The best tourist trap in town

You could be forgiven for thinking Le Léman is just another tourist trap serving up mediocre meals to non-foodie fools. After all, the lakefront location, the al fresco tables under a stripey awning, and the unspecialised menu of fondue, steak, pizza, and anything else that might take your fancy, all spell disaster.

 

So Monsieur Gourmand and I were quite surprised to find that the food is good and the service even better. Well, fancy that. 


On our two visits so far, we've sampled succulent asparagus tips, deliciously lemony veal escalope with a mountain of julienne vegetables on the side, fleshy filets de perche (fresh from the lake), a lightly decadent goat's cheese salad and creamy, winey cheese fondue.

Who knows? Maybe they do a dreadful pizza.

Le Léman, Rue de Rive 28, 1260 Nyon
+41 (0)22 361 2241; www.restorive-nyon.ch/le-leman

Off the sauce

There are pros and cons to marathon training. While you tend to get a bit less flabby and feel a marvellous sense of achievement each time you run further than ever before, it tends to entail steering clear of anything that's bad for you.

With the exception of an Easter indulgence (or two), I've been booze-free for nearly four weeks now, despite the best efforts of some to break down my steely resolve. Sitting around at home isn't too bad - just a bit of wine envy watching Monsieur Gourmand tuck into a nice glass of grenache - it's going out that's the killer.

I've found the best solution is to stick to ethnic food, which doesn't really go well with wine anyway. So, fancying an Indian feast one night, we headed to Sultan which we had previously found to be very mediocre.

Seated by the window on faux-wood chairs, sipping our welcome "cocktails" (non-alcoholic, hurrah), Monsieur Gourmand and I decided to avoid curries as we recalled the disappointingly bland saag I had on our last visit.

Instead we chose tangy, tender tandoori chicken and lamb, which arrived still sizzling, and some vegetable sides. Monsieur Gourmand defeated the object of eating vegetables entirely by having them swathed in coconut, pistachio and crème fraîche Korma sauce, while I had Bartha, which are tandoori-grilled aubergines liquidized with green peppers and coriander.

A poppadum here, a bit of naan there and soon enough we were stuffed, pleased to have discovered what Sultan does best. With only green tea to drink, however, now I'm not so sure about my ethnic food and wine theory. 

Sultan, rue de Rive 22,1260 Nyon
+41 (0)22 362 3862; http://www.sultanindian.ch/

Eastern feast

Having spent two and a half years searching in vain for good Asian food that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg in central Geneva, Monsieur Gourmand and I have finally found out the truth – it was in Nyon all along!

Mekong has already become our regular Sunday night haunt, not only because it is ten minutes’ drive from our bucolic abode, but because there is an emphasis on intriguing Vietnamese house specials rather than gloopy MSG-laden, deep-fried spring rolls and sweet and sour mystery meat.

I keep meaning to try something else, but I just can’t tear myself away from the beef with crispy basil leaves (I once tried the prawns with tamarind sauce but it was too sickly, completely overpowering any seafood flavour). The same is true of the starters; the grilled pork dumplings have impressed us time and again with their crispy casings, and we have developed quite a liking for the Vietnamese summer roll stuffed with herby minced meat (even if it does come with slices of spam).

Mekong is cosy and warm for winter nights, with carved wood furniture and water features, and the staff make quite an aesthetic effort (see photo). But now it's warming up, I've got a feeling that many an Eastern feast will be enjoyed in the summer on the big terrace overlooking the lake.

Mekong, Quai des Alpes, 1260 Nyon
+41 (0)22 362 5484

The icing on the cake

Christmas turkey and chipolata sausages. Roast pork and crackling. Strawberries and cream. Sometimes the trimmings are the best bit, which is obviously an idea ascribed to by the owner of Auberge de Dully.

The choice of main course at this cosy village haunt is between chicken and lamb. The plump birds turning on the spit as you enter the dining room (which has a great view by day apparently) certainly look enticing, and ours tasted fine, but chicken is chicken and rarely remains in the memory for long. A big fan of lamb with its tangy flavour and tender texture, I wanted to try that too. Again, it was fine but nothing to write home about.

Lucky then that the uninspiring specialities are backed up by amazingly crispy potato rösti and an enormous, deliciously dressed green salad. The starters are tasty too; we opted for vegetable crudités with home-made dips and a generous helping of juicy stuffed tomatoes.

But the proverbial icing on the cake is undoubtedly the locally revered house dessert: warm shortcrust cream pie. The wafer-thin, pizza-like pie is moreishly milky and so light we almost ordered two. Just steer clear of the whipped cream (unless, for you, that is the best bit).

Auberge de Dully, 9 Place du Village, Dully, Vaud
+44 (0)21 824 1149; www.aubergedully.ch

Full-whack fungi

At the end of 2011, jaded by the bright lights of the scintillating metropolis that is Geneva, Monsieur Gourmand and I decamped to Canton Vaud. While this means a month's worth of form filling and jumping through hoops, higher rent payments and a silly weekday commute, it is balanced out by a breathtaking view (no hyperbole here — we can see Geneva, Lausanne, the lake and Mont Blanc from our living room) and, equally importantly, a fair few village auberges to discover.

Unperturbed by the landlady's straggly hairstyle, we felt we should try our local Auberge de Trélex before any others. What's more, we can walk there so there's no holding back on the wine.

More popular with long-time villagers than international types, the auberge's other diners eyed our city folk suits and suede boots with suspicion as we took in our surroundings. With not an antler, corn dolly or candle in sight, the interior has a charmless train-like quality, the tables arranged along the sides of the room and handy plug sockets in the walls, should you feel like writing an email mid-steak.

We placed our orders with the world-weary waitress, Monsieur Gourmand choosing a deliciously winey fondue with soft brownish bread, while I knew right away that I fancied a fillet steak. Asked if I wanted a sauce, I thought yes, a creamy sauce de morilles would be just lovely. I must admit, the steak was very tender and tasty, and it seemed such good value at only 35 Francs (the grumpy hag had failed to mention the sauce would cost another nine on top).

Convenient it may be and the food is not bad, but the saucy rip-off and less than warm welcome won't keep us coming back.

Auberge de Trélex, Place de la Tour 4, 1270 Trélex, Vaud
+41 (0)22 369 2355; www.aubergedetrelex.ch

Amiable ambience

Tucked away on a cobbled street in the centre of town, Fifty-Fifty is always full (of men mostly), everyone looking jolly and jovial.

Could it be that they do the best pizza in town? Or is it a pizza-serving Swiss equivalent of a masons' lodge? We found the answer to be no on both counts, but it’s definitely worth a visit.

Our friend had what looked like penne with Chantilly cream, but turned about to be a herby, cheesy sauce that melted pleasingly into the pasta. Monsieur Gourmand and I both had pizza, his with Parma ham, buffalo mozzarella and fresh cherry tomatoes, mine with tuna and onions (a flavour I am rediscovering after an extended period of Napoletana-liking).

Mid-meal we were surprised to see the gregarious, gravel-voiced manager put on his coat and disappear through the door for a fag with the only other member of restaurant staff, leaving us and the other few customers to fend for ourselves. This would never happen in a more crime-accustomed country; we could have locked him out, stormed the kitchen and overpowered the pizzaiolo, for goodness' sake.
This must be what makes Fifty-Fifty so perennially popular; it feels more like a club than a restaurant, where newcomers are just as welcome as regulars.

After our tasty mains we shared a dessert. Masquerading as innocent lemon sorbet, it had actually been doused in vodka by the aforementioned man, a fiery finale to warm us for the wintery night outside.

Fifty-Fifty, 7 Rue Neuve du Molard, 1204 Geneva
+44 (0)22 310 2698

One bite in Bangkok

If you thought Enrique Iglesias videos were dramatic, you should see what Thai pop has to offer. The lyrics are a mystery to non-Thai speakers, but somehow amputated legs, bullet wounds and broken hearts seem at odds with the happy-sounding songs.

These cinematic musical masterpieces can be seen at Jame’s Pub in Pâquis, a misleadingly named Thai restaurant-cum-karaoke bar where Thai expats come to sing their hearts out with near-professional aplomb. 

Monsieur Gourmand and I came for the tom yum soup and spicy papaya salad, both of which had been highly recommended by a friend. He wasn’t wrong – both these dishes, as well as the red curry and delicious dumplings, were flavoursome and warming.

Served by a cheeky waitress making innuendos about bananas and beer froth, and cooked by a slinky dress-wearing lady chef, Jame’s Pub is great value, highly unusual and outrageously entertaining.


Jame's Pub, 64 Rue de Monthoux, Pâquis 
022 731 6310