Switzerland | - Part 2

Archive for the Category » Switzerland «

Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

30 May 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

The Schloss Hotel in Merlischachen, Switzerland

Nina will tell you that she found this charming luxury 4-star hotel, located on Lake Lucerne. Well, she did drive there, so, I suppose that from an existential point of view you could say that she “found” it; but it was I who discovered it during my extensive and meticulous internet research. And, truth be told, I navigated us to the Schloss Hotel, in the heart of the pastoral village of Merlischachen (otherwise, I might be writing this from Italy!).

The Schloss Hotel complex celebrates Prince Joseph Seeholzer’s vision of luxury living and dining in a castle (schloss is German for castle). In 1969, the prince converted his original 17^th Century farmhouse into a restaurant-inn, the Swiss Chalet, a gourmet restaurant with charming guest rooms upstairs. He followed in 1980 with construction of two hotels, the Schloss Hotel and Château Golden Gate. At the same time he converted the barn adjoining the original farmhouse into a large

schloss hotel prince joseph 225x300 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

Prince Joseph 1st befriends Toulouse

eating and meeting facility, Astrid Hall , with additional bridal suite (e.g., the Storchenzimmer) and a cool bar, the Queen’s Club. In 1991 he built the Jagdschloss Château Golden Gate (hunting castle), up the hill and in 2006 added a 3^rd floor to the Schloss Hotel with themed luxury rooms like the Moulin Rouge Suite, Egyptian Suite, Cowbell Suite, and Jaguar Suite (Yes! You sleep in a real 1964 MK 10!), among others.

Nina parked the rental car in the parking lot and we made our way into the lobby of the rustic castle-style Schloss Hotel. The lobby opened into an expansive hall with large beamed ceilings and rustic walls, decorated with portraits of “chivalrous individuals” and medieval weaponry (e.g., Swiss halberds or pole axes, goedendags or spiked clubs, and bills).

Nina proceeded to charm the staff with her signature smile and broken German and we got our key. We made our way to our room on the second floor, past antiques of farming tools, knight’s full trappings, and large wooden doors with small armor shields as door markers.

schloss hotel room 300x225 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

Our room in the Schloss Hotel

Our door opened into a spacious and elegantly rustic room that faced the lake. The Swiss Alps rose majestically beyond, drawing the eye into a picture-perfect view. In keeping with the country castle theme, the room was draped in rich burgundy and wood and consisted of a comfortable bed, small “parlor” with desk and table and elegant chairs, wooden-latticed windows and French door that opened to a balcony overlooking the hotel gardens and small beach of Lake Lucerne. The bathroom was designed in a modern practical Euro-style that suited Nina’s taste for urban-travelling comfort.

Guests of the hotel complex get a complimentary buffet breakfast in the Schnapsbrennerei Bränte (the old distillery of the original 17^th Century farmhouse, where they used to make schnapps). As with the rest of the converted farmhouse, the Prince preserved the quaint charm of the interior by using the original wooden walls, beamed ceilings and bottle-bottom windows, like that found in Chilon Castle on Lake Geneva. Every morning a full buffet of cereals, yogurts,

Swiss chalet upstairs 300x199 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

The Swiss Chalet restaurant

boiled eggs, fresh croissants, butterzopf and pastries, along with quality cold meats and cheeses, and fruits and juices was spread out for the taking. Every morning Nina and I ordered café crème and feasted like royalty. En guete!

The restaurant upstairs from the distillery, offers fine dining with a rich and varied menu of delightful hors d’oeuvres, main dishes and desserts and a wine list with over 35 pages to choose from. Jörg Bächler, the residence manager, took us on a tour of the hotel complex and the first place Nina wanted to go was the wine cellar. Jörg obliged—after he showed us the rest of the complex, which included the adjoining Astrid Hall and Queen’s Club: an old barn that had been converted into a reception hall for weddings, and business and other group meals. The building houses several meeting/eating areas like the Küferstube, Bacchus Stübli, Foyer, and Astrid-Hall. Capable of seating 120 guests, the hall provides an elegant and

Swiss chalet Bacchus schtube 300x200 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

The Bacchus Room

rich venue for receptions, followed by rollicking good fun upstairs in the cozy piano bar, the Queen’s Club, open nightly until 2 am. The prince dedicated Astrid Hall to the Queen of Belgium, who had tragically died in 1935 in a car accident a few miles away, near the town of Küssnacht. The walls are lined with old photos and memorabilia, timeless images and intriguing documents of pre-second World War Europe.

Jörg led us through the kitchen on our way to the wine cellar. There, we met Master Chef Werner Meier, who has been (along with his team of fifteen cooks) creating exquisite Swiss-countrified gourmet French cuisine at the Swiss Chalet since 1982. We watched, entranced, as a few of the cooks created a gourmet meal, before descending down the stairs to the wine cellar. At the entrance, inscribed on a large crate for all to see was their motto: “Weintrinker sehen gut aus, sind intelligent, sexy und gesund!” (Drinkers of wine look good, are intelligent, sexy and healthy!). Good motto, I thought, as Nina nodded her approval to me.

Swiss chalet wine cellar 300x199 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

The Swiss Chalet Wine Cellar

Racks full of bottles of red and white wines from all over the world lined the cellar walls. We wandered through the cellar, kept at a high humidity and a cool and constant temperature to ensure that the wines age and store well. As my eyes swept the dark room, I recalled that their wine list runs over thirty-five pages, and includes a wide range of varieties and types from the most popular wine, the Prince’s own Schlossweine (Cuvée du Châtelain), a Merlot Reserva from Chile (at FCH 49.80) to a 1999 Bordeaux Blanc (the Château d’Yquem), le Roi des Sauternes (at FCH 358.50).

Testing the iron barred gates guarding each wine rack, Nina asked if they were meant to keep the wine in or the people out. Jörg winked at me and suggested that if they sent food down the dumbwaiter, Nina could happily live here indefinitely.

To experience the entire complex, Jörg put us up in The 4-star Chateau Golden Gate- Jagdschloss (hunter’s castle),

jagdschloss reception 300x199 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

The Reception Area of the Jadgschloss-Chateau Golden Gate

situated up the hill from the other two buildings, and overlooking the village, Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps in the distance. The hotel celebrates the tradition of European hunting and is decorated with hunting trophies and portraits of hunters in various Swiss hunting garb, along with the signature armor; beams and heavy doors of an old castle. We were greeted at the door by a knight’s full armor then continued into a rustic lobby with hanging candle-lamps, long solid-wood meeting table, fireplace, and bottom-bottle windows (also known as crown glass or Butzenfenster). Our room on the third floor was large, bright and comfortable. Nina opened the sliding door to the Juliette balcony that overlooked the lake. The soothing tinkling of cow bells rose up to greet us as Swiss cows foraged in the villagers’ back yards below. This was definitely Switzerland and, yes, every cow has a bell.

One evening, we went to the rooftop terrace of the Jagtschloss and watched the sun set over Lake Lucerne as we feasted on a picnic supper of Butterzopf, Brie and sprouts, cold Cervelat (Swiss cooked sausage), Kartoffelsalat and a

merlischachen cows7 225x300 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

Genuine Swiss cows just below our hotel balcony

bottle of Pinot Gris (Malvoisie) from Valais. Nina brought Swiss chocolate for dessert. We ate, sipped wine and listened to the cheerful music of cow bells on the hills behind us as the deepening sky unveiled the blushing secrets of the snow-covered mountains.

The Schloss Hotel and its associated hotel buildings are situated on Luzernerstrasse 204, in the heart of the quiet village of Merlischachen. Amenities of both 4-star buildings include: pet friendly rooms, free wireless internet in rooms and public areas, buffet breakfast, conference rooms, solarium, indoor swimming pool with sauna & gym, and close proximity to a train station. One of the hotel’s most endearing features was the exquisite charm of its location in the tiny farming village of Merlischachen. Every night I fell asleep to the soothing murmur of cow bells. Merlischachen is a short drive from the bustling Luzern with convenient public transit (e.g., a train leaves Merlischachen every hour for Luzern).

You can book a room at the Schloss Hotel, the Swiss Chalet, or The Château Golden Gate (Jagdschloss) up on the hill at:

schloss hotel jaguar room 300x199 Schloss Hotel Swiss Chalet: The Vision of a Prince

Can you see me in the Jag?...Meow!

Luzernerstrasse 204
6402 Merlischachen, Switzerland
Tel. no. +41 (0)41 854 54 54

info@schloss-hotel.ch

http://www.schloss-hotel.ch/Frames/Welcome.htm

Photos by Nina Munteanu & Schloss Hotel

This site is powered by donations. For your reading pleasure I do not clutter it with advertizing; nor do I charge any of these fine establishments, events or places for my reviews. If you are a patron who enjoys my articles or at the receiving end of one of my reviews you can show your appreciation with a donation (see right top sidebar).

Share and Enjoy:

Traveling in Switzerland: The Merula Bar in Merlischachen, where Brazil meets Switzerland

23 May 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

A Happy Toulouse sips his Caipirinha on Lake Lucerne

Alexander, my new friend on Facebook, calls it “Caipirinha”. At least that’s how he advertizes this exotic drink at the Merula Bar that he and his wife Maira run on the shore of the Lake Lucerne in the little farming village of Merlischachen.

Located about 5 miles east of Lucerne, this charming village reflects the root of its name, which Alexander tells me loosely translates to “merry little town by the lake”. That’s only one story; the locals give several stories of how the place got its name. One is that it was named after a brave knight Hermanno de Merlischachen, who apparently lived in a tower on the peninsula where an estate called “Burg” (fortress) still exists today. Alexander told us that the name Merlischachen also derives from the Latin word “merula,” which means blackbird, and from the German word “Schachen,” meaning a small forest on a lake or stream; one of the reasons he called his bar the Merula Bar. Yet another story comes from the local coat of arms which is a green branch of an alder tree, “Erlenzweig,” hung with flowers and fruit on a gold background. It’s reminiscent of “im Erlischachen”, hence Merlischachen. While Nina gravitated to the romance of the knight (after googling him, she found nothing about this mysterious knight), I liked the “forest on a lake with blackbirds” explanation. It is an apt name for this quiet and charming village, where the only sound that stirs as you fall asleep each night is the constant lullaby of cow bells.

We were staying at the Schloss Hotel-Swiss Chalet complex in Merlischachen and during our daily walks in the

Lake Lucerne from Rigi 300x199 Traveling in Switzerland: The Merula Bar in Merlischachen, where Brazil meets Switzerland

Lake Lucerne from Mount Rigi

village, we visited some of our Merlischachen friends, two Swiss cows grazing in a neighbor’s back yard, just below our suite. Our walk on the Schloss Hotel grounds park led us along Lake Lucerne. Called the Vierwaldstättersee (“lake of the four forested Cantons”) Lake Lucerne is the fourth largest lake in Switzerland with meandering arms that cut through steep valleys and stretch from the city of Lucerne to the mountains of Rigi and Pilatus.

Nina will tell you that she heard the lively music first; but I know that it was my impeccable nose for Croque Monsieur that led us down the park path from the Schloss Hotel to this lively cantina-bar. Other locals had already discovered this little haven on the lake and were basking in the warm sun with a great view of the Swiss Alps.

merlischachen from above1 300x200 Traveling in Switzerland: The Merula Bar in Merlischachen, where Brazil meets Switzerland

The Charming Village of Merlischachen

We ordered two Croque Monsieurs and were thinking about what local beer we hadn’t yet tried when Alexander suggested the Caipirinha. Immediately intrigued, Nina asked him what it was.

Caipirinha is a traditional Portuguese Brazilian drink prepared with Cachaça (pronounced Ka-SHA-sa), lime juice, sugar and ice, Alexander explained. He then proceeded to mesmerize Nina by showing us how this wonderful drink from Brazilian cane sugar brandy is made. First he created a juicy “mash” of fresh limes (both flesh and peels) with Ypioca (Cachaça) using a mortar and pestle. Then he added ice (some people like to use crushed ice but we had chunks of ice) and brown sugar to taste.

Cachaça is the essential ingredient in Caipirinha, the national spirit of Brazil, Alexander told us. It is the spirit of Carnival, “the spirit of a country enjoying life.” Cachaça is a product of sugar cane and has a character somewhat

merula bar toulouse2 225x300 Traveling in Switzerland: The Merula Bar in Merlischachen, where Brazil meets Switzerland

Toulouse joins Alexander and Maira Eisenmann at the Merula Bar

similar to, though drier, than white rum (also made with cane sugar). However, while rum is produced from the molasses made from the sugar cane, Cachaça is produced directly from the juice of the cane. Ypióca Cachaça, the largest selling brand in Brazil, is produced only from the first crush. Locals drink Cachaça neat in small shot glasses. Others prefer a mix of Cachaça with lemon, passion fruit, tamarind, sugar and ice in a drink called a batida. Yet others drink it with limes, sugar and ice as a Caipirinha.

We sat on the patio and ate our Croque Monsieurs, feasting our eyes on the view of jeweled lake and snow-covered mountains. Within moments our exotic taste of Rio came. The potent and colorful “mash” of Caipirinha did an lively Spanish dance in my mouth and awoke my taste buds with a song of tart freshness. My whiskers curled with delight.

Nina laughed at me: “Your cheeks are puffing out again, Toulouse!”

She was one to talk; her cheeks were “puffing out” too… LOL!

Here is the recipe:

ypioca cachaca1 88x300 Traveling in Switzerland: The Merula Bar in Merlischachen, where Brazil meets Switzerland

Ypioca Cachaça, the Brazilian ambrosia

Caipirinha is made using 1 lime cut into 4 pieces, 2 1/2 ounces Cachaça, 1 to 2 Tbs. fine cane sugar, and crushed ice. First you crush the pieces of lime with the sugar thoroughly, preferably with a mortar and pestle. Then you add the ice, Cachaça, and stir or shake well in a tumbler. The lime pieces should remain in the glass, adding brilliant color and texture to this playful and zesty drink.

Photos by Nina Munteanu

Share and Enjoy:

Asparagus Season in Switzerland

13 May 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

Spring pasture with Swiss cows near Arth

Springtime is a magical season. It’s a time when the Earth ”awakens” and forests, orchards and meadows spring into a riot of vibrant color.

In Switzerland—a land of dairy farms, milk, fine cheeses and chocolate—spring also heralds one of Nature’s most elegant culinary delights: the white asparagus, nicknamed “white gold” by Europeans and “sparrowgrass” by the British.

Nina and I were driving through Switzerland in April, at the height of “spargelzeit”—when chefs from all over the world import white asparagus from Germany, Switzerland and France (and now Britain too!). Practically every restaurant we dined in offered its own dish of white asparagus. Dishes varied from exquisite asparagus cream soup, to grilled, boiled or steamed asparagus served with Hollandaise, Café de Paris sauce, or melted butter. We were in asparagus heaven!

The white asparagus, once considered a luxury, is milder and more tender than the green asparagus and coveted by restaurants as the epitome of gourmet dining during its season (April to June). White asparagus needs a specific combination of soil, temperature

asparagus white asparagus1 300x222 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

White asparagus ("White Gold")

and rain to develop its perfect taste. Dirt is mounded around the emerging stalk, keeping out the light and the plant from producing chlorophyll, which makes a plant green.

The taste of asparagus defies description. It’s neither overwhelming or bland. When asked to describe its taste, most people stumble with words and metaphor appears to work best. One friend tried by describing what asparagus is not: such as sweet or sharp. When Nina pressed her, she described it as “clear”, an interesting term that resonated with a truth of sorts. But what the heck does “clear” really mean?

Asparagus was used from early times as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavor and diuretic properties. It has anti-oxidant properties, can help prevent heart disease, stroke, possibly cancer and boosts energy. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans cultivated and ate it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use in winter.

seelisberg view01 300x225 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

View of Lake Lucerne and Swiss mountains from Seelisberg

Asparagus is low in calories and sodium and contains no cholesterol. It’s a great source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium. The

amino acid asparagine gets its name from asparagus.

I didn’t mind that Nina got us thoroughly lost driving through the Swiss Alps (well, we weren’t ever really lost—I had a map; “Let’s try this road, Nina,” I’d suggest. ”Ok!” she would happily respond and cheerfully veer into the tiny one-lane road in the spirit of adventure). It seemed that at every scenic winding turn a tiny village emerged, and we found a restaurant or café that offered something with asparagus. Besides the obligatory café crème, we always ordered a dish with asparagus. For instance, in the little village of Merlischachen on Lake Lucerne, we had an exquisite Château Briand à l’argenteuil,

rossli meal asparagus1 300x239 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

Pork and morels with white asparagus at the Rossli

(the French village of Argenteuil is renowned for its asparagus). The asparagus was steamed with a delicate Hollandaise sauce, prepared by Werner Meier, chef of the Swiss Chalet. The asparagus paired wonderfully with the robust 2005 Speri Amarone, a spicy rich and aromatic wine that lingered on the palate to form a complex and zesty marriage with the asparagus and the beef.

On a drive along the east shore of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee), we discovered Rotschuo, a hotel/restaurant nestled in the craggy shoreline in Gersau. We sat on the patio and our waiter, Carsten, served us a Gebratenes Kalbsteak mit einer Sauce Hollandaise an frischen Spargel mit jungen Kartoffeln in der Schale (46 FCH). LOL! That translates to: veal and asparagus with Hollandaise sauce and young potatoes. We paired our meal with a hearty German wheat beer, a Hacker-Pschorr Weissebeir, which made Nina very happy.

rotschuo meal asparagus pork 300x225 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

Toulouse about to devour a Pork steak with asparagus at Rotschuo

One of my personal favorites was the “spargel crèmesuppe” (asparagus cream soup). We were first introduced to this elegant soup by Werner Meier, chef of the Swiss Chalet, who surprised us with a tiny “Toulouse-size” cup at the beginning of the meal. Thick, faintly olive green and garnished with a froth of crème and parsley leaves, the soup was just enough to delight and tease the palate for more. Its faint earthy aroma filled my nose with the wholesome elegance of Mother Nature. What better way to celebrate the season of spring and the awakening of the Earth! We enjoyed the soup so much that the next day we ordered a full bowl each to go along with our escargots (another post!) and Speri 2005 Amarone wine, which made ME very happy… :-3

rossli toulouse spargel soup 300x199 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

Toulouse savors "spargelsuppe" at the Rossli

On another day, as we drove along one-lane country roads just east of Baar, we came across the village of Schönenberg and stumbled upon a wonderful hotel/restaurant run by Rita Bloesch, owner and chef of the Rössli. Rita is known for her fine grilled meats and barbeques and her inn is always packed with local farmers who like her beer and the ambience of the place; but, it was her spargel crèmesuppe (9.50 FCH) that particularly delighted my palate. As with the Swiss Chalet in Merlischachen, Rita’s soup was elegantly creamy with a full aromatic body that went extremely well with the fresh bread and tomato-butter and joyful Oeil-de-Perdrix Rosé de Pinot Noir we ordered to accompany it. We returned to Rita’s restaurant another day and feasted on pork filets with morel sauce, steamed asparagus and baked new potatoes. I had to lick my whiskers after!

stausee wagetaler see road 300x225 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

Drive along the Wagetaler See

On yet another excursion to the Swiss Alps, I directed Nina to a “hidden lake valley” of enchanted forests and breathtaking views of craggy snow-covered mountains. There, we discovered a jewel: the Gasthaus StausseSee in Innerthal on the shores of the tourquise Wagertaler See. Nina and I sat on the outside terrace with a view of the sparkling lake. After several café crèmes (perhaps the best coffee I have ever tasted—and I’ve been to Paris!) we ordered the spargel crèmesuppe to go with our open-faced mozzarella-tomato sandwich and salad. We were delightfully surprised when Priska arrived with a huge bowl of thick soup. Was it the fresh alpine air? The breathtaking view? Nina’s jokes?… This thick and almost nutty soup was vigorously earthy. Its exquisite aroma sprang out with an elegant clarity that spoke of snow-covered mountains and a bracing breeze off an alpine lake. We’ll be back… :-3

Wine pairing with asparagus: Most sommeliers suggest a Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon pairing with asparagus. “Brooklynguy

Gasthaus Stausee Priska Toulouse 225x300 Asparagus Season in Switzerland

Priska befriends Toulouse at the Gasthaus-Stausee

” says, “The biggest mistake is to pair asparagus with a fruit-driven wine, which means avoiding most American wine, and most new world wine in general. Asparagus are the anti-fruit, and they don’t work well with fruity wine. Please, whatever you do, be very careful mixing asparagus with rosé wine.” Nina and I proved that a carefully chosen rosé can provide a wonderfully complementary pairing with asparagus. The take-home message is be imaginative and adventurous. Try different wines you like. Try a Pinot, for instance. Then tell me what you think.

Photos by Nina Munteanu

Share and Enjoy:

Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

23 Apr 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

view of Zurich's Limmat River from the QuaiBrucke

I can think of a lot of things worse than getting lost in old town Zurich; after all, practically every corner has a café, bistro, restaurant, konditorei, or old book or art shop—and there are many corners along the winding alleys—called gasses— and cobbled lanes of Altstadt. Nina and I started our walking tour around the old city of Zurich in the pink glow of early evening.

We started from the Alexander Hotel, where we were staying. The hotel is located on Niederdorf Strasse (yes, there is an Oberdorf-Strasse too!), right in the heart of the Rathaus quarter of the Altstadt (Old Town). This district

zurich altstadt rathaus large 300x203 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

The Rathaus in Altstadt Zurich

(Kreis 1) encompasses the area of the entire historical city before 1893 and corresponds generally to the area enclosed by the former city ramparts. We restricted our walking tour to the Rathaus quarter (right or east bank of the Limmat) and the Lindnhof quarter (left or west bank) within the old walls of the medieval city.

The Rathaus quarter is named for the town hall, built in the 1690s and was historically known as “greater town” (mehrere Stadt). Niederdorf Strasse was once the main thoroughfare of Medieval Zurich with craftmen’s houses

altestadt niederdorf from hirschenplatz 300x225 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

Neiderdorf-Strasse from Hirschenplatz in Altstadt Zurich

stacked high along its narrow cobbled lanes.

The walk along Limmatquai with its shops and cafés gave us a wonderful view of old architecture and bridges as well as several churches, each complete with clock tower along the river. Built in the 19th century, the Limmatquai runs from Central to Bellevue and includes some old guild houses from the 1400s (e.g., Zunfthaus zur Haue the guild house of salt merchants). Across the Limmat we could see the tower of St. Peter`s church (the broad tower with Europe’s largest clock dial at a diameter of 8.70 meters) and south of it the Fraumünster cathedral (pointed light green roof). The Fraumünster was founded in 853 by King Louis. The church and its convent was inhabited by the female members of the aristocracy of southern Germany.

zurich munsterbrucke toulouse1 300x225 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

Toulouse basks in the evening light with Munsterbrucke behind

Swans and other waterfowl kept us company as we strolled south toward Lake Zurich, past the Mühlesteg footbridge, Rudolf-Brun-Brücke, between Mühlegasse and Uraniastrasse, Rathausbrücke just north of the town hall, the Münsterbrücke between Grossmünster and Fraumünster, and finally to Quaibrücke, connecting Bellevue and Bürkliplatz—and the last bridge before the Limmat empties into the lake.

From the Quaibrücke you get a great view of Lake Zurich to the south. When the weather is nice, you can even see the Swiss Alps, about 100 km away. Turning to look north up the Limmat, we had a charming view of the Altstadt, with its prominent church towers and bridges and the boat marinas in the foreground.

altestadt limmat rightbank1 300x225 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

Zurich Altstadt from the right bank

We eventually back-tracked to an old staircase that lead to the majestic Grossmünster cathedral with its twin towers and interesting glass-art. Nina did a double take after I pointed the west windows to her: they were made of sliced rock! ). Grossmünster is probably Carolingian in origin and was the mother church of the Reformation in Switzerland under Ulrich Zwingli.

altestadt grossmunster 225x300 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

The Grossmunster Cathedral in Altstadt Zurich

The church was built in the late Roman style and completed in 1280. It consists of a basilica with three naves (the middle nave dates from 1180), a choir and a crypt (both date from 1100). The oldest parts include the crypt and remains of a Romanesque cloister with statuary from the 11th and 12th centuries. The chancel window was created by Augusto Giacometti. In 1781 the original pointed tower tops caught fire after being struck by lightning and were replaced by the present rounded tower tops. We got there just in time to hear the baritone clangs of the church bells.

From there we walked up Kirchgasse to Hirschengraben and down Obere Zäune into a lovely courtyard. We wandered past a cool fountain where Neugasse and Trittligasse meet. In the Middle Ages this area was a popular residential area among the clergy of the Grossmünster and wealthy scholars. We saw several houses with attractive courtyards, gardens and roof terraces.

altestadt right bank limmat 225x300 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

Zurich Altstadt on left bank of Limmat

At the bottom of Neugasse my sensitive nose picked up a delectable aroma: chocolate and crème café: I’d found the Café Schober, Confiseur and Konditorei: on Niederdorf, located on the corner of Napfgasse und Münstergasse, across from the Kolonialwaren Geschäft Schwarzenbach, a cool store that sold exotic dried fruits, spices, coffees and other confectionaries. For some chocolate aficionados Zurich means “Sprungli am Bahnhoffstrasse”… and yes, the chocolate at Sprungli is probably the best you can buy in the entire world… But Café Schober had charm and character.

Further down Münstergasse Nina was drawn to a very fine Spanish restaurant, Bodega Espaniola, a Spanish wine tavern that since 1974 has been serving culinary specialties from the Iberian Peninsula. I insisted on the Konditorei and guess who won out… That raspberry chocolate truffle was delicious!… :-3

Well, okay, we never were that lost, because we ended up back on Niederdorf-Strasse, past Rundmarkt and I chose the Johanniter Brasserie,

altestadt bodega02 225x300 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

Bodega Espanola in Altstadt Zurich

close to our hotel, for a wonderful authentic Swiss meal of pork schnitzel, roesti with mushroom sauce and beer. The Johanniter was initially a brewery after a major fire in 1280 destroyed the stacked houses there; it was then remodeled as a restaurant and butcher shop in 1901. The vaulted ceilings and old brewery equipment give it a wonderful jolly atmosphere.

We did walk some more after but I can’t tell you where we went because we really did get lost! But somehow we found our way back to our beds, sated and happy.

“The Niederdorf” is more than just the street and is generally known to encompass a region of Altstadt that includes Rindermarkt and Neumarkt, Froschaugasse and the area of the medieval Jewish quarter, the

altestadt niederdorf johanniter 225x300 Cities of the World: Getting Lost in Altstadt Zurich

The Johanniter on Niederdorf-Strasse

Predigerkirche (the former blackfriars’ abbey) at Zähringerplatz (historically the city hospital, now housing the city library) and the Zähringerstrass. The mehrere Stadt between the Niederdorf and the Oberdorf (between Rathaus and Grossmünster) includes the Münstergasse, Obere Zäune, Untere Zäune and the Barfüsserkloster (the former Franciscan abbey) as well as a number of alleys leaving Münstergasse: Marktgasse, Spiegelgasse, Krebsgasse, Ankengasse, Römergasse and Kirchgasse.

When in Zurich next, leave your car behind and take a walk. Getting lost is part of the fun. For more on my philosophy of getting lost, go to my Zen of Travel Page.

Photos by Nina Munteanu

Share and Enjoy:

Trendy Italian Cuisine Zurich Style: Ristorante Cucina

14 Apr 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

Pizza Meister Saritas enjoys his craft

We’d been strolling Zurich’s trendy Kreis 5 neighborhood, along Heinrich-Strasse (our destination was eventually the Abaton Movie Theatre), when my nose—and practiced eye—caught sight of Ristorante Cucina, situated on a quiet corner of Luisenstrasse and Heinrich-Strasse. We weren’t in a hurry and my tiny tummy decided to “purr” loudly. Nina smiled and nodded. Within a moment she was climbing the small staircase and opened the great wooden door. Cucina’s stylish Mediterranean interior of crimson walls and leather chairs invited us in and we found a table by the window facing Heinrich-Strasse.

Our waiter, Johir, who comes from Bangladesh and has lived in Zurich for eight years, took our order and served us bread and olives. We selected the Cami 2006 Amarone red wine dela Valpolicella, a robust full-bodied and aromatic wine that just fills your mouth with elegant pleasure and lingers with fine scents of dried fruit. The

zurich cocina toulouse 300x230 Trendy Italian Cuisine Zurich Style: Ristorante Cucina

Toulouse enjoys the ambience of Cucina

elegant roundness and sense of adventure of Amarone makes it one of Italy’s wine treasures and a great choice to go with a flavorful Italian meal. We’d first ordered a glass each, but after a sip, Nina looked at me and we both nodded: we needed a bottle.

The combination of dark and green olives with artichoke hearts and exquisite wine sent us both spinning into a sensual paradise. According to Johir, the olives are olive oil-cured with fine herbs and presented with artichokes. The green olives were likely French provencal (imported from France); recognized for their excellent association with bread and cheese. The dark olives were likely the petite French niçoise olives blessed with a sweet nutty flavor, and known for their delicious pairing with bread and wine (fancy that! Just what we had). They may also have been Italian ligura, gaeta, or lugano olives. Either

zurich cocina olives wine toulouse 225x300 Trendy Italian Cuisine Zurich Style: Ristorante Cucina

Toulouse eyes the olives

way, they were exquisite and we just had to ask for more of them too.

Nina poured some Fiorucci aceto balsamico di Modena into a golden pool of extra virgin olive oil (Cubrol oro) and let the bread soak up the delectable mixture. As she gazed up in distracted euphoria I stole several more olives.

The award-winning restaurant (open since 1994) is best known for its brick-oven pizza, lovingly made to perfection by Herr Pizza Meister Saritas and his team of pizza makers. It’s no surprise that the Zurich Radio 24 cited Cucina as the best pizza place in Zurich, and possibly all of Switzerland! Saritas, who bakes with gusto and penache, invited me to oversee his team make their pizzas. Oval individual-sized pies are imaginatively created on a table by the oven then baked in the Cucina wood-burning stove and served on wooden cutting boards. The imaginative variety of pizzas is immense. The choice occupies at least two pages on their menu that includes antipasti, zuppe (soup), salatoni (salad), pasta fatta in casa (house-made pasta), risotto, carne (meat dishes) and pesci (fish dishes). Their pizzas al forno a legno (from wood burning stove) include a delectable variety of over thirty choices (that I counted on the menu) such

zurich cocina pizza meister saritas02 225x300 Trendy Italian Cuisine Zurich Style: Ristorante Cucina

Toulouse and Meister Saritas discuss oven-baked pizzas

as the Genovese (tomato mozzarella, ricotta and pesto), the Carnivora (tomato mozzarella, herb butter and sliced veal) and the Vichinga (tomato mozzarella with salmon and rocket lettuce). Intriguing ingredient selections include truffle oil, reisencrevettenschwanze, capers, raw rindshuft, rucola, rocket and eggplant.

Of course, being who we are, we didn’t order pizza. Instead, we both ordered something from their hausgemachte pasta. Nina ordered Tagliatelle (noodles) ai funghi porcini (noodles with mushrooms in a Weisenwein sauce—oohlala! It was fun and zesty with a lingering sweetness). I chose the Cannelloni alla fiorentina (Cannelloni filled with ricotta and spinach with mozzarella baked on top in a creamy rose sauce—“Perfeto!” or as they say in Switzerland, “Ausgezeichnet!”). This “comfort food” pinged all the sensual pleasure sites in my brain and sent my whiskers curling with the elegantly married tastes of cheese, spinach, pasta and sauce. The Italians have made the “marrying” of flavors an art and this dish was the equivalent to a Rembrant. We shared and congratulated one another on our “ausgezeichnet” choices then fell into eating in a reverent silence

zurich cocina canneloni alla fiorentina toulouse 300x225 Trendy Italian Cuisine Zurich Style: Ristorante Cucina

Toulouse drools over his Cannelloni alla fiorentina

punctuated only by sighs and deep breathing. In both cases, the meals paired exquisitely with the wine and the olives.

We had no room for desert (having filled on second-helpings of antipasti) but the ristorante serves some wonderful deserts according to the menu. Meals are advertized as going on average of 55 CHF when you count all the dishes and wine. Main dishes average 21.50 to 24.50 CHF.

When you’re in Zurich, treat yourself to a dinner and a movie on Heinriche-Strasse. Go check out Ristorante Cucina and say hi to Meister Saritas from me. :-3

Contact information: