Geneva has more than its fair share of boring bankers, NGOs and horologists. But it also has cheese and chocolate in abundance and an array of restaurants serving up tasty treats from all over the world. Alpine eater Laura discovers the culinary heart of Geneva and the surrounding Savoie region.
It's the second time I've been to L'Esquisse and it's the second time I can't think of anything to write about it. Not because it was bad, quite the opposite in fact. It's very good. Not rapture-rousingly, astoundingly good, but a reliable neighbourhood bistrot serving tasty French cuisine against a backdrop of funky artwork.
Again we were seated in the lower half of the restaurant by the drafty door (note to self: request a table at the other end next time) before a fast-talking Frenchman guided us through the blackboard of wines. Of course he subtly suggested some of the pricier vintages, but we found the restaurant's own label house red was more than a match for our main course.
This second visit failed to trump the first when I had a juicy veal burger (they also do beef, chicken and tuna), but it did involve another hunk of tender meat: a chunky côte de boeuf served on a wooden slab with a sharp knife protruding from within. Rare and tasty, there was little need for the sauce on the side, while chips might have been preferable to the unmemorable potatoes. I can't quite remember if they were dauphinoise. If so, I've had better.
In anticipation of the substantial main course, I had chosen a dainty salade verte to start, which was excellent: firm and fresh with an addictively aromatic walnut dressing. Monsieur Gourmand wasn't so complimentary about his (inexplicably orange) courgette soup which was, unsurprisingly, rather bland.
As we walked home, satisfied yet unexcited by our dinner, I resolved to shake things up a bit next time. Maybe I'll try some fish.
7 rue du Lac, 1207 Geneva +41 (0)22 786 5044; lesquisse.com
While Verbier is overrun with braying Brits, by contrast Crans-Montana offers Euroglam galore. Skiers here won't be seen in anything less snazzy than Spyder or less pricey than Peak Performance, while down in town the non-skiing residents stalk the streets in Moon Boots and Moncler.
If, like me, you prefer your ski resorts a little more down to Earth, it's tempting to shun such glitziness. But that means missing out on one of the sunniest, most extraordinarily scenic spots for lunch in the entire Swiss Alps.
In the depths of winter, the cold might force people inside to enjoy a warm, toasty meal in Restaurant Les Violettes' tasteful interior, but with Crans-Montana's enviable location on Switzerland's sunniest plateau, the terrace is the place to soak up some rays and take in the spectacular view.
While the Weisshorn's majestic peak is certainly diverting, I couldn't help noticing the unusually high proportion of beautiful people that frequent this mountain mecca: waiters wearing Carrera shades and perfect pouts flit from table to table, serving swanky skiers with bottles of Champagne and suitably sophisticated food (no vin chaud and panini here, I fear). Monsieur Gourmand had some deliciously rare and tender roast beef, complete with flavoursome gravy and firm vegetables, while I went for the Swiss staple of viande séchée with all-important cornichons, rye bread and butter. Washed down with some red wine, we left feeling energised for an afternoon on the perilous-sounding Plaine Morte glacier.
Restaurant Les Violettes, next to Violettes télécabine crans-montana.ch
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