While in Lucerne, we took full advantage of any restaurant recommendations we could get. The inner streets of the city were lined with shops and delicious smelling places to eat. Arriving mid afternoon, we had only snacked lightly before leaving the Palace Luzern to explore.
For our first dinner, we went to Brasserie Bodu. Bodu has a French inspired menu with a vast wine selection and is located a block off the river front. We made it in just enough time to get a table before any of the reservations for the evening began. Walls were decorated with built in wooden shelving, each shelf containing a variety of glass decanters and bottles. While there was dimmed overhead lighting, we literally ate by candle light as there was a tall stick candle on each table.
Our appetizer was a pasta dish. The dish was simple and perfectly prepared, wide noodles topped with tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs. While pasta is a very easy dish to cook, it is exceedingly difficult to do it correctly and with exceptional flavors. My main course was a white fish with a side of spinach and fingerling potatoes and for dessert I had chocolate mousse. The Swiss are known for their chocolate and I was not let down by my choice.
Walking back to the hotel along the lake and river, we entered through the bar and foyer area. To relax from our day of travel, we chose a tucked away table with leather covered chairs and settled in for a drink before turning in. The bar menu was a common one, Cosmo's, mojitos, traditional beverages of all kinds, but their drinks were very good. I greatly enjoyed their Bellini (above right) and Irish coffee.
Lunch the following day was quite simple. Breakfast had been mid morning at the hotel before the sauna and gym, but we wanted to grab a bite before our boat tour that afternoon. We ate at an Italian place, Einhorn, and they are known for their pizza. A large unicorn served as their logo and was displayed outside and on place mats. You can see the horn peeking over the top of my plate. Tom stuck to his basic salami pizza and I had ham with vegetables and cheeses. The pizzas here are absolutely astonishing in size, they are quite flat but take up half the table when they arrive. I can never finish mine.
Dinner that evening turned about to be of a very unique variety. The concierge made recommendations of numerous dinner options for us to choose from. We decided to try out Red, a gourmet restaurant with 15 Gault Millau points. Meaning, it was highly ranked on a French restaurant scale which has a maximum of 20 points. Located right on the lake, we were able to enjoy a very scenic walk over. The city fair was opening the following day, so we investigated some rides and stands on our way.
I scouted out the menu the night before, as I am always the last one to decide on my order. Eating at a place that was such a break from our norm would also cause me to take even longer and I wanted to be somewhat prepared. They, and most restaurants, offered a selection of local beers and wines. I don't know how Tom's beer was, as I was never offered a sip, but my wine was smooth and flavorful.
The appetizer was artfully presented in a large black bowl. We ordered lamb with braised pork belly, quail eggs, black truffle, and black chanterelles. The portion was not large by any means and made it difficult to share a bit of everything. For the most part, I ended up with the healthier end and Tom ate most of the meat.
My main course was char with rock lobster. Underneath was a sweet potato puree, sweet corn, and to top it all off, a French sauce. Again, the portion was small but it was a refreshing change from what would have arrived if I ordered such a dish back home. Quality over quantity.
Neither of us were feeling adventurous enough for dessert, but I did order a coffee. Much to my surprise, an entire revolving tray of treats was brought out to accompany my drink. I love gummy candies, they are my weakness, but these gummies were far too soft and sugary for my liking. Their chocolate cups filled with fruit syrups were my favorite. We ate a handful before heading back to the tranquil bar at our hotel.
Saturday was our private spa day, we ate breakfast late morning and some snacks that afternoon but were starving and looking forward to dinner at the hotel restaurant, Jasper.
I have to say, this restaurant was honestly the best. I tend to harbor prejudice against hotel restaurants as they can be subpar. Although, since arriving in Europe I've found these places to be far above what I expected.
I enjoy bread, but most of the time when I eat it before a meal it's nothing special. This bread smelled like pizza and tasted just at savory. The red spread was a beet butter, a creamier spread and course sea salt was also provided.
Tom and I love lobster bisque and each ordered a cup for an appetizer. Before the soup was brought out however, our we were served a delicate dish of something we never requested. Confused, we were told the chef will serve small tastes of new dishes on occasion. Whatever risotto-like sampling we had was delectable.
Post risotto, the table was cleared and the waitstaff, wearing white cotton gloves, changed out our silverware and dishes. Talk about the pinnacle of service. For my main course, I had an exquisitely presented lamb dish with potatoes and zucchini stuffed with a gooey cheese filling.
We didn't order dessert, only tea, and once again were presented with an array of treats to choose from. We had purchased chocolate in town that morning and I wanted have some of my selections instead.
As the meal was winding down, Tom noticed the window "shades" were actually large chains. Always filled with child-like curiosity, he began playing with them. The cool thing is, the chains reacted to whatever amount of pressure was applied to them. This is endearing when they are lightly pressed and swing back and forth ever so slightly, but Tom became increasingly adventurous and I thought he was going to get knocked out by the counter effect he caused.
We departed the following morning after eating lunch at the outdoor cafe. The amount of presentation and attention to detail we observed over the preceding days was, and still is, unparalleled. Most anyone is capable of cooking and putting food on a plate, that doesn't mean it will be of a good quality or flavor. I can truly say I enjoyed unique dishes I will never find anywhere else, my travel companion wasn't half bad either.
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