Had a fine meal tonight at the "Blue Train" restaurant. This open, bistro-style eatery is connected…read morewith the impressive Victoria Hotel right out in front of the Basel train station. We dined here on the advice of our concierge and it turned out to be a good bet.
After ordering a refreshing local lager, I opted for the fixed price menu for CH68, which is a little over 70 bucks. Yeah, things are pricey in Switzerland, but this was a meal well prepared, well presented, and full of flavorful surprises!
Two cute little samosas with avocado cream sauce and what looked like lentil sprouts were presented by the staff as soon as we ordered. These were tasty and an indication of good things to come. Our salads arrived looking fabulous, with big, grilled prawns, and some of the freshest organic lettuce I've had in a while. But the best part were the slices of fresh creamy avocado lining the bottom of the salad plate. A truly outstanding salad in every way. This was followed by a tasty tomato soup, again homemade, with fresh basil and cream. This was a bit tart for me, although I devoured every bite. The main was a big fillet of organic salmon on a bed of lentils and light mustard sauce. Very good, but the fish was a touch overcooked to my taste. On a sidenote, I've become sensitive to a delicacy of fish and usually like a bit on the "raw" side. So I'm not complaining a bit about this preparation - I think most customers wouldn't have even noticed. For dessert a gorgeous white and chocolate mousse presentation, a marvel to taste buds and delightful to the eye. This was creamy and not too sweet - perfect for me.
The service was great, with the waiters first speaking to us in German, then in French, then finally in English, realizing we were American.
I recommend Le Train Bleu anytime you're in Basel on business or pleasure. The location is great and the people-watching from the outer patio is reason enough to hang out here, even if you only want a beer!