Had lunch here last Thurs curtesy of a BDO, Squeezyjet discounted price and a need for lunch.
An easy enough walk from the centre of town (look for the free bus tickets to anywhere in Geneva just before end of airside at the airport (routes 5,10). Walk along the lakeside and you get to the entrance to public Parc des Eaux Vives with the 'Chateaux' visible from the main gate, walk up the right hand path rto the entrance at rear.
Go upstairs to the main dining room, very grand without being overly ornate, with good spacing between tables, all overlooking the garden & lake. The Matre d' and Somellier greeted us and sat us at table. A selection of very pretty amuse bouche were brought immediately while we got to grips with the wine list & menu.
Both were adequately(!!) expensive (Michelin 2*) with perhaps some overpricing on the wines as some had a very fierce mark-up, though there were no duds and some very well chosen wines are available. Local wines are also represented, both the Geneva area and Switzerland.
After a little debate, and since it had been a 4:30 am awakening, we all decided to go for the Chef's surprise menu, Sfr 175 where upon we were asked if there was anything we did not like so they could manage the choices, which indeed were all to be a surprise even to the Maitre d'.
Two wines by the glass were on offer, and we chose the Inneskillin 1998 Chardonnay, which had a lovely fresh nose but considerable complex ageing on the palate. An old Canadian wine! I asked the Somellier to recommend a local wine to follow, and he chose an unusual wine, Grand Cour 2007 Kerner u Savignon from the Geneva region. This was rather good, the unusual grape selection working well in the glass providing a really refreshing drop that had a full flavour throught the length of the palate without perhaps adding up to a grand wine. Sfr28 & 110. as only 2 of us were drinking we did not get much further into the wine list.
We were presented with: -
Brittany blue coast Lobster, avocado, tapioca ;
Bigouden Scampi on watermelon, black rice cucumber, baby squid w. saffron ;
John Dory de petits bateaux zucchinni condiment olives stuffed baby squid ;
Simmental Beef grilled 'noix' of entrecote, Bearnaise foam in a crust shallots & Balsamic;
A really good selection of cheeses chosen individually from the trolly, all in super condition;
3 different puds, one each, of Ravioles of Cherry, Raspberries w. Jivara chocolste & sorbet 'lollipop', Apricots & peaches w. chocolate tofu verbena chantilly;
Petite Fours
All the dishes were visually stunning as well as superbly flavoured, and dotted with the odd drops of balsamic on olive oil and tracks cross the plate - we tried to joke with the Maitre d' that they had just come fresh from the LHC but rather failed to get the joke across.
We then asked for a dessert wine, and the Somelier suggested Munchberg 2004 Riesling 2004 Vend. Tardives which we pursuaded him to sell by the glass rather than the bottle. Very Alsace, Very Munchberg, very nice indeed.
At this stage we decided to leave the bleeding wallets (Sfr 740 for 3) and go to a watch museum. But of course this was closed (a bank holiday in Geneva it transpired, though people we talked to found it was a surprise to them too!).
So we ambled off and snoozed around the old town till it was time to go home without spending anything more than the Sfr 3 each to get to the airport on the bus. Not that I want something as big as a WW1 tank on my wrist anyway.
An excellent place that lives up to its prospect. read more