Zurich is Switzerland's financial and capital and is a lively and cosmopolitan Swiss city. Come along as we explore the city, try some of Zurich's most famous bratwursts (and learn how to eat them Swiss style), check into a Dadaesque maximalist hotel and dine at one of Zurich's fine dining restaurants!
I have just arrived in Zurich and as usual, I'm a little lost. I was supposed to get on a tram with my luggage but after deciding that it just sounded too stressful, my friend Sammie suggested that I get a car through Bolt (an Uber alternative). Having never used it I bumble my way through it before I ask two Swiss girls if the location I have set is correct. "Of course, we'd be happy to help," they say and they assist me through every step. "We'll wait with you," they offer and they make sure that I get to the car. People talk about Swiss people being so precise and punctual but they're some of the most helpful and friendly people I've ever met too. I make it to the hotel, check in and am ready to explore Zurich.
Zurich has all of the biggest luxury brand names along Bahnhofstrasse, 1.4 mile stretch of shopping. The first bite on the food tour of Zurich is at the shop Sprungli. You may recognise the name from "Lindt and Sprungli" but Sprungli exists as shops on their own. The Sprungli brand is associated with upmarket sweets from tiny macarons, pralines, desserts and sandwiches in a stunning setting. The macarons here are smaller with a fluffy cream filling. I eat my strawberry and rhubarb macaron in two satisfied bites.
While there is every luxury brand available there are also charming little details like cat stairs built outside an apartment to allow an owner's cat to come in and out.
Former medical houses are now florists and we cross the Town Hall bridge that used to house the fish and vegetable markets. The carvings on the outside of the building detail the building's past life.
We stop into Äss-Bar, no not a strip club. Äss-Bar is Swiss-German for the German "Essbar" meaning "edible". It's a shop that a bit of a secret hole in the wall that sells day old breads and baked goods at half the price. This shop is very popular and in a city that is expensive as Zurich, it's a great way to save money.
Shops like Berg und Tal shop brim with wonderful local food products from Nussekuchen, nougats, candies and chocolates. Some come from home based stores with hand written labels.
We stop by H schwarzenbach, a family owned shop sells nuts and teas and gifts as well as chocolates that are presented like postcards in a museum gift shop.
Lunch: Sterner Grill
Before we know it it is time for lunch and today's lunch is at Sterner grill, one of the oldest restaurants. It has a veritable who's who of customers and popular with vips. They are known for their sausages and there are several varieties.
We tried the St Galler Olma bratwurst with a round rye burli bread. You don't fill the bread with it. Instead you dip the sausage into the mustard and then take a bite of the bread. The bratwurst is nice but we all actually prefer the picante sausage with a coarser grind and more punch and flavour.
The mustard is dubbed Atomic mustard and is not to be trifled with. At first it seems like you've got it under control but it's right at the end that it hits you with a sinus clearing punch, like your first time trying wasabi. All of this is washed down with bottles of Rivella, a soft drink with a light herbal flavour to it.
Dinner: Weisses Rossli
From The Home Hotel, we take the 6 minute walk to Weisses Rössli, a fine dining Swiss restaurant on Bederstrasse just around the corner. While the restaurant looks understated with no tablecloths and a simple outfitting, the food is really where the flair comes out. The restaurant has 15 GaultMillau points out of a maximum of 20.
You can opt for 2, 3, 4 or 5 courses and they will adjust the size of the course according to how many courses you order. The restaurant also caters well for vegetarians. We are sitting inside although there is a covered terrace area. The two large paintings of white horses reference the name of the restaurant which means white horse and there's also an entrance to a subterranean private dining room marked Kegeln or bowling alley in pink neon referencing its past life as a bowling alley.
Rather than a tiny bite, the amuse bouche is quite a sizeable tart. It is made with beetroot, tomatoes, burrata and a hint of thyme in a very thin, crisp shell. While it looks more like beetroot, the flavour is very much tomato borrowing some sweetness from the beetroot. It's an excellent start to the meal.
Then they bring out the bread service that features breads in a variety of ways from a crisp rye boule, breadsticks, paper thin wafers and the horse shaped butter. The rye boule is particularly good but they all provide a range of textures.
Some of the best vegetarian food I've ever had is in Switzerland and the San Marzano tartar is an example of this. It tastes of the sweetest, juiciest ripe tomatoes you could ever dream up. It is paired with dabs of creamy ricotta, chilli crumble and a basil reduction poured at the table.
Ivan's beef caramella is a soft, beef-filled pasta - the name of the pasta references its shape that looks like a caramel wrapped candy. This is paired with Swiss chard, veal jus and crumbled taralli wheat crackers with a delicious garlicky aroma.
They bring out a little pre-dessert to freshen the palate. It's redcurrants with crumble and a soy milk foam that is simultaneously tart and creamy.
There is nothing like the creaminess of Swiss dairy and in the Namelaka dessert this really puts this on display. Namelaka is a Japanese term meaning "extremely creamy" and is also the name of a Japanese dessert similar to a panna cotta. This is a white choc namelaka panna cotta with cherry sorbet, macadamia crumble, fermented cherries and lemon balm. The namelaka is less set than panna cotta and is more like a very softly set pudding that is incredibly creamy. It is perfectly juxtaposed against the slightly tart cherry sorbet and pops of fermented cherries.
Where We Stayed: The Home Hotel
The hotel for my 2 nights in Zurich is The Home Hotel, a gorgeous colourful hotel that trades in technicolour and texture. Walking into the lobby, it is a maximalist's dream. There's a floating fireplace with velvet apricot poufs, ceramic busts, flowers, plants, velvet chairs and fat piles of books in every colour. Complimentary spa water and chocolates in the lobby gives it a homely feel if your home was of course decorated by a professional.
The Home Hotel was inspired by the Dada movement which was started in Zurich during World War I. It challenged conventional artistic and design principles and introduced new techniques like collage and photomontage. The hotel is located along the banks of the Sihl River.
I head to room #807, one of the hotel's 132 rooms. My room is spacious and opens out into the bathroom and sink with beautifully scented house products. There is also a separate shower and toilet.
The bed is very comfortable with wonderfully smooth sheets (an obsession for me). There is a welcome mini bar with complimentary drinks including beer, Coke and water and a fruit bowl with chocolates. These complimentary amenities are not replenished during the stay but the hotel sits along a shopping mall so any additional supplies can be easily found and you can always request additional toiletries downstairs.
The hotel room does have its quirks. Its former life as a Paper Mill means that the rectangular windows are unusually small and that makes the rooms on the darker side and the lighting in the room doesn't really help in this regard. There is a gym and sauna although the gym is not on the premises. Also the rooms do not have a phone which means that you have to make your way downstairs every time you have a query - I've often taken the phone in the room for granted but you do need it at times.
There's also a coffee machine but not tea and wifi is fast for unlimited devices. I connect my Netflix to the tv and make myself at home. Although I didn't partake of breakfast I did go downstairs to see what it was like and it had a good range of hot and cold offerings, plus a whole caviar fridge (at extra cost).
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