Zurich + Terroir
The last night of Rome the final game of the World Cup was on at 830 PM. FInding a place to eat that was local was not so easy. Even bars that serve food were taking reservations so I kind of missed the mark. We made our way back to Etabli where we had eaten a few nights back. The food was just as good. We didn't get to sit in the bar but were in a room off the bar and could hear what was going on. Josh kept getting up to watch and when dinner ended, both Fred and him stood at the bar until the game ended. Emily was shattered from the time change after arriving in the morning so we went back to the hotel. Walking through the streets people were glued to the game. A great people watch. They love soccer in Italy.
Fred and I got up in the morning before our flight to Zurich to grab a cup of coffee before we left. At 9 AM, the heat was stagnant. I could barely breath. Breaking into a serious sweat half way down the block didn't make me sorry to leave Rome. We will return but when there is cooler weather.
Our flight to Zurich was seamless. We took Swiss Air. The snacks they gave out consisted of a square container of strawberry ice cream and a piece of chocolate. I admit that I much prefer that to a bag of pretzels or peanuts. We couldn't believe they gave us ice cream.
They lost my luggage which is the worst. Supposedly arriving mid-day today. Thank god. As the person at Swiss Air said, your luggage is just mis-placed not lost. Luckily he was right.
We are staying at a hotel that sits above Zurich. It is quite spectacular. Waking up and looking over the city below with the rolling hills sitting in front of the alps is breath taking.
Dinner last night was at Terroir. Terroir is dedicated to seasonal food sourced from all farmers in Switzerland only, including the wine. I have never had Swiss wine but they grow a grape here that is only grown in this area. Under every dish, the ingredients are broken down and each source is revealed. A wonderful way to promote local farmers.
First thing out was a basket of bread with a small pot of salmon whipped butter mixed with dill. Really good. Nice to have good bread after Italy. I do love Italian food but there bread is dense. Not my favorite.
The restaurant is upstairs and downstairs is a take-out/deli. The first thing that hit me was the delicious smells coming out of the kitchen. A warm glow in the room, very casual and elegant at the same time. Clean, pristine and modern. Particularly loved the lighting. Across the ceiling were holes filled with hanging transparent light bulbs. Outside the windows, toward the back, is a garden with tables. The windows sit in a way that the garden is higher than the windows making the room feel very intimate.
The main language in Zurich is German and the food we had last night definitely slanted towards that region. I started with a tossed green salad. Simple and I was in need of some greens. A nice champagne vinaigrette with a bite and the greens tasted as if they were just picked from the garden.
My main course was veal, Zurich style. Thin slices of veal sauteed in a heavy cream sauce with lots of mushrooms and a potato pancake on the side. Very tasty and a lot richer than I usually order.
Emily went for the meatloaf which was excellent. I am not a meatloaf girl, per se, but this was light and full of flavor.
Josh and Fred had the cordon bleu. A classic. Last time we had cordon bleu was at Westpoint for Fred's father's 50th reunion. We ate in the mess hall and were served cordon bleu. I remember the kids being fascinated with it. Each piece looked like a deep fried space ship. The cordon bleu last night was delicious. The cheese oozed out on the first slice. Light and crispy on the outside. Would have liked the fries to be a little crispier.
We split one dessert. Chocolate cake which takes 10 minutes. A tad over cooked but good.
Home to the hotel and to bed.