Fondue. Not something I regularly crave, to be honest. But when in Lausanne, I was told you've gotta 'due it up at Le Chalet Suisse. And after my recent visit, I'm likely to pass along that same recommendation to whomever I hear is visiting this beautiful slice of Switzerland.
But before we dive into a vat of cheesiness (and no, I'm not just talking about my review), allow me to harp on our starter - a plate of Air Dried Beef and Cured Ham. In my book, it's pretty hard to go toe-to-toe with prosciutto and come out on top, but this thinly-sliced, semi-salty beef was absolutely mouth-watering. I probably (OK, definitely) took the lion's share at my table (shamelessly), as I just knew I would be craving this taste for far too long. Lower on the memorable scale, but still recommended, was the Mixed Salad. Tossed with corn and beets and a really nice balsamic-based dressing, it was a good palate cleanser prior to the onslaught of meat, cheese, and carbs.
Now, the Fondue, a mixture of the region's two most famous cheeses - Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois, was gluttonously delicious. I don't have much experience in the fondue department, but I can't imagine every hot pot of melted cheese tastes like this one. Creamy, flavorful, and deceivingly airy, you really only realize how heavy something like this is until well after the meal's end. Our server even showed us the best way to douse our bread, giving us a how-to on twisting and twirling our fondue forks just so. Sure, it was touristy, but it was also fun.
Le Chalet Suisse is located in a park overlooking the gorgeous, but spookily still Lake Geneva. At night, you can see the illuminated town of Evian on the French side, like strung white Christmas lights across the horizon. The inside is a bit hokey, with old school Swiss novelty items like giant cow bells at every turn. Plus, it absolutely reeks of cheese when you first enter. Your nose gets used to it after maybe a minute, but make sure to wash your outfit when you get home - that shit clings to your clothes like cigarette smoke (cheese-filtered). By no means should that be a deterrent, mind you. There are far fouler cheese smells in the world and that hasn't seemed to stop most people anyway. I've already spent way too much time on this, longer than you will likely even be bothered by such an odor. So, instead, shall we salute to Le Chalet Suisse and its excellent use of all things bovine? After all, this is a place of adoration and celebration of the famous Swiss cow, from beef and cheese and all the cheesy cow bells in between. Santé! read more