Faced with foul weather, I struggled to find things to do when my parents came to visit last month.
The chilly temperatures and pouring rain prompted me to regale them with stories of when la bise (vicious north-easterly wind) attacked the lakefront in February 2012, resulting in ice formations fit for a fairytale. And there just happened to be an exhibition on in Geneva dedicated to that very event! So that was one afternoon filled.
But where to eat? My stepfather must be the fussiest eater known to man. He doesn't do Italian because he can't eat pasta or pizza (exactly why not remains a mystery), anything ethnic is a big no-no and he's not even as keen on steak as he once was (especially after we introduced him to bison at Collex-Bossy a while back).
I racked my brain for somewhere generic, not too adventurous or jazzy, that served "normal food", i.e. none of the above. Fish was at the forefront of my mind as that would please everyone, and then I remembered O' Les Terrasses on the Nyon lakefront. Unassuming without being dull, modern without being outlandish and no overriding bad memories. We decided to give it a go.
And I'm mighty glad we did because now we know where to go when Monsieur Gourmand fancies filets de perche. They don't come cheap but these ones are fresh from the lake, meaning Lac Léman rather than some other lake (and if they're not, they tell you), served in two helpings by the charming staff, with a pot of delicious stringy-thin chips and a leafy green salad.
Confronted with such deliciousness, it's hard to even consider the rest of the tempting menu: starters of ceviche or chestnut cappucino and mains of cod, sea bass and juicy steaks.
Whether you eat inside watching a storm lash the lake or soak up the sun on the deck-like terrace, this must be the best "normal" place in Nyon.
O' Les Terrasses du Lac, rue de Rive 13, 1260 Nyon
+41 (0)22 990 1010; www.olesterrassesdulac.ch
The chilly temperatures and pouring rain prompted me to regale them with stories of when la bise (vicious north-easterly wind) attacked the lakefront in February 2012, resulting in ice formations fit for a fairytale. And there just happened to be an exhibition on in Geneva dedicated to that very event! So that was one afternoon filled.
But where to eat? My stepfather must be the fussiest eater known to man. He doesn't do Italian because he can't eat pasta or pizza (exactly why not remains a mystery), anything ethnic is a big no-no and he's not even as keen on steak as he once was (especially after we introduced him to bison at Collex-Bossy a while back).
I racked my brain for somewhere generic, not too adventurous or jazzy, that served "normal food", i.e. none of the above. Fish was at the forefront of my mind as that would please everyone, and then I remembered O' Les Terrasses on the Nyon lakefront. Unassuming without being dull, modern without being outlandish and no overriding bad memories. We decided to give it a go.
And I'm mighty glad we did because now we know where to go when Monsieur Gourmand fancies filets de perche. They don't come cheap but these ones are fresh from the lake, meaning Lac Léman rather than some other lake (and if they're not, they tell you), served in two helpings by the charming staff, with a pot of delicious stringy-thin chips and a leafy green salad.Confronted with such deliciousness, it's hard to even consider the rest of the tempting menu: starters of ceviche or chestnut cappucino and mains of cod, sea bass and juicy steaks.
Whether you eat inside watching a storm lash the lake or soak up the sun on the deck-like terrace, this must be the best "normal" place in Nyon.
O' Les Terrasses du Lac, rue de Rive 13, 1260 Nyon
+41 (0)22 990 1010; www.olesterrassesdulac.ch
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