Restaurant of the Month - April 2015

Restaurant Blaue Ente, Muehle Tiefenbrunnen, Seefeldstrasse 223, 8008 Zurich.

http://blaue-ente.muehle-tiefenbrunnen.ch/

For our last outing with the ZIWA Dining Around the World group, we met for lunch at the Restaurant Blaue Ente at Zurich Tiefenbrunnen. The journey there from the main station takes 15 minutes by tram and it is located in the courtyard of the Muehle, next to Miller's Studio and the Muehlerama Museum. Sadly it was too wet yesterday to sit outside on the attractive terrace, but inside the restaurant is spacious and features an old mill wheel. Our group of ten ladies received excellent service and we all opted for one of the daily menu choices.



Today's selection featured either a mixed salad or carrot and ginger soup, which was delicious, followed by crispy cod with chervil on a bed of seasonal asparagus and a carrot couli, which most people opted for. We could also choose beef stroganoff with spaetzli or taglierini pasta with chilli. It was all freshly cooked, served hot and tasted delicious. Some of us opted to share a bottle of Austrian Weissburgunder wine, and even splashed out on a second bottle. Drinks and coffee were extra, and bread and a choice of waters were already on the table. The menu cost between CHF 23 for the pasta option to CHF32 for the beef; the fish menu cost CHF27.

Service was very attentive and the restaurant was pleasantly full but spacious. On a fine day it is very pleasant to linger on the terrace, There is also a bistro serving coffee and baked goods, taking advantage of the neighbouring mill museum which produces and sells bread, muesli and other bakery products. The pasta served in the Blaue Ente is the hand made Costa D'Oro brand made locally. And on Friday evenings there is live music in the piano bar.

Have a look at the website link above for all the options and to reserve. It's worth taking the time to find the Blaue Ente for its character, service and delicious food and wine.

Viel vergnuegen! 

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!

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!

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 November 2013

Restaurant Singapore, Badenerstrasse 530, 8048 Zurich
044 401 15 10

This restaurant has been a feature of Zurich Altstetten for many years, but no longer has a website and can therefore be tricky to track down. But take tram 2 to Freihofstrasse, just past Letzigrund, and you'll find this popular Asian eatery on the right hand side. There's a self-service place on the left but for our Dining Around the World November venue we booked a table in the waitress service room on the right.

The menu offers several tempting Singaporean-style dishes such as chicken and beef satay and a four-dish Reistafel, and we had our own Singaporean expert Penny to advise on a choice of food. Many of the dishes were marked as spicy, but there were also less spicy Malaysian and Chinese options, and all priced at a reasonable CHF23.50. I enjoyed the satays with peanut sauce, fruit and rice, a substantial dish with 6 skewers. Those in the know opted for a Poh Pien starter - a type of steamed spring roll - and shared a bowl of Laksa for the main course. This consisted of a pot of prawns, chicken pieces and tofu with rice noodles in a moderately spicy soup of coconut milk, cardamom and spices. Penny says that this is really a street dish in her native country.

Some of the other diners shared a selection for four people - Chicken Kung Po, Beef with Black Bean Sauce, a Malaysian Reistafel which comprised four different veggie dishes, and a wonderful lamb curry. There were also less spicy options available. Others opted for the dumplings as a starter. Everyone seemed happy with their adventurous choices.

The restaurant gets very busy at lunchtimes so it's good to reserve and it was quite crowded when we were there. You can also choose from a selection of cooling Asian beers to go perfectly with the spicy meal.

For an interesting lunch with attentive service and a varied menu, try the Singapore. Don't let the poor online access put you off - give them a call.

Restaurant of the Month - July 2013

Wirtschaft Neumarkt, Neumarkt 5, 8001 Zurich.

http://wirtschaft-neumarkt.ch/

Zurich Summer 2013 has been exceptional after such a long, hard winter. So the ZIWA Dining Around the World group plans to take every opportunity to eat outdoors. This time we chose a small restaurant in the Altstadt with a surprisingly large terrace at the rear. Our table for 12 was under a shady pergola at the back. It was an occasion for relaxing, chatting and enjoying the food.

There was a good choice of menus at lunchtime last Tuesday - classic Swiss dishes with good local ingredients. We could opt for the menu of the day or a selection of seasonal summer dishes. To start, most people went for the fennel salad but you could also choose a delicious cauliflower soup with plenty of fresh bread. The main courses included cod on a bed of beans, tomato sauce and chunky vegetables, chicken with rosemary butter, polenta and ratatouille, shrimp risotto with cherry tomatoes, pork cutlet with spaetzli, or the pasta of the week. The lunch menus cost from CHF 28 to CHF 35 including soup or salad. Drinks and coffee were extra, as usual.

This restaurant is a popular choice when the terrace is open, and all the tables were full this week. Inside, there is limited space so it's best to book. The restaurant is next door to the Theater Neumark and is popular with theatre goers, but you need to book ahead. Dinner is still reasonably priced at under CHF 40. There is an interesting choice of Swiss wines on the wine list, and the food is supplied locally where possible.

So for a quiet venue in the back of the old town (tram 3 to Neumarkt and then 3 minutes' walk) with outdoor seating in summer, give this restaurant a try!