Out and about – Switzerland

After my Belgian adventure, I also spent a week in Switzerland, specifically Basel, Luzern, and Geneva. Eating in Switzerland was a bit more difficult than it was in Belgium for several reasons:

1. I didn’t have an interpretor with me (and many menus were not in English).
2. Eating out was expensive, much more expensive than in Belgium. Entrees alone were usually > 20 CHF (Swiss francs).
3. When I first arrived in Switzerland I was suffering from a little post-Gentse Feesten GI distress (my last day in Belgium included a trip to the apothecary)
4. Eating dinner solo is not as fun as dining with friends.

My hotels in Basel and Luzern included breakfast, which was a huge buffet that catered to both American and European tastes and included eggs (omelets, scrambled and hard-boiled), meats, cheeses, breads, muesli, yogurt, and fruit. In these cities I usually ate a huge breakfast and was set until dinner.

Filet de perches
This was recommended to me as a “summer” food by someone I met on a plane earlier this year who had lived in Geneva for many years. I had it once in Basel with mushrooms and butter and once in Geneva with tomatoes and sauteed vegetables.

Filet de perche at Cafe Spitz

Pretzel
I stopped in at the Rathaus Brauerei and really enjoyed the spot. It was in the old part of Luzern, and right on the Reuss river with a great view of the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). I also really enjoyed the wheat beer and the pretzel with cheese (which apparently is the same as a pretzel with butter and cheese). I wonder if they have pretzel slicers like we have bagel slicers.

Pretzel mit kas at Rathaus Brauerei

Sirloin with frites
I happened upon Café de Paris in Geneva and was intrigued because it was usually pretty crowded and there was only one thing on the menu: sirloin steak with salad and fries…all you had to order was the temperature at which you wanted the meat cooked. I figured, if a restaurant is bold enough to only serve one thing, they probably do it pretty darn well. The steak arrived sizzling, and swimming in butter. Delicious. Unfortunately the meat kept cooking on the table-side sterno and became a little more well done than I would have liked.

Sirloin steak at Café de Paris

Chocolat chaud
Another highlight was the chocolate chaud (hot chocolate) I had at Phillipe Pascoët for a chocolate chaud (hot chocolate). It was so decadent, a perfect afternoon pick-me-up!

Chocolate chaud at Phillipe Pascoët

Unfortunately I did not get to try fondue or raclette. They seem to be more “winter” foods, and the few places I did find that were serving fondue either seemed very touristy or only served “fondue for two”.

The rundown (or at least some highlights):
Rathaus Brauerei
Unter der Egg 2, 6004 Luzern

Brasserie Bagatelle
20 Boulevard James Fazy, 1201 Genève

Café de Paris
Rue du Mont-Blanc 26, 1201 Genève

Phillipe Pascoët
34 rue du Marché, 1204 Genève