Pavillon restaurant, Baur au Lac, Zurich

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Switzerland has one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, and the country’s largest city Zurich is the best place to try this fine food. As one of the world’s most prominent financial cities, Zurich unsurprisingly offers a sophisticated and elegant culinary culture with an abundance of upmarket eateries, both Swiss and international. Last year Baur au Lac Hotel’s premier restaurant, Pavillon was deservedly given a Michelin star, a very prestigious award for Head Chef Laurent Eperon and his team.

The staff stood to attention as we walked into the palatial Pavillon dining room. Following their pre-match brief, they looked excited and enthusiastic about an evening’s work and their genuine smiles showed a true sense of pride for this restaurant. A unique rotunda room dominates, designed by famous architect Pierre Yves Rochon. The room glows with natural light thanks to the 360 degree glazing, and above your head Art Deco Lalique chandeliers sparkle.

After a glass of Philipponnat Champagne, we were presented with plates of intricate miniatures with “greetings from the chef”. Scallops in tempura with mango chilli chutney was a light and sweet start, followed soon after with a tiny pot of vibrant green pea soup with a large soft ricotta and lemon filled ravioli. Each was just a mouthful, but flavoured intensely.

The menu is filled with intriguing and innovative dishes showcasing a fresh and contemporary haute cuisine. Of the starters, Ratatouille Pop Art is an exceptional dish, a beautifully deconstructed illustration on the plate, selecting key Mediterranean flavours and textures to make a delicious and satisfying creation.  Those on a health kick will enjoy the Green asparagus tips with Manuka honey vinaigrette, lemon and vanilla; a sweet and healthy start to the meal, using the best seasonal produce available. Greedy and desperate to try many of the options, I persuaded the kitchen to kindly prepare a taster of the divine pasta dish, Gyoza tortellini filled with Swiss chard, Noir de Bigorre raw ham and ricotta with Beaufort cheese veloute. Despite appearing airy and pale, this Asian inspired dish was rich and addictive, with a soft cheesy centre and a crisp edge.

As each course was placed on the table glasses of wisely chosen wine were offered to match the food. Our favourite was without a doubt the Grüner Veltliner, Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Austria 2012, an unusual and very drinkable wine with a slightly peppery and woody taste combined with a hint of pear and citrus sweetness; it was balanced and refreshing and I imagine would complement many dishes. We also tried a lovely Swiss Chardonnay, Guido Brivio, Tessin Switzerland 2012, also excellent.

For main we indulged in a Pavillon speciality, the Glazed veal knuckle for two with gravy refined with wild black pepper from Madagascar and Agria potato puree. It was exquisite. Brought first to the table as an impressive hunk of meat on the bone, glistening from the oven heat, I wondered how we would conquer it! Returning minutes later neatly sliced in a bowl of fragrant rich gravy, the meat fell apart as my fork pierced it, and melted in the mouth. Deep and fully flavoured with the pepper, the gravy was exemplary and combined happily with the creamy, smooth pureed potato. Veal is the traditional Swiss meat and this dish pays homage to the country beyond words.

We shared a range of desserts showcasing the pastry chef’s skills. My favourite was the Strawberry Pop Art, a light and fruity dish with strawberry jelly, crumble and cream cheese ice cream. It was a lovely contrast of crunch and cream, presented in a sculptural fashion. Pavillon’s take on Tiramisu is also worth trying, a spectacular presentation with a tube of coffee creaminess and cold aniseed flavoured ice-cream, certainly not an ordinary dessert.

Both hotel guests and visitors adore Pavillon restaurant, it was the culinary highlight of my weekend in Zurich with food that wowed. Put a meal at Pavillon at the top of your Zurich to do list.

More information and book here: www.aupavillon.ch/en

Book a stay at Baur au Lac here: www.bauraulac.ch , read my review of the hotel here.

Many thanks to the Swiss Tourist Office for their help with this trip, more information here.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN, Gelato making class at Snowflake, Soho

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“So it’s ice cream, then”, said a friend of mine, nonplussed, as I told him what my next write-up was. “I don’t know why they insist on calling it gelato, just call it ice cream”. After my latest experience at Snowflake Gelato, I know now why “they” insist on the separation of ice cream and gelato, and why from now on I shall insist on it too.

Snowflake’s proprietor Asad set out to make gelato with one guiding principle: the best of everything. When one’ product consists of milk, sugar, cream, and then one or two all natural ingredients, from strawberries to caramel to rich pistachio or spiky mint, there is nowhere to hide if they aren’t absolutely top notch quality. You won’t find any fluorescent green mint chocolate chip in Snowflake, because the mint flavour is made from freshly blitzed mint leaves; if you order the strawberry or blood orange (and I advise you to do so), strawberry and blood orange is exactly what you’re getting, and nothing else. All of this wonderful produce is lovingly crafted by energetic head chef Paolo, to deliver the stunning spectrum of flavours available from the tortuously inviting glass display case in Snowflake’s Soho store.

There is some science that goes into the taste sensation that blows “ice cream” clean out of the water. Less air in the mixture gives a much denser flavour on the palate, and the process of blast chilling the freshly made gelati and sorbetti stops the ice crystals from forming too large, preserving the impossibly silky smooth texture. There’s even less fat compared to normal ice cream, which compensates with extra cream to achieve that desired smoothness. So – and I think this is the first time I’ve ever said this, as those who know my diet will attest – the tastier option really is the healthier option. That extra scoop wasn’t that bad after all, then.

As a privileged member of the press, I was even allowed into the inner sanctum to try my hand at making my own sorbetto and gelato. Under the watchful eye of Paolo and Asad, we sliced and diced and blended and churned, and in a matter of two hours we had four flavours done, dusted, and thoroughly sampled. But fear not, you too can see behind the curtain, and chance your arm in Snowflake’s laboratory. For groups of up to ten, Paolo will whisk you around the world in a chilled culinary adventure, with the added bonus of eating what you produce. The opportunity to see the passion that goes into making truly great gelato is to be missed, so get in before the summer rush truly takes off in earnest. For you West London purists not keen on venturing into the maelstrom of summertime Soho, fear not, your friendly neighbourhood gelateria’s original location is situated in lovely Westbourne Grove, so there are no excuses for not getting yourself down to dig in to the frozen treats that await.

More information on Snowflake here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

El Club Allard, Madrid

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I have eaten many innovative meals and devoured many delicious ones, rarely do both qualities combine correctly in a magical mix of artistry and taste. El Club Allard was memorable beyond words, an exhibition of culinary genius and creative illusion.

Even the building displays the perfect contrast of antique sophistication and slick modern design, the golden light fittings are particularly alluring. Originally a private members club, El Club Allard still retains an air of exclusivity – the entrance is virtually impossible to locate but inside the ambience is calm and cool. The restaurant opened to the general public in 2003 and is now considered “one of Madrid’s most prestigious gourmet temples.” Awarded a first Michelin star in 2007 and a second in 2011, its chef Diego Guerrero continues to create scrumptious and humorous edible works of art.

The restaurant offers various complex set menus, which feature different combinations of courses: Rendezvous, Seduction and Revolution. We were treated to the full array of dishes with the lengthy ‘La Revolution Sileniosa’ menu which comprises: 3 snacks, 4 starters, 1 fish course, 1 meat course, 1 dessert appetiser, 2 desserts and finishing with coffee, tea and petit fours. Here’s the unlikely list of masterpieces we devoured:

Game truffle with Foie and mushrooms

Mini Babybell of truffle Camembert

Pea ravioli with Iberique dewlap

Celeriac cream with smoked sardine and apple / Coconut and tonka beans “puntalette”

“Verdinas” beans with cockles and sea urchin foam / Onion soup

Egg with bread served over a light potato cream sauce

Tender and crunchy veal structures

Red mullet on saffron bouillon / Suckling lamb shoulder with Tandoori crumble

Deer with sweet potato and chestnuts

Hibiscus flower with pisco sour

The Fishbowl

Egg Poché

The blackboard

Service here is pitch perfect; my slightly tricky dietary requirements were established at the start of the meal and the kitchen kindly adapted the necessary courses. I felt a bit pathetic (like I was opting for the kids menu) as my guest dined on sea urchin soup and I tucked into a simpler, but equally beautiful, cheesy onion variety! The ‘sans-fish’ adaptation was immaculate and impressive, especially as a last minute amendment. Is there anything they can’t handle?

The dishes employ numerous experimental techniques and clever twists – it is impossible not to smile as the food is presented and explained. Not all is as it seems. In our first dish, game is made to look like a truffle with a strong meaty flavour and soft smooth texture on a bed of grated rich foie gras, displayed in a purpose made glass structure cleverly designed to allow smoke to waft out around the food. It was a mysterious and exciting start to the meal. Mini Babybell cheese was an elegant recreation of the classic kids snack, a gooey truffle scented cheese centre encased in red gelatine outer shell. Each was just a mouthful or two, but the flavours were complicated and mesmerising. At every stage, carefully considered Spanish wines were served to complement the food.

The starters, of which we had four, were slightly more substantial. Particularly memorable was the colourful sardine and celeriac arrangement adorned with a bright pink flower, black caviar and gold olive oil caviar. Veal Structures was a bizarre dish using just the fat from the meat, cured and cooked in strong spices: it was slimy but wonderfully fragrant in taste. For the main course I adored my suckling lamb shoulder, which felt quite ordinary in design compared to some of the other inventions. The meat was cooked perfectly, falling apart effortlessly with a salty crisp skin edge, and flavoured with a mix of Indian-influenced spices.  The deer was sensationally sweet and addictive, the soft red meat felt velvety and contrasted well with the crunchy nuts and creamy potato.

Despite my usual preference, the sweet section of the meal was my favourite; El Club Allard truly excelled with the final few courses. A refreshing floral sorbet with pistachio crumbs cleansed the palate. The fishbowl was a masterpiece… a small round glass held inside it a whole microcosm of activity, green ultra thin and furry churros as seaweed, a spindly pointy raspberry coated in white chocolate piece as coral, a gummy sweet with a glistening silver bail as a fish, a chocolate shell, all planted within a bouncy sweet yoghurt mousse with the palest green foam. It was a masterpiece, almost too incredible to eat but so completely delicious. I somehow made room for the whole dessert and more, craving the assortment of flavours and textures represented so thoughtfully. The second dessert was an egg, but not an egg. An identical impersonator made from a thick white chocolate shell with coconut and passionfruit inside, created to replicate the real product exactly. I’m not sure which I preferred, the look or the taste, both took my breath away.

El Club Allard refuses to conform… so when I saw we were to receive petit fours I blinked in disbelief. But of course this wonder team aren’t going to fall at the final hurdle. A black slate arrived with an array of chalks, all edible sweets. Unforgettable in every way, this meal was exemplary and entertaining from start to finish.

With the recent release of the world’s 50 best restaurants, I am amazed to see that El Club Allard doesn’t feature. In my opinion it is definitely up there with the very finest and I hope in time that it will receive the recognition it deserves.

More information and book here: www.elcluballard.com

Many thanks to the Madrid Tourist Board for their help with this trip, more information here.