The Winter Lounge is a pop-up restaurant (open from 15 Nov) set up in the parking lot in front of the Hotel Royal Savoy. There's a large fire pit in front for anyone wanting a smoke or drink outside, and once inside, it's as if you're transported into a cozy Swisss mountain chalet.
Tried the radically royal raclette, which is a deconstructed "raclette" reminding me of a potato croquette with cheese inside. There's also dried ham, pickles, and little onions on the plate. The result is visually appealing and very tasty, though a tad on the pricey side given the serving size.
Also had the cheesy truffle, which is traditional fondue (half emmental half gruyere) and black truffles. This was amazing! You could really taste the truffles, and it went so well with the cheese. The accompanying bread was also very good -- more airy, so you could really focus on the cheese and truffle flavors.
For dessert it was the marvelous meringue, a take on the traditional dessert. Everything from the meringue to the cream was spot on, and it was a hearty portion, definitely shareable.
So ambiance and food were very good, though prices a bit on the high side. The main reason to bring this down to four stars though is the service. It just wasn't very attentive. I think this is a staffing and/or training issue, where with three servers, there's not enough people to do a proper job when the place is full (as it was on the night we visited). Wine arrived after the starter, and there was waiting to get attention for any requests. While not a deal breaker (and I'd still return), it ruined a bit what otherwise would have been a fantastic experience. read more
