Wandering around Zurich's old city tonight, my family and I ended up going to Terrasse when the menu looked relatively local and there was plenty of space for us to get seated. While we didn't have to wait for a seat around 8 PM, the service was less than stellar (at least compared to a comparable restaurant in the US); the food took quite a bit of time to get served, and in particular dessert took quite a bit longer. I shouldn't necessarily be surprised, but the inattentiveness came as a bit of shock, especially at a place that seems to put on an air of being an upscale restaurant by the river.
As for the food, I'd definitely say that the better food is the one that is more on the beaten path. Both buffalo mozzarella plates we had (one with prosciutto, the other with tomato and basil) were both delicious, with really high-quality mozzarella (compared to what's available in the US at most places). I went with the foie gras terrine, which was better than most - not as creamily fatty as some places I've been, but better than your average terrine. The one thing missing from the plate, IMO, was some kind of jelly - that would have paired very well. Vegetables and individual berries were included, but it's much more cumbersome to eat, and the fruit itself doesn't have as much of the sugars as jam does. For the main course, I went with beef tartare, and IMO, was a total miss. Tartare is meant to really emphasize the taste of the raw meat or fish, but this was raw beef mixed up with what tasted like spiced tomato sauce. I ate about half before calling it quits - it wasn't something I could stomach a large-ish portion (for tartare) of. Dessert was better, though, with the panna cotta coming out quite bouncy and with a dollop of whipped cream and a berry sauce enhanced with actual berries. I think the number of berries was a bit overdone - I almost felt like I was eating fruit that had panna cotta mixed in - but the flavors were still very good.
The price is pretty exorbitant, but part of it is dining in what feels like domed structure with an ancient architectural feel overlooking the river with a view of the main area of Zurich - it's a very nice place to dine. The food is good, particularly the more strictly Italian dishes, so I'd recommend those if I come to Zurich again. read more