Eating out in Geneva

This week I spent a couple of nights in Geneva for work. I couldn’t cook for myself so I thought I’d share a review of sorts.

Water Jet Lake Geneva
Water Jet Lake Geneva

Eating out in Geneva

Check out this week’s diary post for an insight into travelling to Geneva for work.

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Café du Centre

Café du Centre
Place du Molard 5, 1204 Genève, Switzerland
+41 22 311 85 86

On Tuesday afternoon, after arriving, I thought I’d get dinner early so I could then focus on the e-mails from work that had accumulated while I was in the air.

I walked into the restaurant at about 5.30 pm. The restaurant was well lit and well appointed. A few tables were already taken with diners. Mostly older people (like me, I suppose).

A couple of tables had younger men at them and they were just drinking coffee.

A waiter approached me and I held up a single finger and asked for a table for one. We soon established I didn’t speak French and my English was weird sounding.

I was escorted to a table wedged into an alcove between a wall and a supporting beam. The waiter pulled the table out so I could use the chair. I suppose he didn’t want me too obvious to other diners.

I was shown a menu and was grateful that in amongst all the unfamiliar words I could recognise some words which gave me a clue to what was in most of the dishes.

After my recent gastroenteritis experience in Manila, I was careful to avoid seafood, so poissons was off the menu for me.

I saw lamb shank and New Zealand and thought, why not. I mean if the meat is from New Zealand it won’t be as good as Australian lamb but beggars can’t be choosers.

I asked for some sparkling water (only because I’m wary of tap water when overseas) and the lamb shank.

The waiter brought out the water in a 500 mL bottle plus a basket of bread and some butter. Many readers know my GP has told me to eschew carbohydrates in the form of breads, rice, noodles (including pasta), as well as starchy vegetables. I figured though, I was out of my routine here so perhaps as a bit of a break from the routine I should have some bread.

The bread was okay.

Soon after the bread came to the table, the waiter brought out a wire frame which had a candle in its base. The waiter lit the candle and left.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting and looking at other diners and listening to them speak French, the waiter came out carrying a tray. On the tray was a small ceramic bowl containing mashed potatoes. There was also a cast iron dish which had the slowly cooked lamb shank in it. Underneath the lamb shank were an assortment of field mushrooms.

The cast iron dish went onto the wire frame over the candle flame.

The waiter left me on my own.

Using a knife and fork, I carefully lifted out the lamb shank and put it on my plate. I spooned out some potato mash and then some of the field mushrooms. I took from of the butter from the bread basket and put that on the lamb and let it melt.

The potato mash was nothing to write home about. It wasn’t buttery nor creamy.

The field mushrooms were tasty and nicely cooked.

The lamb shank was perfectly cooked. It pulled away from the bone with a gentle tug using a fork. It broke up easily without the need for a knife. It tasted okay, but it was quite mild in flavour. Almost bland. I’m sure if this was Australian lamb rather than New Zealand lamb it would have tasted better.

This meal cost me $AUD65.45. Can you believe that? Nothing from New Zealand is worth that much money.

La Romantica Pizzeria

La Romantica
Rue de la Rôtisserie 2, 1204 Genève, Switzerland
+41 22 311 41 10

Wednesday was busy. I left the meeting I was attending at about 6 pm, and caught the bus back to the hotel I was staying at. I wasn’t hungry (there was a satisfying amount of meeting food) and didn’t want to wander about aimlessly. Near to the hotel was an Italian restaurant.

I again went through the routine of holding up a single finger and asking for a table for one. The waiter quickly established speaking French was pointless. I was shown a table near a window and provided a menu in English. Happy days.

I wasn’t feeling that hungry so I went for the fish and chips which was served with a green salad and tartare sauce.

I’ve had better fish and chips from the Sandgate Fishmonger. Even the Jamison Takeaway fish and chips is better.

Sandgate Fishmonger
90 Flinders Parade, Sandgate QLD 4017
(07) 3269 0416

Jamison Takeaway
4 Bowman St, Macquarie ACT 2614
(02) 6251 1922

Fish and chips La Romantica Pizzeria
Fish and chips La Romantica Pizzeria

This meal cost me $AUD44.89.

Restaurant Le Panoramique

Restaurant le panoramique
5760 Route des 3 Lacs, 74560 Monnetier-Mornex, France
+33 4 50 31 31 61

Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève
Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève

To achieve the most economical fare structure for this trip I elected to spend an extra night in Geneva. I don’t know why spending an extra night somewhere would cut more than $AUD700 off the cost of a fare.

This meant I had a few hours on Thursday morning to take the advice of a work friend who used to travel to Geneva regularly. She recommended I catch a number 8 bus to Veyrier Douane which is just inside the border between Switzerland and France, and then walk across the border to the Téléphérique du Salève (Cable car station at the base on Mont Salève). She said the cable car would take me to the top and I’d get a nice panoramic view of Geneva, its lake, and Lake Geneva’s water jet.

Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève Geneva View
Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève Geneva View Panorama

Téléphérique du Salève
Route du Téléphérique, 74100 Etrembières, France
+33 4 50 39 86 86

The Restaurant le panoramique is in the building which houses the Telepherique du Salève (cable car station on top of Mont Salève).

Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève Geneva View
Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève Geneva View (iPhone)

Telepherique du Salève
Route des 3 Lacs, 74560 Monnetier-Mornex, France
+33 4 50 39 86 86

The views from the top were good. I’ve shared a few photographs above.

I entered the restaurant and was greeted by a waiter who started speaking enthusiastically to me in French. This was even before I could show him a single finger and ask for a table for one.

When I asked for a table for one, his reply was, “…eh…English…”

He showed me a table next to the window looking over Geneva, but this table was at one end of the restaurant close to the cable car station and next to a cast iron fire place. I could see out of the window and get a good view of Geneva.

Here’s a photograph of the work travel mascot, known as Dead Duck Dilbert (search for #deadduckdilbert on Instagram).

Dead Duck Dilbert Le Panoramique Restaurant Téléphérique Salève
Dead Duck Dilbert Le Panoramique Restaurant Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève

As I was seated, the waiter directed my attention to the opposing wall and he said, “English menu” and pointed.

Fish Chart Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève
Not the menu but a Fish Chart Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève
Kidney Urinal Toilet Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Sal
Not the menu but a Kidney chart at Urinal Toilet Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève

I went for the Simmental sirloin steak with homemade cray fish butter. The simmental breed is native to the Bern canton of Switzerland. I asked for rare to medium rare and received well done. The flavour though was good and beefy. I loved the butter and the potato wedges were crispy and smokey.

Simmental Steak Crayfish Butter Téléphérique Salève Cable Car
Simmental Steak Crayfish Butter Téléphérique Salève Cable Car Mont Salève

Because the meat was well done, I cut it into small pieces and carefully chewed it. I used the crayfish butter to ‘moisten’ the meat.

If the steak had been cooked medium rare and allowed to rest, I reckon it would have been amazing.

I did contemplate asking for a new steak. Then I thought what the chef/cook might have done to the meat if I dared criticise the food. Am I gutless? Yes. Am I stupid? No.

Here’s a video of the meal and the view.

Simmental sirloin steak and a view of Geneva from Mont Salève, France.

This meal cost me $AUD51.70

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Questions and answers

Which was the best meal and why?

The tough steak on Mont Salève. It wasn’t the cheapest meal, but it did have a good view. The crayfish butter was good.

If the steak had been cooked better, I would rave about this meal.

Which was the worst meal and why?

The fish and chips from the Italian restaurant near the hotel I was sleeping in. The fish was just these thin slivers coated in batter and deep fried. I couldn’t really get a great sense of the flavour or texture of the fish. The chips were like the shoestring chips you get in fast food places. The tartare sauce was good. The salad was fine.

At least it wasn’t the most expensive meal.

What was the service like for an English only speaker?

Look, I can’t complain. I’ve travelled to places where English is not the national nor official language. I’m at fault for not trying to make an effort and learn some French phrases which would get me by more easily.

Some might argue, I can’t even speak English that well given my first language was Cantonese and as a result of childhood racism I’ve basically lost the ability to speak and comprehend Cantonese.

Using a mixture of hand gestures, including pointing, and speaking slowly, I got by.

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Final thoughts

  • Have you eaten in Geneva?
  • Do you learn the language of the place your visiting to get by?
  • Would you complain about tough steak?

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15 Responses

  1. Switzerland is about twice as expensive for food as you would expect in the UK on a par with Canada and Norway. I’m going to the Jungfrau region for my first Swiss holiday next spring so I’ll post what happens once I’ve been. I did stay at the Movenpick (Swiss) in Amsterdam and the food was great especially the rosti potatoes. Butter and cream all over the place. Your fish fingers looks like a kid’s meal from McDonalds!

  2. My husband always wants to order steaks or burgers when we’re in France. I always try to steer him away (no pun intended) but he’ll insist, and always regret his choice. I love France, but it’s just not beef country.

  3. All sounds a bit disappointing Gary, though I do feel a little that that’s what you get for ordering fish and chips, in an Italian restaurant, in Geneva! 🙂 I’m surprised the staff didn’t speak more English – in Paris most do these days, and Geneva must be used to a wide variety of international guests one would think…

  4. I happened to know Spanish when I traveled to Spain, but then a professor on our study-abroad group took us into France. He ordered our lunch and our dinner for us in French. Both meals were absolutely delicious. My dad traveled a lot for work and didn’t speak anything but English. He was typically received quite well, despite the language barriers. I think people could tell my dad was funny and good natured–his sense of humor always comes through. Cheers!

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