This tiny 20-seater oozes with charm and genuineness. Yes the decor is bordering on kitsch, revolving around familiar day of the dead motifs, but it’s cheery and atmospheric. The waitstaff are genuinely nice and helpful. The guy who took our order offered welcomed advice for navigating the menu and we took him up on pretty much everything. 

To start, he suggested we try the trio of guacamole: original, spicy and exotic (i.e. with mango). This went against all my instincts of just getting the spicy but what the hey. It was our first and possibly only meal at this place so better to have no regrets. Predictably, the original guac was somewhat of a let down. The flavour was avocado. It was guac for children or very boring adults. The exotic was actually surprisingly pleasant, slightly sweet and not worth re-ordering, but definitely not a disappointment. The spicy was by far the best. Legitimately spicy! Rare in Geneva. Continue reading “Review: El Catrine Restuarant, Geneva”

If you only have thirty seconds, then know this: the headline for this review is “Bland food, slow service.” If you can stick around a little bit longer, here is the detailed breakdown.

Le Neptune was a place that friends of friends had recommended. Then it came up on Buyclub and we thought, hey! This is meant to be.  Or not…the first time we reserved the restaurant cancelled on us quite last minute. Is this a thing now? For restaurants to cancel your reservation after it was confirmed? Anyway. Since we’d already shelled out for the Buyclub deal we made another reservation two weeks later.

As the name declares, Le Neptune’s focus is seafood. They are very passionate about presenting “a living cuisine, balanced and close to nature, which is also creative, innovative and unconventional.” and their copywriter should get a raise. Even though I’m not sure I completely understand it, the philosophy sounds bang on. Unfortunately, that’ss where the positives ended.

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Bistrot de Boeuf Rouge was an early discovery for us in Geneva and this latest experience must be at least the sixth over the past two years. The traditional Lyonaise restaurant is well set-up for return visits: the menu is extensive and varied, and in addition to long lists of entree, main and dessert, specials, they also have seasonal specials such as game meat or asparagus throughout the year. Most (maybe all?) of the pates, foie gras, breads and desserts are made in-house. The atmosphere is jovial and cosy. There is no pretension. But it’s definitely the professional but friendly service and personable staff (who also make flawless wine recommendations) that puts this place a notch above many others in Geneva and keeps us coming back.

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As its name suggests, Bistrot Dumas serves traditional French food. So traditional you can practically predict the menu; there shall be foie gras and snails and saucisson and frog legs and beef tartare and entrecote. Situated in the neighbourhood of Champel, it might be a little bit out of the way for some. To be frank, we live in the area but I’m not sure Mr. A and I would be returning anytime soon.

Not that we had a terrible evening. The food was hearty, the servings generous and service was friendly and as efficient as it could be with only one person covering all the tables. But I chose to not stay for dessert. I don’t think I’ve ever had dinner in a restaurant and not ordered dessert when desserts were available.

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It’s no big secret that Geneva (Switzerland) does not have the best food. Of course there are gems among the fray, but I hope no one is insulted if I declare that, at least upon first glance, the cuisine is rather ordinary. Not a big deal, except the prices are so extraordinarily high, at least for a non-Swiss like me. For better or worse, this combination of blah menu choices with extraordinary price tags means I don’t indulge in my love of eating out as much as I would practically anywhere else. Which means that after two years in this tiny quaint town Mr. A and I are still discovering places to eat.

Le Jardin sits in the rather high-brow Le Richemond hotel, close to the shores of Lac Leman (aka Lake Geneva). There was a doorman, nice decor and lovely bathrooms with hand towels, which in my book makes it a nice establishment. The restaurant itself is quite austere, with cosy booths and wooden furniture. The website declares that “Le Jardin shows its pride to be Swiss and Chef Philippe Bourrel magnifies seasonal local ingredients.” This is definitely a food philosophy I can support! Plus I was expecting pretty good things since it was awarded 16/20 in the Gault & Millau Guide 2017.

Continue reading “Review: Le Jardin Restaurant, Geneva”