Restaurant of the Month - December 2014

Restaurant Gruenes Glas, Untere Zaeune 15, 8001 Zurich

http://www.gruenesglas.ch/home

For our final event of 2014, the ZIWA Dining Around the World group chose to celebrate at the Gruenes Glas, a traditional restaurant which has recently been renovated. It was a popular choice for a pre-Christmas lunch, judging by the number of diners. We chose a menu from the Winter Selection and selected our dishes in advance to speed up the meal. The service in any case was very attentive.


Our choices included Nuesslisalat, smoked duck salad or mushroom tortelloni followed by monkfish or boeuf bourguignon with suitable vegetables. Drinks could be chosen by the glass to complement the meal.  As soon as our order was confirmed, the dishes arrived. Everyone was happy with their choice.



The setting in the restaurant was intimate in our own private booth, and the table was nicely decorated for the festive season. A great choice for our last event before Christmas. The Winterkarte contained a large selection of typical Swiss specialities including salads, soups and fish to start, followed by beef tartar, pasta, fish and a creative selection of meat dishes for the main course.


We didn't opt for desserts, but were pleased to receive a tasting portion of pistachio cream to round of the meal before our coffee. The two course meal plus water and coffee cost each of us CHF60, with wine by the glass extra. You can also choose from the menu of the day or the a la carte, and there is an extensive wine list which includes wines by the glass and a big choice of Swiss and European wines.



The Zum gruenen Glas restaurant is part of a Zunfthaus, which also fronts onto Obere Zaeune in Zurich Altstadt. But the restaurant entrance is at the other side in Untere Zaeune 15. It is located behind the Kunsthaus, a few minutes' walk away. For a special meal in a traditional setting, with modern cuisine and excellent service, why not try the Gruenes Glas? You need to reserve in advance though.

Zum wohl mitenand! 

Restaurant of the Month - November 2014

Restaurant Mexicano, Niederdorfstrasse 13, 8001 Zurich. 

http://www.bei-tony.ch/mexikano/home.html

'Direct in Hirschenplatz', this Mexican restaurant which is part of the Tony Navarro empire, can easily be missed at first glance. The name of the stag and the old, golden Hirschen sign above the door can be misleading, and if you enter, you will first find yourself in the rather small Cuban bar. But at the back it's another world - palm trees, pot plants up to the ceiling, brightly coloured walls and decorative Mexican murals embrace you in another time and place.

At lunchtime, there is an extensive menu of typically Mexican dishes; the weekly menu and additional specials feature chicken, rice, lamb, Argentinian beef and even kangaroo. The ZIWA Dining Around the World ladies chose fish, chicken fajitas, empanadas and beef taco. The a la carte menu offered even more tempting choices familiar to anyone who has eaten at the nearby Restaurant Turm or another of Da Tony's outlets. Palm hearts, chili con carne, nachos con guacamole, ostrich, chimichanga and a tempting selection of fish and seafood are among the long list of Spanish-sounding dishes on offer. The lunch platters were all nicely presented with accompaniments of freshly prepared guacamole, rice and salad.


After we had placed our orders for these substantial platefuls we were served with wine, water or margaritas to accompany the meal. We speculated on the nationality of our friendly waiter - Mexican, Spanish, Swiss? It turned out he was from Lebanon. That's Zurich for you!

Da Tony has found a successful theme and developed it. As well as the Mexicano and the Turm in Zurich's Altstadt, he has a garden centre, another restaurant in Urdorf and a wine business in Badenerstrasse. But at the Mexicano, you may be tempted by a delicious cocktail or a pitcher of margaritas, or explore the endless possibilities of Spanish wines, with or without a delicious dish.

The Mexicano may suffer from being overlooked, even right in the centre of town. But once you enter the zone of Mexico hidden behind the traditional Swiss facade, you will enjoy the colours, tastes and sounds of another world.

Buen provecho!

Zurich Observatory tour and dinner

On Wednesday 5 November, members of the ZIWA Swinging Sixties group, a large number of ladies, congregated in The Lion bar for a drink prior to a tour of Zurich's Sternwarte or Observatory. You may have often noticed this landmark in Uraniastrasse, and may even have visited the lofty Jules Verne bar, but we discovered a viewing gallery even higher up. Access is possible by lift to the bar and then by a staircase. The 360-degree view on this night was spectacular.

Our guide, Herr Weil, told us about the founding of the observatory in 1907 for the people of the city of Zurich. The 12 tonne steel telescope is housed on a concrete stand which is set into the earth. The telescope rotates to enable a view of the night sky towards the geographic north and Polaris. We were already impressed by the views over the city with its famous churches - the Grossmunster, Fraumunster and St Peter's for example, as well as many other familiar landmarks. In spite of the light pollution, the Zeiss-made telescope lens enables a view of the night sky through two panels which open. The refracting, colour-correcting lens has a magnifying power of 2500 times that of the human eye.

Herr Weil gave us an astronomy lesson about the solar system, the planets and the stars. Closest to earth is our moon, one of over 172 moons in the solar system.  The American Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) which was launched in 2009, is constantly taking photos of the moon and plots its varying distance from the earth during its orbit. Light from the sun takes 8 minutes to reach the earth. We were reminded always to use filters when observing the sun, though. A partial solar eclipse is expected on 22 March 2015.

We also learnt that the eight planets, excluding Pluto, all lie in the same plane, along with the asteroid belt. The sun was formed out of a cloud of hydrogen and dust particles and is 10 million degrees inside. Scientists predict that our sun will die in five billion years' time and become a white dwarf. Comets are formed from ice and snow, and the European (ESA) Rosetta project is planning to land a probe on one on 12 November 2014. The stars are 9.5 billion kilometers away, more than four light years. With our current technology we cannot contact other life forms as the time to reach them, if they existed, would be too great. There are 88 constellations of stars  in our galaxy, many of which we can view with the naked eye. Some of the most familiar are Orion, the Great Bear, Cassiopeia and those named after the signs of the zodiac.

You can visit the Observatory on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 20.00 without an appointment. See more at this link: http://www.urania-sternwarte.ch/




After the fascinating tour, group chairlady Vreni Riedler led us over the historic Lindenhof to the traditional Lindenhofkeller for a pre-arranged four course dinner. Our hosts introduced the two selected wines from a French vineyard near Perpignan, before serving us with an amuse-bouche prior to the delicious dinner.


We enjoyed Zander filet in filo pastry with beetroot, apple and horseradish salad, a small pumpkin soup topped with foam, black Angus steak, beautifully served, with roast potatoes and vegetables, and finally a tonka bean panna cotta with mango sorbet and mango and passion fruit compote. It was all beautifully presented and cooked, and the company as usual was also very pleasant.

Read more about the restaurant at this link: http://www.lindenhofkeller.ch/

 En guete!

Restaurant of the Month - October 2014

Weisses Roessli, Bederstrasse 96, 8002 Zurich Enge 

http://www.weisses-roessli.ch/

A small but appreciative group of ZIWA ladies from the Dining Around the World group enjoyed lunch here last Tuesday. The restaurant, which was originally Austrian, now features food with 'French flair and Mediterranean frivolity', prepared and served by Mathieu Bacon and his team. We certainly loved the food and service.

The midday menu features a tempting choice of two starters and two mains using seasonal and original ingredients. Our options were pineapple and lemon grass soup (yummy!) or red cabbage salad with mandarin oranges, and sea bass with lime and ginger butter, wild rice and orange chicory or veal ragout with fresh herbs, mashed potatoes and French beans. At a cost of just over CHF 30, it was very good value,


Optional dessert included chestnut mousse with cranberry jelly. In this autumn season they also offer game, plus seasonal accompaniments such as red cabbage, chestnuts, truffles, mushrooms, and more exotic choices such as curry soup, with dates. The desserts are definitely worth looking at too. And the wine list offers an interesting selection of European wines,


To dine at the Weisses Rossli you certainly need to book, as the place is always full, Worth considering for a business lunch or a special family dinner. And if you hanker after a Wiener Schnitzel, it's also on the menu.


This family business with an international cuisine and a light touch is definitely worth seeking out. It's located one tram stop from Bahnhof Enge and only five minutes from central Zurich.

Zum Wohl!

Restaurant of the Month - September 2014

Brasserie Lipp, Uraniastrasse 9, 8001 Zurich

http://www.brasserie-lipp.ch/wp_lipp/

In September, the season changes to Autumn and it's time to enjoy the new menus in our Zurich restaurants. When there's an r in the month, we can expect to find oysters on the menu at Brasserie Lipp, the local branch of the famous chic Paris eaterie. So on the last Tuesday of September, 13 members of ZIWA's Dining Around the World Group went French!

Top choice for many were the mussels - a steaming bowlful of moules with a portion of frites, to share or enjoy by oneself. Others plumped for a dish of oysters, one of the house specialities. Others chose the menu of the day, be it fish, meat or vegi, including a soup or salad starter. Prices ranged from CHF 30 to 50 per person. Not bad for a special lunchtime treat.



The Lipp has a huge range of dishes to choose from, including salads, smoked salmon, prawns, sausages, grilled meats and duck for example. The meat dishes are priced starting at around CHF45. You can also push the boat out with a whole lobster or a fisherman's stew, all of which are accompanied by the vegetables of the season. And you might like to start off with a glass of champagne to set the mood. Most of us opted for water, however.

For a taste of French cuisine or for a handy lunch meeting point for two in style, try the Brasserie Lipp in Zurich. And Autumn is a good time to do it.

Bon appetit!

Swiss cheeses

These cheeses were featured in a tasting at the ZIWA Kick-Off on 23 September 2014

Tilsiter Mild

Tilsiter cheese is a light yellow semi-hard cheese, created in the mid-19th century by Prussian-Swiss settlers, the Westphal family, from the Emmental valley. The same ingredients to make the cheese were not available as in their home country and the cheese became colonized by different moulds, yeasts, and bacteria in the humid climate. The result was a cheese that was more intense and full flavoured. The settlers named the cheese after Tilsit, the Prussian town in which they had settled.

Tilsiter has a medium-firm texture with irregular holes or cracks. Commercially produced Tilsiter is made from pasteurized cow's milk, ranges from 30 to 60 percent milk fat and has a dark yellow rind. After the main part of its production, the cheese needs to rest for an additional 2 months.

Nowadays it’s manufactured in more than one location and the milk comes from north and east Switzerland.

Using the re-imported recipe, Tilsiter has been manufactured in Switzerland since 1893. Swiss Tilsiter is mainly produced in 3 varieties. A mild version (green label) is made from pasteurized milk, a more strongly flavoured one from fresh, unpasteurized milk (red label), and the yellow-labeled "Rahm-Tilsiter" is produced from pasteurized milk with added cream.

Appenzeller Surchoix

Appenzeller cheese is a hard cow's-milk cheese produced in the Appenzell region of northeast Switzerland. A herbal brine, sometimes incorporating wine or cider, is applied to the wheels of cheese while they cure, which flavors and preserves the cheese while promoting the formation of a rind.

Appenzeller has a documented history of at least 700 years. 

Today, about 75 dairies produce it, each with a different recipe for their brine wash. Most of the recipes are trade secrets.

The cheese is straw-colored, with tiny holes and a golden rind. It has a strong smell and a nutty or fruity flavor, which can range from mild to tangy, depending on how long it is aged. Three types are sold:

• "Classic". Aged three to four months. The wheels are wrapped in a silver label.
• "Surchoix". Aged four to six months. Gold label.
• "Extra". Aged six months or longer. Black label.

Gstaader Mutschli

From the Berner Oberland Saanen region of south-east Switzerland. You can visit the cheese factory there: http://www.molkerei-gstaad.ch/

Mutschli is a 'HalbhartKäse' or Half hard (semi hard) cheese produced in the Canton of Bern.

Mutschli is the Bernese version of the common 'Hirtenkäse' or Herdsman's cheese. These cheeses were traditionally made for the direct consumption by the farmers, rather than for sale. As such they are softer so that they do not need to be aged as long, often being eaten after a few weeks of ageing. Historically speaking, these are probably the oldest cheese type, the longer aged alpine cheeses being adapted from them by adjusting the recipe so that they store better, being more suited to transport across long distances.

All cheeses from Switzerland

·                     Sbrinz

·                     Emmentaler

·                     Swiss cheese

·                     Gruyère/Greyerzer

·                     Berner Alpkäse

·                     Schabziger

·                     Appenzeller

·                     Bündner Bergkäse

·                     Mutschli

·                     Raclette

·                     Tête de Moine

·                     Vacherin Fribourgeois

·                     Tilsiter

·                     Vacherin Mont d'Or

·                     Formaggini

·                     Gala

·                     Büsciun da cavra

·                     L'Etivaz

·                     Tomme vaudoise

Visit the Bern Cheese Festival - 25 October 2014: Bern cheese festival

Julia Newton, 23 September 2014

Restaurant of the Month - August 2014

Drei Stuben, Beckenhofstrasse 5, 8006 Zurich

http://dreistuben.ch/

On a late summer's day, a garden restaurant is ideal. However, with a summer like this past one, a cosy indoor salon is a better bet. Drei Stuben catered to both alternatives: yesterday the rain won the day. Fourteen discerning ladies from ZIWA's Dining Around the World group gathered for lunch in the traditional wood-panelled interior of this typically Swiss place only two tram stops away from Zurich's main station. There was no shortage of conversation and good food.



We all opted for the set menu choices - salad or potato soup followed by Rotbarsch with potatoes, cucumber salad and a remoulade sauce or rolled veal with jus and pasta. The food is nicely presented and tasty. And the price is very reasonable - under CHF 40 for a two-course meal with water and coffee. On sunnier days, the outdoor experience is to be savoured.



The restaurant offers a selection of classic dishes done with modern flair. They also offer a five-course set menu for a special occasion. And the dessert card is impressive too. Chef Michael Bollinger and his team have refreshed the menu selection with dishes to appeal to all the senses. But the traditional setting remains familiar.

So for a taste of old-fashioned Switzerland  with a modern twist, you might like to try Drei Stuben in the university quarter of Zurich.

Enjoy your lunch!

Restaurant of the Month - July 2014

Seerestaurant Quai 61, Mythenquai 61, 8002 Zurich

http://www.quai61.ch/en/lakeside-restaurant/

In July, we took a chance on the weather and booked a table by the lake of Zurich, but under cover at Quai 61. This proved to be the perfect compromise - a waterside view without the risk of rain. Twelve people came along to enjoy the ambiance and the midday menu choices.

Service at lunchtime is quick, and the restaurant caters to business workers wishing for a chic place to eat, close to the financial centre, where you can also show off to a client or companion. For members of ZIWA's Dining Around the World group, our aim is a congenial location with great value food and attentive service. This was easily achieved on this rather overcast summer's day.

There was a choice of set menus at a reasonable price - fish or beef with delicious accompaniments, all served promptly. A glass of wine went down nicely alongside the main event. As usual the conversation predominated over the eating, though.



Quai 61 has a great a la carte selection, as well as a cocktail bar and a sundeck for really warm days. You do need to reserve though, as the place is always busy.

They also serve Sunday brunch and cater for special events. So if you're looking for somewhere special within walking distance of tram, bus and boat stops, with a wonderful lake view, give Quai 61 a call.

Zum wohl mitenand!

Restaurant of the Month - June 2014

Ristorante Italia, Zeughausstrasse 61, 8004 Zurich

http://www.ristorante-italia.ch/

Ideally one should experience this homely Italian place on a sunny day, when the shady garden provides a welcoming ambiance. We happened to choose the first rainy day of the month for our June visit. But we had a table for twelve inside a spacious side dining room designed for groups, and our welcome couldn't have been warmer. Another great lunchtime get-together for ZIWA's friendly Dining Around the World group.

On the menu at lunch-time - four or five dishes of traditional Italian home cooking. We could choose from involtini di pollo with risotto, penne with a spicy tomato sauce, scrambled eggs with broad beans and cottage cheese or two other tasty dishes. Each option cost under CHF30 and was accompanied by a mixed salad. On other days, the midday choice includes veal or beef, which are priced a bit higher. Everyone found the food delicious, and the service was quick and attentive. We could also have chosen a lemon granita to finish the meal, but most people were too busy chatting and went straight onto the coffee.


The a la carte menu has many more Italian specialities such as wild boar, spicy sausage, linguini with prawns, home-made gnocchi and many more meat and pasta dishes.There is also an impressive list of desserts, cheeses, wines and grappa to choose from.

Located near Zurich Helvetiaplatz and 10 minutes' walk from Stauffacher, the Ristoranti Italia offers cucina alla mama to office workers, groups, families and couples. It's down to earth, but the cuisine is excellent. If you're in the area, why not give it a try?

Buon appetito!

Restaurant of the Month - May 2014

Brasserie Louis, Niederdorfstrasse 10, 8801 Zurich

http://www.brasserie-louis.ch/

For a taste of French ambience in the heart of Zurich's Niederdorf district, you might like to try Brasserie Louis. Its size is deceptive and there is ample seating on the terrace outdoors on a sunny day. On Tuesday lunchtime last week, 15 members of ZIWA's Dining Around the World group gathered at two tables indoors. We had a very pleasant and authentically French experience.

On the day's special lunch menu there was a choice of veal with vegetables and sauce or penne with broccoli. We could also choose from the May specials menu of seasonal dishes, or splash out on a typically French dish from the extensive a la carte selection. The day's menu came with soup, potato as it turned out, or salad. The tender veal was many people's first choice, although some opted for bouillabaisse, a tasty fish soup. A choice of French and other fine wines accompanied the meal for anyone in a relaxed mood.



Service was rather slow on this occasion, but the staff were as helpful as possible and dealt with our staggered arrivals and departures calmly. Prices for the set lunches varied from 20 to 30 francs. We could also have chosen the classic entrecote cafe de Paris or the moules frites in season. The restaurant seats 80 and has a bar upstairs too. It's also a good place to have an after-movie coffee, as the Frosch cinema is just around the corner. I have also enjoyed delicious lamb here in the evening, and the red wines are very acceptable.


For an authentic taste of French je ne sais quoi right in the middle of the Zurich Altstadt, Brasserie Louis could be the place for you.

Bon appetit!

Restaurant of the Month - April 2014

Restaurant Delicato, Uraniastrasse 40, 8001 Zurich

http://www.delicato.ch/

 On weekday lunchtimes, this small Greek restaurant in the centre of Zurich offers a buffet selection of starters and main course dishes at a reasonable price. So the ZIWA Dining Around the World group enjoyed their April rendezvous and tried out all the typical Greek salads, soup, dips and main course options. And went back for more!


We sat upstairs on the balcony of the blue-and-white painted restaurant and enjoyed the view. Service was excellent but there was a rather steep climb down to the ground floor buffet to select our choices from aubergine dip, pittas, Greek salad, feta, yogurt and soup. Then down again to pick a typical meat dish - today it was bifteki, a beef meatball dish, and / or chicken, rice, green beans and fried potatoes. The dishes kept being replenished during our lunch visit. No one went hungry.

Afterwards we could also sample the sticky baclava and enjoy a coffee. The buffet cost CHF 26.50 and drinks were extra. The waiter was very attentive and even brought us separate bills when some ladies had to leave rather early.

There is also a full a la carte menu at lunchtimes and in the evening, when typical Greek dishes such as dolmades, spanakopita, barbounia and kalamari are on the menu. The choices vary with the seasons. There is also a good selection of Greek wines to try out.

For an authentic Greek experience and for a 'real Greek taste' 10 minutes walk from the main Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, head for this small place painted in the colours of the Greek flag - Delicato.

Yassoo!

Discovering Bex Salt Mines

Friday 11 April 2014

www.mines.ch

In Spring 2013, ZIWA’s Discovering Zürich and Switzerland group went deep inside the coal mines at Horgen (see this link Horgen mine visit). This year, we delved inside the salt mines of Bex near Montreux. Who even knew that Switzerland had these mines? Getting to the mines involved a two hour train journey from Zürich via Lausanne followed by a taxi ride to the entrance to the mine. As we passed over the Röstigraben it was chance for a few of the eleven ladies to show off their French before we visited the restaurant, Le Chat, conveniently located near the mine entrance.


Lunch was a leisurely matter with the chance for some to get stuck into a big fat juicy steak or an equally plentiful plate of fish and to share a glass of local wine. The manageress told us helpfully that the Ollon white was better than the one from Bex, although the local red seemed to be very acceptable.

Then we met our cheerful guide Nathalie outside the mine visitor centre. She informed us that she had always loved meeting international groups and was impressed that a group of women got out and about a lot. Of course that’s meat and drink to most ZIWA members. We heard that the mines are still in operation today and the miners work in the mornings, allowing time for guided tours in the afternoons. The salt in Bex (pronounced Bey) is of a high quality, naturally, and contains no radioactive substances. Nathalie reminded us of all the uses for salt – preservation, adding taste to our food, providing well-being – and said that the salt came initially from the sea bed and was deposited in the land by precipitation. Before we entered the mine tunnels, we watched a short film about its history.

What is salt?

The term ‘salary’ comes from salt, from Roman times when men were paid in salt or ‘white gold as some designate it. The expression ‘below the salt’ comes from medieval times when the poor had to sit at the end of the table where salt was not on hand. Salt was first extracted here in 1680 during the Bernese conquest and the tunnels were all excavated by hand. Mining then was slow and dangerous, and when the need was less, the salt mine was closed until 1724, when excavation began again. Scientists managed the extraction process. The Vaud revolution brought independence to the region and the mine was saved.  But Basel had mines that were easier to work, and the Bex mined closed again in 1836, until a local cooperative was formed in 1866. In the 19^th century the salt was brought out by hydraulics and drills, using thermo-compression. In the space of 100 years, the yield was increased tenfold.

In 1970 the method of wash boring was introduced, and the mines are once again profitable, with 35,000 tonnes per annum being obtained. Salt is still subject to tax. Also in the 19^th century, the spa town of Bex-les-bains was founded, and environmentally friendly salt was sold. No carbon dioxide is released in the process.

Into the salt mines

Now it was time to board the little train for a journey of 1.5 kilometres into the naturally ventilated mine tunnels, to a depth of 610 metres. The temperature underground was a steady 18 degrees but never very cold. After the bone-shaking journey, we alighted inside one of the huge galleries that exist underground, and we were able to explore further on foot.  We saw a statue of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners and firemen, in a niche in the rock. There was a plan of the tunnels and galleries which are indeed extensive. We saw an exhibition of minerals found in the rocks such as iron pyrites and halite, and a collection of ammonites dating back millions of years. In the past boys as young as ten years old were sent down to mine, even though there was a danger from methane gas, so they carried a candle, until the safety lamp was invented. Rock is extracted in cylindrical cores of different colours and tones. Iodine is also present in the salt and benefits the thyroid gland. Left-handed miners are always valued so that the tunnels can be dug out evenly on both sides.

Underground party?

In the huge underground hall where a café is situated, it is also possible to hire the room for a conference or very special birthday party (see link above). Salt products are on sale there, but we took another train back to the surface and daylight, where we could browse more salt-related products, minerals and souvenirs in the gift shop. The return journey was rather more crowded than the outgoing one, but another great day had been experienced by the ZIWA Discoverers.

Thanks to Anne-Marie for arranging it all. I’ll never take salt for granted again!

See more photos from Esther at this link: Esther's Bex pictures

Restaurant of the Month, March 2014

Restaurant Angkor, Puls 5, Giessereistrasse 18, 8005 Zurich

http://www.restaurant-angkor.ch/

When you walk through the imposing double doors of the Restaurant Angkor in Zurich's Puls 5 quarter, you are stepping into another world, one of exotic decor, larger than life flower displays, tempting loungers and silky cushions. In spite of the name of the Cambodian World Heritage Site, the cuisine offers more Thai food styles, although other Asian dishes are also on offer. ZIWA's Dining Around the World group ventured to the Technopark area of northwest Zurich and enjoyed a feast of flavours.

At lunchtime the twice-weekly menu offers four or five choices featuring a starter, four different meat or fish dishes and jasmine rice. Our starter was gyoza with a dipping sauce and the main courses this week offered chicken with peanuts, beef, duck in a red wine sauce or prawns. The portions were quite large and the cost was a reasonable CHF 23.50 to CHF 27.50 for the two courses. Everyone was satisfied with the flavour and quantity of the food - spicy but not too hot.

At lunchtime and in the evening there is also a large a la carte menu offering Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Cambodian dishes. You would expect to pay more and wait longer for this selection. But meanwhile relax and wallow in the atmosphere on silken cushions with the attentive service of the waitresses.

The restaurant also features a bar and a lounge area where you could lie back and sample a before-dinner drink. Or book up for the Aquarium with two special menus - the Angkor menu of soup, salad, chicken, beef, vegetables, steamed rice and fresh fruit for CHF110 or the more extensive Apatra menu at CHF129. Restaurant Angkor is open daily apart from Sunday lunchtimes and you need to book at any time as space is limited. In summer there is also an outdoor terrace. Access is simple by tram 4 to Technopark or underground parking at Puls 5.

So why wait? Book now for a business lunch, an evening for two or a special party in this 'oasis of the senses'.

Underground at Zürich HB with Candrian Catering

The ZIWA Swinging Sixties group delves into the world of mass catering

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Zürich Hauptbahnhof’s catering service is the largest covered operation in Europe. This fact and many others came to light on yesterday’s tour arranged by Vreni and her popular ZIWA Interest Group. You didn't need to be 60 to participate, and 30 people turned up to discover this underground world, unremarked by most of the passengers who pass through the station every day. There were two groups, one English-speaking and one German-speaking, who assembled at the meeting point to discover more. Our guide was Patrick, the Operations Manager from the firm Candrian Catering, who also run several establishments in the city and in Basel.

Starting off in the Federal Brasserie, we learnt that this was one of the three original bars established in the HB in 1924. At that time there were three classes of traveller, and hence the restaurants Au Premier, Da Capo and Federal provided first, second and third class food and service. In 1924, a soup cost 20 rappen and a full menu cost 1 franc 20. The Federal now serves over 100 Swiss beers, many of them such as Ittinger now owned by the Dutch brewing giant Heineken. Candrian Catering also works with the Nordsee and Burger King franchises that have outlets in the station.

Did you know that Zürich HB has a staff restaurant with 400 seats, which serves the 1600 catering and SBB staff who work at the station? The entrance is on the first floor opposite the Landesmuseum if you want to try it out for yourself! On the other hand, Candrian also do the catering for the Zürich HB Oktoberfest, and their biggest day of the year is the Street Parade, when the clean-up operation may take a week. Zürich HB’s underground world contains the kitchens which produce the food for all 42 restaurants and cafes above ground, including sandwiches for the kiosks. A single ordering system optimises the cost benefits.

As we were led around the underground maze, we saw the beer and wine stores, replenished daily, the soft drinks storage, and the dry goods store including 600kg. of coffee per week. There are 65 nationalities working at the HB catering, and 80 percent of staff are foreigners. Also in the twilight world we saw the laundry service which deals with staff uniforms, the trucks delivering products all over the station and the people dealing with cleaning and recycling.

Candrian Catering has seven new restaurants opening this year, including – breaking news! – a new sushi bar in the main station called Sora Sushi and an Asian garden lounge; look out for them in the summer 2014. Another trendsetter is the supply of popular new beer Chopfab, which means ‘headless’ in dialect.

As we toured through the kitchens, we were surprised not to see much activity, as the catering staff all go to lunch upstairs at 11.30. We saw the butchery where 25,000 sausages are made every week, the pasta kitchen, the fish kitchen and smoking room for the salmon, and the vegetarian food chefs for the Bona Dea restaurant. Most of the food, apart from a freshly cooked steak, is prepared below ground  before being sent upstairs to the appropriate restaurant for final preparation and service.  There are also a bakery and patisserie where all the station’s bread products (apart from Laugenbrot* and bagels) and desserts are produced.


 After our 2 hour long tour, we adjourned into the light of day at the fine dining Da Capo restaurant for our choice of two three-course menus served with water and coffee: drinks were extra, but good value for CHF70 for the whole experience. Thanks to Vreni and our two Candrian Catering guides for hosting us. I can still smell the coffee!

Julia Newton, 26 February 2014

*PS What is Laugenbrot? You may be familiar with the distinctive brown-topped bread rolls as well as the Silserbrot and Bretzels. They are processed using the product Lye, an alkaline solution similar to baking soda.