, from four (79 SFR/US$)  to eight courses (139 SFR). In terms of accolades, the dining spot has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand and 15 Gault Millau points.

2. Restaurant Sala of Tokyo (district 1)

traditional Japanese cuisine in prime location

This is Switzerland’s oldest Japanese restaurant and probably also one of the country’s best. It was established in 1981 and has been led by Lorenz Muster, who lived and cooked in Tokyo for two years, since 2013. In 2018, the dining spot moved to its current location, which cannot be better, just off Bahnhofstrasse and only one minute away from Zurich’s main station.

When I dined here, the weather was fine enough for having been seated in the outdoor area.

So, I could not get a feeling for the venue’s ambiance. However, I liked the decor, which is typical Japanese with lots of pale wood. Though, it is a bit more playful (original pendent lamp).

The service here is friendly yet subtle (they do not overpower you), it is like the Japanese usually do it.

You get here authentic traditional Japanese fare although a bit modernized.

This especially when it comes to certain cooking techniques (sous vide) or European products used for desserts. In terms of food offerings, you can make your choice out of three options. There is the kaiseki menu based on a strictly regulated meal sequence. Furthermore, you get here nabemono hotpots, where all diners cook and eat from the same pot. Or you dine here “izakaya-like”, you order a number of dishes and eat it family style, preferably.

Sala of Tokyo is listed in the Michelin Guide and has 16 points in the Gault Millau one. Dining here does not come inexpensive. Yet consider in this context the cost of high quality produce, the chefs from Japan and the prime location. The kaiseki option is 150 SFR in the least expensive version. The hotpots cost 79 SFR per person, also with the less expensive meat. And single dishes are available from 5 to 195 SFR. Desserts are available from 4 SFR (one mochi) to 16 SFR.

Our party of three opted for the kaiseki menu, and we thought it to be an excellent choice. Everything we had was of prime quality, carefully done and attractively presented.

3. Restaurant La Rôtisserie (district 1)

modern French dining with best views (river, city & Alps)

This is one of several restaurants that are part of The Living Circle group. In my mini series about Zurich’s restaurant scene I am going into two others as well (Restaurant Widder and Restaurant Alex Thalwil). La Rôtisserie is located at the historic luxury Hotel Storchen Zurich, directly on the river Limmat.

Chef Stefan Jaeckel is in charge here at this awarded fine dining spot (one star Michelin and 17 points Gault Millau). Its setting is very nice indeed, featuring views of the river, the Grossmuenster church and the Alps. The interiors are a feast for the eyes with a high ceiling and large picture windows.

The food is a feast as well, optically and for the stomach. On offer here is a modernized French cuisine with multiple influences from Asia and elsewhere.

You can choose either from an à la carte menu or go for the tasting menu. As to the latter, there are four to seven courses costing from 160 to 205 SFR/US$. Regarding the former, starters are available between 32 and 44 SFR/US$, mains between 62 and 110 SFR/US$ and desserts/cheese between 18 and 26 SFR/US$.

The ambiance inhere is upscale but not too much on the posh side. You feel at ease here. Service on my visit was friendly and accommodative, maybe a bit too rushed at the beginning. That might have been because our party of four was the first onsite. Bottom line: we spent a pleasant evening at this restaurant, where the food was the real star along with the prime location.

4. Ristorante Ornellaia (district 1)

UPDATE: new management as from May 2023 (Antonio Colaianni left end of April 2023)

upscale Italian cuisine, centrally located at beautiful venue

This is a place to impress your dinner companions! The elegant and sophisticated dining spot is just off Bahnhofstrasse, located at a stately building that used to house a bank (Volksbank). The same is true for its interiors, which I found beautiful. The place boasts a large open cuisine, separated by a glass pane. You can see all the action inhere, and this from almost every table. There are splendid stone walls where the windows lost their original purpose yet were thoughtfully embedded in the overall design. Having said that, the room is quite long and narrow, and the tables seem a bit too tightly packed.

The chef and manager here is Antonio Colaianni whom I knew from his former Restaurant Gustav (my post). He is a locals’ darling when it comes to high-end Italian cuisine. After persuading his guests with high quality food at Restaurant Gustav, he delivers at Ornellaia too (one star Michelin, 17 points Gault Millau).

Apropos the name Ornellaia, this is about one of Italy’s most known wineries. And this famous Tuscan wine estate and the Zurich restaurant group Bindella teamed up to start this dining spot, as the Bindella family’s showpiece.

Although Ristorante Ornellaia is a chic place, the staff is not stiff at all. Quite the opposite, our server was relaxed and ready to joke. Also chef and manager Antonio Colaianni

made the round at the restaurant after the service to great his guests and to ask whether they liked it. He lent a hand at the kitchen as well, where he is not the actual boss. Antonino Alampi, chef de cuisine, is in charge, a longtime companion of Antonio Colaianni.

As to the food offerings, you can opt for the Menu Sorpresa, the Surprise Menu. Here you can decide on the number of courses (four to seven, from 135 to 190 SFR/US$). The vegetarian option is available from 120 to 175 SFR/US$. If you go for this menu, you get a glass of Ornellaia wine with the main course. The alternative to that is the à la carte menu. Starters here cost between 29 and 44 SFR/US$, mains between 46 (pasta) and 72 SFR/US$ and desserts/cheese between 17 and 25 SFR/US$.

5. Baur Au Lac Terrace (district 1, only in summer time)

very expensive international cuisine at traditional luxury hotel with the city’s most desirable garden (lake front)

The Baur Au Lac Hotel is without doubt Zurich’s is most traditional luxury hotel. It is known in town for an impeccable service and for its terrace, where the rich and beautiful meet. The emblematic hotel is located just off Bahnhofstrasse, right by the lake, as its name says it. A friend of mine had suggested to have lunch here to get a look at the newly designed premises. And I had liked the idea! While Restaurant Pavillon (two stars Michelin, 18 points Gault Millau / UPDATE: will be closed end of 2023/concept change) is the Baur au Lac’s signature place in terms of culinary delights, the Baur au Lac Terrace had been an unknown entity to me in terms of food quality.

Of course, I had checked the offer and the prices before coming here. As expected, it was top end budget wise. You get here dishes to share  from 15 to 58 SFR/US$. In case you want to be really decadent, you can also order French caviar for 230 SFR/US$ or Beluga caviar for 510 SFR/US$ … There is also a “raw section” (18 to 48 SFR/US$). Plus you find a few dishes from the garden in the range from 16 to 38 SFR/US$. Mains are available between 34 and 54 SFR/US$. If you want to have your meal accompanied by a side dish (you should), you have to shell out another 8 to 16 SFR/US$.

To end the meal, you can either go for the pastry display (4 to 12 SFR/US$) or opt for the dessert menu (7 to 23 SFR/US$).

And how was it? Admittedly, the Baur Au Lac Terrace’s setting is truly breathtaking! This must be Zurich’s most beautiful hotel garden with a large stretch of lawn, stunning old trees and lake views!

As to the newly designed terrace, it is nice too, although the big parasol hinders you looking at these stunning trees. Food was good, however we only got a super tiny portion of seabass. After removing the skin, I could have eaten it in three bites! Having lunch here comes with a hefty price tag! Service was kind and professional, the clientele is mixed, business people, seemingly affluent locals and international travelers.

6. Restaurant Widder (district 1)

This is the second restaurant of The Living Circle group I am writing about (first: La Rôtisserie). At helm here is Stefan Heilemann, a highly awarded chef (two stars Michelin, 18 points Gault Millau). And he has been doing so since summer 2020 (before Restaurant Ecco at Hotel Atlantis, now Hotel Five Zurich). As it is the case with La Rôtisserie, Restaurant Widder is at a luxury hotel, Widder Zurich.

It is located not far from Bahnhofstrasse in the city’s splendid old town. In contrast to its “sibling”, it is housed in several historic buildings, one of which is the home of the restaurant in question.

The chef is indeed a skillful one! He knows how to combine masterfully traditional French techniques with Asian influences. He especially has a preference for Thai cuisine.

On offer at his place is a tasting menu with four to six courses (240 to 300 SFR/US$). There is also list of supplements that can be added to the menu. On it you find for example pig ears “Thai style” or a Scottish grouse.

The premises are nice. There is an open cuisine with a chef’s table plus two dining rooms. The original historical style was retained yet spiced up with contemporary touches.

While dining at the Widder is a sophisticated affair, there is no stiff atmosphere here. You feel comfortable, cared for by attentive and warm staff.

Date of visits: July 2020 – October 2022

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Now it is up to where to go for dining in style in Paris. More precisely, it is about Michelin starred restaurants here. This after giving details to a fabulous luxury boutique hotel on my favorite square in town, Place des Vosges, in my last post. It is about Hotel Cours des Vosges, a newly opened high-end lodging in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the French capital, the Marais. All the four Michelin starred restaurants in Paris I am going into in the following are located either here or nearby. You can reach them all within twenty minutes walking distance from the accommodation in question.

It is not like that my husband and I have to dine at restaurants with Michelin stars every evening. Yet the selection of great gourmet dining near Hotel Cours des Vosges is enormous! You could stay a month without running out of restaurants within walking distance! And while many of the foodie spots are not exactly inexpensive, there is a great number of such ones which are priced reasonably. When checking out the area as to culinary highlights, I came across of lots of smaller eateries with modern cuisine, often by young chefs. And surprisingly enough, many are Michelin starred too. So, I could no resist and secured reservations at four Michelin one-star restaurants.

While all four dining spots were convincing – I would return to all of them – , I have two favorites, and I start with those.

1. Michelin 1-star Restaurant A.T Paris

5th arrondissement, 1 star Michelin, 16 points Gault Millau, 50 Best Discovery (by the makers of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants)

This small Michelin starred restaurant in the Paris’ Latin Quarter has been part of the city’s high-end culinary scene since 2014.

Here in these minimalist, Nordic inspired interiors you get light food that does not fit in any box.

While chef Atsushi Tanaka is Japanese, he insists that his cuisine is not Japanese. Instead he is influenced by many European cuisines in his cooking. He had worked in Spain, Scandinavia and in France. In addition, he is fond of molecular cuisine as well as Japanese techniques how to prepare food. All these experiences made him develop his own style that is truly unique.

On offer at A.T is a sole tasting menu costing 150€. You can add a wine pairing for 85€, which my husband and I did. It was well worth doing so. It suited us perfect and was served with lots of elan by a knowledgeable sommelier. And the food was grandiose, progressive and artistic likewise! Plus, it was served on beautiful handmade plates.

After three snacks and three amuse bouches they brought us the chef’s signature dish, called camouflage.

This is a mackerel filet buried under solid parsley and fromage blanc powder. And it was like nothing I have ever tasted! Next was some sort of noodle soup but made with squid instead of pasta, which was nothing short than ingenious. The feast was continued with two more sea food courses (lobster and red mullet),

before the meat course came, saddle of lamb. The latter was my least favorite dish, as the meat was barely cooked and not very tender. I was reconciled with two fruity-sweet desserts (mirabelle and timut as well as peach and verbena), which could connect with the previously experienced high quality level again.

2. Restaurant FIEF Paris, Michelin starred

11th arrondissement, 1 star Michelin (new since April 2022), 14 points Gault Millau

Here everything you get is FIEF, Fait Ici En France (Made Here In France). And it is done by a young chef who gained some fame as finalist in the French Top Chef edition of 2018. Victor Mercier is his name and I think that he might become a really big chef!

Here at his contemporary Michelin starred restaurant, opened end of 2019, he already does a great job. He does this visible to his guests as he and his team work in an open cuisine behind a guest corner with eight seats. Here you get the Big Degustation Menu (ten courses for 150€ at 8:00pm). In addition, there are 34 seats in a dining-area. On offer here is either a menu with meat (four courses for 85€) or a vegetarian one (four courses for 70€).

It is highly recommended to go for a seat at the guest corner, which is what my husband and I had intended to do. Unfortunately, they changed their dining concept after their summer break and and our reservation – made before – was wrongly allocated to the dining-room. But never mind, they were able to save the situation! The female maître d’ who had welcomed us seated us at a high table in front of the open cuisine where we could watch all the action. And we got the six-course menu we had signed up for. Plus, they did not charge for the champagne we had to start the dinner! To top it all off, the chef himself brought us almost all the dishes, accompanied by short explanations.

In the end, nothing stood in the way of our experiencing a fantastic dinner, which opened up new worlds of taste to us! The chef has a knack for crafting extremely flavorsome dishes that persuaded in all respects. Already the snacks made our culinary hearts melt. And it went on in the same furious manner: the smallest tomatoes as amuse bouche,

an eggplant variation, a celery creation, mussels and caviar as well as duck as main.

Then it was time for the sweet part: strawberry with fennel, a vegan Pêche Melba, figs and orange blossom ice cream, petit-fours and port wine from Burgundy. An uninterrupted series of highlights!

3. 1-star Michelin Restaurant Auberge Nicolas Flamel Paris

UPDATE: chef left in November 2023, restaurant lost Michelin star in 2024, now Michelin listed

3th arrondissement, 1 star Michelin (new since April 2022), 14 points Gault Millau

I must start by saying that my stomach was a bit upset, when dining at Paris’ oldest dated house (1407).

And this is of course never a good basis for a fair review of a restaurant’s performance. In addition, it was a hot late summer evening, and we were seated right next to a mobile air conditioner on the second floor. While my husband could benefit from a cold draught, I became hot and hotter. When we finally changed places, my husband noted that the air conditioner’s exhaust house was right under my (former) seat. So, the circumstances did not help my enjoying the evening.

Having said that, this should not dissuade you from coming to chef Grégory Garimbay’s new restaurant. Because he is not only a very talented cook but also a charming person. He gave me a nice smile, when we were passing the open cuisine located on the ground floor.

And you are in here not only for a feast for the stomach but also for the eyes. The city’s oldest house underwent a complete renovation in 2021. And it is a true gem, its interiors kept in a modern Scandinavian style without denying its ancient roots (exposed beams, original facade).

Food at this Michelin starred dining spot is immaculately prepared yet not always on the light side. You can choose either from an à la carte menu or opt for the signature menu (five courses 110€, six courses 130€). A specialty of the chef is his virtuosic handling of whole animals. That means, you get here lots of meat in every conceivable way. That already started with the snacks with lots of bacon (in the bone). It went on with tuna belly paired with cucumber. After a meatless course (grey zucchini with pine nuts) it was up to seafood (The most excellent blue lobster!).

Another great dish was the poultry in combination with romaine lettuce. And imagine, there were two surprise dishes along with these two courses showcasing lesser known parts of the animals!

To end the meal, there was a refreshing pre-dessert, a delicious chocolate variation and some nice petit-fours.

4. Restaurant Automne Paris, Michelin starred

Overall

I was astonished to see that there is such an abundance of great Michelin starred restaurants in the Marais area and its neighborhood.

Many of them offer a contemporary dining experience in an equal setting. And mostly you get value for money too. Apart from the ones I chose there are lots of other establishments that appealed to me, but of course we had only four nights. Moreover, we had to juggle things a bit as lots of eateries in Paris are closed on Sunday and Monday. Exceptions here are Restaurant Automne (open on Sunday) and Restaurant FIEF (open on Monday).

Other dining spots that sound promising are for example Le Rigmarole, Septime or L’Initial. If you should have the chance to dine at them, let me know how it was! And also check out my last post about my Paris stay of January 2020. Here I mentioned three more establishments with great food. Especially, I would like to point out Restaurant Alliance (still has a Michelin star)

and Restaurant Contraste (got a Michelin star at the latest awards)!

Date of visits: September 2022

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Paris is my favorite city in the world, and it certainly is the one I have visited most so far. My husband and I even used to live here for a longer period of time, albeit not together. He worked in Paris for a year. After returning, he got me an apartment for my five-month language course from the same landlady he had. And that was the beginning of our Paris’ love. Since this very moment, we have been going to this city on a regular basis. Our last visit dates from January 2020, and so my husband thought it was time to return. Therefore, he booked another stay here, a surprise for my birthday! To my delight, he chose a new luxury hotel located at my favorite square in town, Place des Vosges. And this was Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris.

And I went on the search for great Michelin (starred) restaurants in the area!

Before letting you know details about how it is staying in style at one of most magical spots in the French capital, a few lines about two other related topics. On the one hand, I want to inform you how Paris has been changing in recent years. On the other hand, you might be interested to learn what to do as a repeat visitor to this city. And this especially if you like walking. As to recommendations for great gourmet dining spots near our hotel of choice, they follow in my next post …

How has Paris changed in recent years?

As I have pointed out above, Paris has been a fixed thing on my travel agenda for many decades. Every few years, my husband and I return to it. And so, I think we have developed quite a good feeling how the city has changed over time. As many other popular destinations, Paris has become more crowded with time. Consequently, we had to find ways how to avoid tourists. We mainly do this by not doing the main sights respectively only “touching them” briefly. This is easy if you like walking. In this case, you can leave the masses of tourists behind you. More to this in the next section, before going into details how it is staying at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris.

Another thing that has become apparent in later years is that Parisians have turned more and more into some sort of “Anglophiles”. English is now an everyday language in the French capital, and this not only in the tourist industry. It has become increasingly difficult to talk to locals in French, even you have a proper command of this language, as my husband has – I have a bit less so. They may start in French, but often in course of the conversation they change to English, sooner rather than later. And this in a city where their residents would not dream of talking to you in another language than French not so long ago!

A last point worthy of note is the fact that you find fewer cars and much more bikes in the inner city nowadays. While many travelers might welcome this development, it does not have good sides only. First of all, you do not hear them coming. Second, you find bike lanes in many one way streets, and this in the reverse direction. Third, too many cyclists think that they do not have to follow traffic rules, in fact almost all. In consequence, you as pedestrian have to be extremely alert when crossing a street or leaving shortly the sidewalk to pass other people. 

After this short anecdotes to Paris, now how to proceed if you want to avoid the hordes of tourists here.

What to do in Paris as a repeat visitor especially if you like walking?

The solution I am going to propose to you only works if you have already done the major sights here and if you are an avid walker. Hike Paris! For this purpose, buy the possibly best trail guide of Paris, the FFRP TopoGuide Paris … à pied! It is produced by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre, the French Hiking Association.

This excellent guide lists three crossings through the French capital. The first goes from west to east (Bois de Boulogne

to Bois de Vincennes), the second from north to south (Parc de la Villette

to Parc de Monsouris). And the third stretches from west to east, crescent shaped and only on the right bank of the Seine (Porte Maillot to Porte Dorée, passing by the Montmartre hill).

These trails mostly follow scenic routes yet without neglecting the big sights. The guide contains detailed maps, pathfinding instructions and a wealth of history, culture and sometimes also wildlife information about the various sections of the trail. Short, it is perfect for your Paris hike!

Unfortunately, the FFRP TopoGuide Paris … à pied is only available in French! But also people with little fluency in French can learn to use it, with just a bit of effort.

My husband and I did all the crossings, at least once. However, we always left away the one or other section. But this does not reduce the pleasure! On our recent stay, we did the second crossing again. One one day, we started in the north and ended in the city center, in the Marais

where we stayed. On the other day, we began in the south and hiked all the way to the Seine and to our hotel on the Place des Vosges. What a great way to experience this city and its variety of neighborhoods! And just in case you should be interested, it took us about four hours to finish these two half trails (what would mean about eight hours for the whole crossing).

But now to where to go for staying in style in Paris. And this at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris, right by the city’s most beautiful square, Place des Vosges.

Hotel Cour de Vosges Paris, luxury boutique hotel with view of Place des Vosges

Prices of luxury hotels in Paris have been skyrocketing in recent years. While we were able to stay at one of the top accommodations in town just as Le Meurice in 2004, this is no longer an option for us. And this is due to rates that we consider as exaggerated. If you opt for the least expensive room here mid-week in shoulder season you have to spend 1,700€ per night!

As a consequence, we usually go for smaller, not that known and recently renovated four to five star establishments, when looking for lodging in Paris. And this time, my husband indeed had a lucky hand when it comes to finding the perfect gem for a short stay in the French capital. He came across the fabulous Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris that was opened in fall 2019!

If you wonder which location to choose for a hotel in Paris, also check out an earlier post of mine.

Location of Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris

Staying at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris is all about location! While this accommodation does have lots of other assets, its situation on the glorious Place des Vosges is the most outstanding one! This square in the Marais neighborhood in the city’s fourth Arrondissement is not only Paris’ oldest one (inaugurated in 1612) but certainly also one of its most beautiful.

Strolling under the arcades of the lining mansions

or along the paths of the central garden is such a wonderful thing to do.

The square was built on order of King Henry IV. He had decided that all the pavilions surrounding it should be identical, with two exceptions. Now there are 36 of them, built of brick and stone with high, blue slate roofs. One of them, precisely number 19, is the home of Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris.

Ambiance/Staff at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris

When standing in front of the hotel, you hardly notice that it is one. At first glance, Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris just looks like its 35 ochre-red siblings. On closer inspection, you notice a sign and a heavy door, wedged between a modernist patisserie

and a traditional brasserie. When entering the 17th-century townhouse, you feel like being in a private home, albeit one with an impressive art collection. There is no reception, just a cabinet containing a computer and room keys.

Staff is very accommodative and kind. They seem to employ lots of predominantly young people working part-time. But you get everything from them you need. Yet this is no hotel for people who need pampering and lots of guiding. There are almost no public spaces onsite. You can have your breakfast in the courtyard behind the street door.

Or you can go to the adjoining patisserie that is part of the hotel for this purpose. By the way, you might have noticed the somewhat unfavorable Google reviews of this hotel. Do not be overly impressed by them as they mostly concern this tearoom, which offers rather pricey pastries.

Rooms/Pricing

As this is a 17th-century townhouse, it is constructed in the typical way of this period. There are four floors (plus the ground floor). The second floor (the so-called Bel Étage) is the one with the highest ceiling. You find here the rooms where guests were hosted at the time. As higher as you go in the building, the lower are the ceilings and the more modest are the rooms. At the top, on the fourth floor, you find the former maids’ quarters.

They kept this traditional room pattern at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris. At the bottom, you find the Deluxe and Superior Suites, a bit higher the Junior Suites, followed by the Deluxe Rooms. And finally, at the top, there are the Superior Rooms. Prices (room only) start for Superior Rooms (26 sqm) at 750€, for Deluxe Rooms (31 sqm) at 890€, for Junior Suites (31 sqm) at 1,100€, for Superior Suites (40 sqm) at 1,300€ and for Deluxe Suites (55 sqm) at 1,400€. We had opted for a Deluxe Room, find details about it in the following.

Deluxe Room: our choice of room at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris

As you may have noticed in the section before, staying in style at the Places des Vosges Paris has its price. However, I think that the rates can be justified. There is this mesmerizing view of Place des Vosges that you can enjoy from each room. It intrigues you from the moment the first rays of sun fall on the roofs and facades until the shadows grow longer.

The higher up you go in the building, the more the panorama expands. From the third floor, where my husband and I were, your gaze leads above the top of the linden and horse chestnut trees in the garden, which I found just perfect.

On the other hand, I found the room spacious enough and the decor ravishing!

I loved everything here, from the enormous four-poster bed, the seating area around the former fireplace, the table by the window and the generous bathroom with its stand-alone wash basin and tub. A plus was also the separate toilet with wash basin in an antique style.

Each room is unique. But in all of them you find art books stacked high and crystal decanters with whisky and vodka on vintage bar carts for self-service. In terms of materials and colors, steel and terracotta floors go hand in hand with light brown wallpaper and blue seat cushions. For me, the room’s character was harmonic yet at the same time contrasty.

The one thing that might be disadvantageous is the fact that there is only one small window. As we enjoyed sunny weather all the time, this was no issue to us. But I can imagine that this is different in case of a foggy day. If you care for more light, opt for a room on a lower floor where the windows are much larger.

Services/Other facilities at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris

I already mentioned where you can have breakfast. Another option would be having it in your room. My husband and I chose to take it on the tearoom’s terrace (there is no in-room dining) every morning. It is a branch of the Brach-La Patisserie

serving sweet treats by pastry chef Yann Brys, who was named Meuilleur Ouvrier de France (best craftsman in France). And the croissants and pains au chocolat are truly excellent. But all the rest was convincing too, served from silverware by mostly pleasant staff.

Apart from the tearoom, which closes in the evening, there is no other spot for having something to drink or eat. But this should be no problem as there are lots of bars and restaurants nearby. And if you crave a drink, there is whisky and vodka in your room,

accompanied by all sorts of non-alcoholic beverages in the well-stocked fridge. There is no nicer thing to do than sipping a drink and contemplating this wonderful square at your feet!

As to your wellness, you can have massages in your room and/or you can use the Roman bath downstairs.

We did not get to trying out the latter, yet it looked tempting.

What is next

After all this info on staying in style at Hotel Cour des Vosges Paris, you will soon learn on my blog where to head for Michelin starred dining in the French capital. Come back later to receive all the details! Also check out my last post about Paris from January 2020 where I informed about three top restaurants, two walks and my two favorite squares! One of the latter ones is of course the before mentioned Place des Vosges. And as to the dining spots mentioned in this blogpost, all three still receive good reviews yet the stars among them are Restaurant Alliance (still has a Michelin star) and Restaurant Contraste (got a Michelin star at the latest awards)!

Date of stay: September 2022

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Venice is the choice for millions of international holidaymakers and this not without reason. Its lagoon setting is second to none and the city is a one-of-a kind architectural masterpiece. Regrettably, Venice suffers from a matchless overtourism, too. Therefore, my husband and I had waited to visit it until these Corona times. As always, we looked for a place to stay and dine in style. And we were lucky to came across Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel and its Michelin two star GLAM Restaurant.

In case you are interested in some facts and figures about Venice’s overtourism and how the appearance of Corona changed this, have a look at me latest blogpost. Now, more about an excellent luxury hotel in Venice that will not break the bank and its acclaimed restaurant (which is going to cost you a bit).

Luxury & gourmet Venice getaway at Palazzo Venart

My husband and I checked out what was on offer in terms of high-end hotels in Venice about two weeks before our arrival. The dazzling names in this city’s high end hotel industry just as The Gritti Palace,

Cipriani or Aman asked for rates that appeared as too high to us. While the former two charged around 1,000 SFR/US$ for standard rooms, the latter asked for even more. As we could not imagine that these hotels could be much in demand end of August/beginning of September in these Corona times, we discarded the option to lodge in one of those.

Instead we looked around for other upscale accommodation with fairer market prices and found Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel.

Unlike Venice’s lodging grande dames it is boutique size with only 18 rooms. It is a member of the renowned hotel group The Leading Hotels of the World and was opened only four years ago. I think it is the ideal choice for luxury travelers with an eye for value for money, too!

Location

Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel is located in the quiet Santa Croce district.

While this is not in the heart of the Venetian center of action between Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square, it is very conveniently situated directly at the Grand Canal within two minutes from the vaporetto (water bus) station of San Stae. You can reach the Rialto Bridge in about ten minutes by foot and the St. Mark’s Square is approx. a 20-minute walk, given the walkways are not too crowded. The location is also handy for the train station, the parking San Marco and the airport shuttle boat.

Facilities

If you value an arrival in in style, get a water taxi and pull up at the Venart’s private dock. From here you walk through a nice garden before reaching the rear entrance of the hotel building.

By traversing it, you come to the courtyard garden lined with big trees.

While the latter is the place where you have breakfast or dinner outdoors, both gardens are perfect for drinks and snacks at any time of the day. If the weather does not permit it, you can move to the salon on the second floor, which is equipped with antiques and custom furnishings.

Also on site you find the one and only two star Michelin restaurant – GLAM Restaurant – in the lagoon area. A report how it is to dine here – a must for gourmets – follows below. This is also the place where you have breakfast, and this really is a special affair. It is a la carte and served in several courses. The start makes a delicious croissant or danish, followed by a hot dish that you can be combine with cheese and/or cold cuts. The choice even includes spaghetti with tomato sauce! Next is a fruit salad and/or a tart. It is for sure the best breakfast I have ever had in Italy and also one of the most memorable ones I have had so far!

Rooms/Pricing

At Palazzo Venart Hotel, you get more than a whiff of luxury. There are 18 rooms including five suites. Each one has been individually decorated and is based on a certain aspect of Venetian history. Some of them even have a view of Venice’s Grand Canal. As to the double rooms, there are classic rooms with or without terrace as well as prestige rooms.

My husband and I opted for the deluxe suites, the least expensive ones in this room category. Out of the two suites, we got the Lord Byron Deluxe Suite.

And it is such a lovely accommodation! It features a stunning parquet flooring, walls clad in silk and a bathtub tucked away behind a partition by the bed.

There is a separate lounge area

with views of the Grand Canal through original arched windows, although you have to bend down to fully enjoy the vista.

The bathroom is superb, spacious and lined in beautiful Italian marble. And it is generously sized, offering 50 square meters in total.

Price wise, I found it provided good value for the cost. My husband and I could profit from a last minute offer including a discount of 30% and either a 30-minute gondola ride or a 50 euro credit at the GLAM Restaurant. Our rate amounted to 556 SFR/US$ per day complete with a (sumptuous) breakfast.

Ambiance/Staff

Palazzo Venart has a distinguished history. It was formerly an aristocratic residence where members of the city’s respectable society met. The property underwent a complete renovation and unfurls itself innewsplendor. Now you find here original 16th century frescos and artwork side by side with contemporary art items.

Due to the hotel’s boutique size, you feel like you are in your very own palace. A serene ambiance hangs in the air but without being stiff or lifeless. This spirit is underlined by staff who is attentive yet unobtrusive. This is true for the personnel at the restaurant (see my review below), too. My husband and I felt much at ease here, cared for by immaculate personnel.

After all this information on the hotel now to the dinner experience at the Michelin starred in-house restaurant GLAM.

Dining at the two Michelin starred GLAM restaurant

In case you are here for a luxury & gourmet Venice trip, then dining here – at the one and only Michelin two star restaurant in historic Venice – is a must!

About the chef

Resident chef here is Donato Ascani, who received his first Michelin star in 2017 and his second in 2020. GLAM Restaurant is managed by Enrico Bartolini, a multi Michelin starred Michelin chef from the Tuscany. He is in charge of Restaurant Mudec in Milan, a three Michelin stars establishment, and several others in Italy and abroad.

Location/Ambiance

As mentioned, GLAM Restaurant is part of the Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel. It is housed in a property’s side wing with view of the marvelous courtyard garden where you can dine in style al fresco (weather permitting). When entering you come to an anteroom with a bar. The dining room itself is very elegant and rather small with about eight tables. The walls are slightly reflective. This gives the room together with the minimalist lamp (difficult for food shots) and the empty, white-clothed tables a special aura.

Food concept

On offer here is an a la carte menu, divided in starters, first courses and main courses. As always in Italian restaurants it remains unclear to me, whether you should choose three courses or four of them as it is the Italian way. In the latter case, the second course is usually pasta or risotto and the main course comes with vegetables only. Be it as it may, my husband and I opted for a tasting menu instead.

There are two of them, one is Art, Gardens and Lagoon, the other Nature and Origins. Both of them have nine courses (including snacks and pre dessert). While you know what to expect from the first one, the second one is a surprise menu. We decided to give the former a try.

The cuisine focuses on fish specialties plus Venetian cuisine, creatively interpreted by Donato Ascani. The chef is a culinary virtuoso who has a knack for unusual dishes which surprise at every bite!

Art, Gardens and Lagoon tasting menu

After a furious start with lots of delicious snacks

– I lost a bit the overview and even missed taking a shot of the fish burger – , one of the chef’s signature dishes is served. It is a colorful palette dotted by small Adriatic fishes and a myriad of unusual sauces.

We were at a loss how to savor them as it was not accompanied by cutlery. Without further ado we asked for a small spoon to finish it to its very end.

The post A luxury & gourmet getaway at Palazzo Venart in Venice, Italy appeared first on Swiss Traveler.

Venice is undeniably one of the most popular places to visit in Europe. The uniqueness of its lagoon setting made it a worldwide attraction for centuries. Unfortunately, this fact made it to one of the most overtouristed spots as well! And this was also the reason that my husband and I had never been to this city before. With the appearance of Corona, we saw the chance to visit it without the crowds. We squeezed it in between two other destinations and organized a two-night trip to this magnificent place on short notice. And that was enough reason for me to do some research about Venice and its overtourism.

After some facts and figures to Venice as one of the world’s most overtouristed places, I do not want to withhold from you how it is to experience this City of Canals in Corona times. And of course, it was totally different than it was before this virus messed up the travel word.

As always, my husband and I made sure that we could travel Venice in style. We booked two nights at a luxury boutique hotel complete with a foodie dinner at its in-house Michelin starred restaurant. Details on how to stay and dine in Venice if you like the finer things in life will follow soon on my blog.

About Venice and its overtourism

Please note that all the facts and figures mentioned here stem from the very interesting New York Times article “Venice Tourism May Never Be the Same. It Could Be Better.” (by Anna Momigliano; July 2, 2020).

Venice has been a magnet for travelers for centuries. At the end of the 18th century, wealthy Europeans started visiting it as part of “the Grand Tour”. Lord Byron was among the city’s earliest holiday makers. A funny detail, our hotel room in Venice was named after him!

By the late 20th century, Venice became a “tourism monoculture”, i.e. tourism has been its only economy. Tourists became more and more and before the residents realized it, there were too many of them.

It is estimated that the number of tourists amounts to 20 million annually, and this predominantly concentrated in an area of two square miles and 50,000 residents! This was of course before Covid-19. In the high season, Venice was impossibly crowded, especially in its narrow alleyways, some just two meters, or six-and-a-half feet, wide.

Tourism did change Venice, and not in a positive way. While the city’s historical center had at its peak in the 1950s 175,000 residents, this number fell below 60,000 in 2009 and it is now down to 50,000. Many residents consider some parts of their city as off-limits at certain times. They say for example that is impossible to cross the famous Rialto Bridge between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. without throwing elbows.

Day trippers (about half of the visitors) are especially harmful as they are on constant move. They disembark from cruise ships, train stations and bus tours. And they always crowd the same spots around St. Mark’s and the Rialto. An interesting fact is that for instance the cruise day trippers bring as little as 21 SFR/US$ per day and capita to the city (if they do not spend the night)!

Venice in Corona times

End of February, Venice’s overtourism came to a sudden halt. When Italy lifted its restriction on movement in early June, the lagoon began to see a few visitors. At the beginning, most of them were day trippers from the surrounding Veneto region. With time, others came, too. First, mainly Italians, afterwards also travelers from neighboring countries. I guess most of them took the car to get here, some also the train. From what I read, most of the hotels in Venice opened as from July or so, in contrast to those in Rome or Florence.

When my husband and I were in Venice at the end of August/beginning of September, there were tourists. Not many of them, as we were told, but quite a few, at least in the St. Mark’s

and the Rialto area. Except from those popular spots, there were no crowds. We were almost never forced to slow our pace – we had only two days here – , when we explored the city’s historical center, consisting of two islands. The foreign tourists we met were mostly German, often families. Yet there were no people from oversea, neither Americans nor Asians. It felt like traveling twenty or thirty years ago!

Of course, you have to see the major sights in Venice. Yet it is much better to aimlessly stroll through the city’s calli (walkways). By doing so, you can enjoy the city’s slow pace and its faded beauty.

At certain times, the streets were eerily empty. When we walked back to the hotel one night while it was raining heavily, we were the only people around. My husband and I were so happy that we had made it to Venice before it might become unvisitable. Either due to too many tourists or also because of high tides, the other big problem of this city.

After all this information on Venice’s overtourism and how it is here in Corona times now to a more pleasant topic. My next blogpost will be about where to go for a luxury stay

and a gourmet dinner

in this city.

Date of stay: September 2020

The post Venice – its overtourism & stay in Corona times first appeared on Swiss Traveler

The post Venice – its overtourism & stay in Corona times appeared first on Swiss Traveler.