Restaurant of the Month - October 2012

Restaurant Belcanto, Zurich Opera House, Bellevue

http://www.belcanto.ch/

For an ideal lunch location overlooking the lake, reserve a table at Belcanto, the restaurant at Zurich Opera House. This iconic venue offers an extensive terrace location in summer as well as ample indoor space, all tastefully decorated. The daily lunch menu offers a choice of meat, fish, vegetarian or special dishes, with soup or salad selection, for between CHF 20 and 30. Great value!

The salads are fresh and the dressings delicious, the soup selection interesting and the main courses are simply and beautifully prepared. Of course, you can still choose from the a la carte menu and finish off with a tempting dessert. When the ZIWA Dining Around the World group visited last week, we could choose from beef hunter's steak with polenta, claresse filet - a fish from the North Sea - with minted bulgur wheat and courgettes, alpler macaroni Belcanto style, or French style duck with orange sauce, all for under CHF30 including starter. They all looked and tasted delicious!


In the evening you can dine before the opera, and the friendly staff will ensure you finish in good time. There's a full range of seasonal meat, fish and vegi dishes to choose from, accompanied by a good selection of house wines. Friends of the opera can also book a regular table, and reserve a glass of champagne ready and waiting in the interval.

For a classic meal served in a modern style, in an iconic setting, why not give the Belcanto a try? It's music to your tastebuds.

Restaurant of the Month - September 2012

Restaurant La Fuente, Hauptplatz 9, Rapperswil

http://www.restaurante-lafuente.ch/
If one needed another reason to visit the beautiful lakeside town of Rapperswil with its picturesque harbour, imposing castle and quaint old town, then it might be to visit the authentic Spanish restaurant La Fuente. Located in the top corner of the main square fronting the steps up to the old castle, this restaurant offers al fresco dining as well as a cosy, traditionally decorated interior. And the food selection certainly lives up to the idyllic location.

Every weekday there's a huge and tempting array of tapas to try, and for around CHF 26 you can return to the buffet a discretion to select from the platters of roasted vegetables, fragrant seafood and spicy meat and egg dishes. Or pick a dish from the daily menu of reasonably priced main courses costing from 20 to 30 francs, and sit back to enjoy the friendly waiter service. There's also a monthly menu featuring seasonal dishes such as truffles, mushrooms and topical meats and fish.

At weekends there's still a choice of small and large tapas platters from a selection of around 12 dishes, as well as the menu of the day. And in the evenings, the world of Spanish cuisine is your oyster! Choose from the following specialities: parrillada de pescados (mixed grilled fish), pincho de gambas (prawn kebab), filete de buey con pepe (beef in a pepper cream sauce) or pechuga de pollo a la paprica (spicy chicken with rice). Or push the boat out and order the paella valenciana for two at a cost of CHF62.50.



The wine card will not disappoint either, with a selection of open and bottled wines from Spain, Portugal and Italy. The Baron de Ley white Rioja is particularly refreshing on a warm day. You can start your meal with a chilled glass of cava to get in the Spanish mood. And if you have room for one dessert, then it has to be the crema catalana. Delicious!


On sunny days and in the evening it's best to book ahead. Que aproveche!

Swiss Traditions - Thalwil Market

Gotthardstrasse Market - Saturday 25 August 2012

http://www.thalwil.ch/de/verwaltung/dienstleistungen/?dienst_id=4486

Local crafts make pleasing gifts and souvenirs

Thalwil, a small town on the left side of the Zurichsee, celebrates several annual markets as well as the weekly produce markets in the main street, Gotthardstrasse.

The Gotthardstrassenmarkt always takes place on the last Saturday of August and is amongst the most popular with local residents and visitors. The weather is usually fine, all the shops along the main street open their doors and spill out onto the pavement, and local clubs and businesses have stands.

Entertainment for children

It's a local event when you are bound to meet your neighbours and greet the regular stallholders. You can also have a health check, try a new skill, pick up a gift made by a local craftsman, or try to win a prize.

There is entertainment for children, choirs and bands provide the music, and there are snacks galore to tempt you. Just follow the scent of the barbecue, garlic bread and popcorn. There's also a convivial beer tent, and the Kung Ming Chinese restaurant offers a choice of delicious hot meals. See this link: http://www.kunming-thalwil.ch/

Street food Chinese style

You should also look out for the autumn flea market in September on the Chilbiplatz, the October Chilbi market with fairground rides, and the Friday Christmas Market also in the main street.


And in Spring look out for the May Flower Market and the Spring Flea Market.


Thalwil market - always the same but always a pleasure - that's Swiss tradition!

Restaurant of the Month - August 2012

Restaurant Fischstube, Bellerivestrasse 160, 8008 Zürich

http://www.fischstube.ch/

The perfect location for a summer lunch or romantic dinner! The Fischstube at Zurichhorn has been recently smartened up and an outside lounge area added. This famous Zurich fish place boasts large indoor and outdoor seating areas as well as the lounge and a beer garden. Stop off here after a round boat trip or arrive by car, tram or bus - it's a landmark on the Zurisee waterfront.


Prices are not cheap - at lunchtime you should expect to pay around CHF40-50 for a main course with water and coffee. There's a choice of several fish dishes such as Felchen (a white lake fish), Wolfsbarsch (sea bass) and Saibling (char) as well as other meat and vegetarian choices on the lunch menu, together with the Catch of the Day, which might cost you from CH45 to CHF65. 


There's a good selection of tempting appetisers and mouth-watering desserts too. The wine list is extensive but also quite pricey. Our rose wine last month cost over CHF80 a bottle. Check out the menu at the link above.




This is a place for a special occasion due to its superb location. The food may sometimes be a bit disappointing  - fish cooked simply in butter and herbs would be nice - but the experience of dining right on the blue waters or seeing the sun go down is unforgettable.

Restaurant of the Month - July 2012

Restaurant Zum Griech, Zurichstrasse 105, 8123 Ebmatingen

http://www.zumgriechen.ch/

This authentic, welcoming Greek place is located a short bus or car ride out of Zurich in Ebmatingen, near the beautiful Greifensee. It's well worth making the journey to taste the authentic Greek cuisine conjured up by chef Ioannis. The ZIWA Dining Around the World group visited on a Thursday, to taste the regular weekly lunch buffet of delicious Greek dishes. For CHF22 you get a soup, starter, main course, dessert and coffee. It's also good to try the buffet on the last Sunday of every month, but be sure to book ahead. This menu costs CHF49 for an unlimited selection.

Every Tuesday evening from 17.30 you can also count on the mixed grill, and on Wednesday evenings sample the fish menu. There is also an a la carte menu including specialities such as tsatsiki, spanakopita, moussaka and garides, and a selection of Greek wines to tempt you.

Check out the link above for directions when driving. Or you could take bus 747 from Zurich Klusplatz. And enjoy the best Greek restaurant in and around the Zurich area. Yiamas!

Restaurant of the Month - June 2012

Ban Song Thai, Kirchgasse 6, 8001 Zurich

http://www.bansongthai.ch/

This well-established Thai restaurant in Zurich Niederdorf is a popular lunchtime eating spot. The friendly staff will gladly take your order for a Thai speciality and a  Singha beer or green tea. The dish of the day is priced at a modest CHF15 upwards, but if you are feeling hungry, the all-you-can-eat buffet is good value at CHF 28.50. Then you can help yourself to soup, a spring roll and a selection of four or five hot dishes, at least two of them vegetarian, all served with rice.

When a group of 12 ZIWA ladies enjoyed a convivial lunch there last month, we were offered chicken soup with coconut milk, freshly cooked spring rolls, spicy beef, chicken with noodles, tofu, vegetables and white rice. And no need to hold back on the seconds!

The restaurant can host up to 40 diners but if you have a large group, then it's best to book early or late. Many singles and couples pop in for a quick lunch on a regular basis. In the evening it's also a great place to drop in after seeing a film nearby, or make a group booking and enjoy the delicious selection of authentic Thai dishes, with the flavours of coconut milk, Thai basil, coriander and hot chilli. There is also a substantial wine list. You could also host an apero party there, but be sure to book ahead as the place is very popular.



So for an authentic taste of Thailand in a central location, look no further than the Ban Song Thai.

Discovering Murten - history comes to life

I first discovered the small medieval city of Murten last year, thanks to fellow ZIWA member Amy Eber who also found the place by chance, and loved it so much she and her husband took an apartment there, right in the middle of the medieval town centre. The Discovering Zürich & Switzerland group had a guided tour there last week, and learnt more about its history and present-day culture. If you’ve never been, make a point to visit this summer. It can be reached by train via Bern or Neuchatel, or you can take a boat trip on the Drei-Seen-Fahrt from Biel via the lake of Neuchatel to the Murtensee.

Our guide to Murten was Beatrice Magnin-Riedi, a bilingual French/German speaker who also spoke perfect English, whom we met at the small castle just inside the city walls. The view over the Murtensee was splendid, although clouds obscured the mountain of Vully and the wine terraces until later in the day. The Romans passed through here as did the Helvetii, and the town is one of several surrounding and protecting the city of Bern. German and French are taught in schools and we learnt that the University of Fribourg in the cantonal capital hold all its courses in both languages.  The city of Murten was established in 1238, and Peter of Savoy conquered it in 1255; the Savoyards ruled until 1476 when the Battle of Murten took place. Savoy is unusual in having had several women leaders and there is still a predominance of women working in the court building opposite the castle, and there has also been a recent tradition of women presidents in the Gemeinde, a fact that struck a chord with our women’s group.

Murten has retained its medieval buildings, even though cars clutter the cobbled streets of the centre, and the town holds many traditional festivals. One of these is the ‘slow up’ 20 km. walk around the lake every October. There is a carnival in March, flea markets in June, the ‘Solennität’ youth festival commemorating the Battle of Murten, and a Christmas market. There are no electric street lights in the town and the old coats of arms and shop signs have been retained everywhere.  There is a grid of old streets with alleyways or Graben in between, where the fire service had access and rubbish used to be thrown out. Overshoes were de rigeur in those days. The reformer Calvin had 30 people burnt on account of the plague in the 16^th century.  The witch tower still exists where women suspected of being too clever or having moles on their skin were tortured and beheaded or burnt. Nowadays as then the cellars and ground floors could be used for business while the upper floors were residential.

It is also possible to climb up onto the city wall and see the view over the rooftops, with their distinctive tiles. Outside the walls, the Catholic church of St. Mauritius is located, and inside it we discovered very modern stain glass windows designed by a local artist in 1977. Murten today thrives from four types of business – tourism, local shops and crafts, small industry and farming.  One curiosity is the former clock from the old city hall which has been restored to its former design and chimes the quarter hours and the hours. In the arcaded shops reminiscent of Bern one can buy local products including the famous Nidelkuchen.

There are numerous restaurants and cafes in Murten where one can enjoy lunch inside or out. We chose the Murtenhof, with its terrace overlooking the lake, and afterwards walked down to the boat landing stage to take the boat across the lake of Murten. On sunny days it’s very pleasant to take a picnic beside the lake and enjoy the water sports. The boat to Biel crosses the Murtensee and glides through the Broye canal to the Lake of Neuchatel. The sun shone on us for this pleasant journey and from there, after a steep climb to the station, the direct train takes you back to Zurich.

Murten Tourist Office links: 

http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/navpage_list-DestinationsFR-MurtenFR.html

http://switzerland.isyours.com/E/guide/arc_jurassien/morat.html

The Solenittat festival:

http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/navpage-EventsFR-MainEventsFR-203745.html

Julia Newton, 31 May 2012