The Dolder Grand - Page 2

adrianlondon · #21 04.02.2011, 15:13

	Quote:	Gastro Gnome
	I'd go again maybe in six months time, to see how it's developing.

I'm very tempted to give it a try myself. I'll "invent" a special occasion and see how to justify it to myself ...

adrianlondon · #22 04.02.2011, 15:15

	Quote:	Nicolaschulz
	Beautifully presented food, and I am sure delicious, but for me just a tad pretentious and I don't really like food that has been 'fiddled' with too much.

At those prices, I expect it to have been fiddled with.

One can get unfiddled food quite easily - many places specialise in just serving beautiful cuts of meat or locally caught fresh fish (well, ok, not Switzerland) but for me a chef can come into his own by fiddling

NSchulzi · #23 04.02.2011, 15:18

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	At those prices, I expect it to have been fiddled with. One can get unfiddled food quite easily - many places specialise in just serving beautiful cuts of meat or locally caught fresh fish (well, ok, not Switzerland) but for me a chef can come into his own by fiddling

You do have a point, which is why I would much rather go for the less costly beautiful cuts of meat and the freshest fish (unfiddled with!!)

Gastro Gnome · #24 04.02.2011, 15:25

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	I'm very tempted to give it a try myself. I'll "invent" a special occasion and see how to justify it to myself ...

Oh . . . you don't have to justify it. You just have to decide how you prioritise your spending.

grumpygrapefruit · #25 04.02.2011, 15:26

	Quote:	Nicolaschulz
	Beautifully presented food, and I am sure delicious, but for me just a tad pretentious and I don't really like food that has been 'fiddled' with too much.

At those prices I would expect myself to be "fiddled" with a little too.

Seriously though, looks fantastic but I too would expect a little wow factor in the service at least. And 30 chuffs for a cheese plate really isn't expensive for that quality.

Gastro Gnome · #26 04.02.2011, 15:26

	Quote:	Nicolaschulz
	Beautifully presented food, and I am sure delicious, but for me just a tad pretentious and I don't really like food that has been 'fiddled' with too much.

It really is utterly pointless to complain about haute cuisine being pretentious or fiddled with . . . I mean, this is what it does.

NSchulzi · #27 04.02.2011, 15:28

	Quote:	Gastro Gnome
	It really is utterly pointless to complain about haute cuisine being pretentious or fiddled with . . . I mean, this is what it does.

ok ............

Gastro Gnome · #28 04.02.2011, 15:35

	Quote:	Nicolaschulz
	ok ............

I should say that I agree with you about simpler food.

I'd much rather have something like these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625967928426/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625723180091/

Gastro Gnome · #29 04.02.2011, 15:39

I should point out that UE also has some other Swiss restaurants on Flickr, which may be of interest here, mostly from St Moritz:

La Stalla

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625826596605/

El Paradiso

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625953033596/

Jöhri's Talvo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625959751156/

Le Pont du Corbeau:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625961830352/

La Baraca:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulterio...7625961844166/

Gastro Gnome · #30 04.02.2011, 15:41

	Quote:	grumpygrapefruit
	Seriously though, looks fantastic but I too would expect a little wow factor in the service at least.

Service wasn't bad at all. All dishes were properly explained and questions answered. We requested to see the kitchen at the end and there was no problem with that and we got to meet Heiko Nieder, the chef.

My friend was disappointed that the waiting staff didn't speak better English, but he was just being a cultural imperialist.

Uncle Max · #31 04.02.2011, 16:03

	Quote:	Gastro Gnome
	...didn't have enough personality, either from the chef or the region and it also lacked 'wow' moments.

Ah, welcome to Switzerland. Places like that will never have soul but the money doesn't seem to mind.

	Quote:	amogles
	Yes, and the refurbishment / new architecture destroyed much of the quaint old-world flair that the old Dolder had and makes it feel like one of the those interchangeable international hotels that nobody really likes. Sad really.

Thanks once again to M'Lord Rogers for predictable monodesign refurbishment. Still, he charges so much it must be good.

MidfieldGeneral · #32 04.02.2011, 16:37

the food is great but they've swiss sterilized the atmosphere such as they do so well with all old things in CH

Brighouse · #33 04.02.2011, 16:41

I go to the Garden Restaurant at the Dolder occasionally as it's just a short ride on the Dolderbahn..... prices are about a third of the main restaurant.

Not Michelin-starred I think.. but who cares as the food is prepared by the same kitchen staff

Pics look like the main restaurant to me... could be wrong though.

Phil_MCR · #34 04.02.2011, 16:41

wow. those photos just made me super hungry...

i was at the dolder yesterday and strangely enough, i had only ever seen the new modern part of it. i decided to take a walk outside and and was surprised by the old monstrosity next to it!

zordan · #35 04.02.2011, 16:46

I strongly advice the Afternoon Tea at the Dolder.
69 chf but well worth it.

Gastro Gnome · #36 04.02.2011, 16:54

	Quote:	Brighouse
	I go to the Garden Restaurant at the Dolder occasionally as it's just a short ride on the Dolderbahn..... prices are about a third of the main restaurant. Not Michelin-starred I think.. but who cares as the food is prepared by the same kitchen staff Pics look like the main restaurant to me... could be wrong though.

The pictures are from the main restaurant.

The Garden Restaurant is a different deal . . . it's not Haute Cuisine and offers a more traditional style of cuisine.

e.g.

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes

King pigeon with pears, Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes

It's a completey different kind of thing and a completely different standard of cooking . . . hence the price difference.

#37 04.02.2011, 17:43

	Quote:	Phil_MCR
	wow. those photos just made me super hungry... i was at the dolder yesterday and strangely enough, i had only ever seen the new modern part of it. i decided to take a walk outside and and was surprised by the old monstrosity next to it!

Mate, you were at the Dolder Waldhaus... not the same thing.

Upthehatters2008 · #38 04.02.2011, 18:09

	Quote:	Gastro Gnome
	CHF400 for one. The tasting menu is 218, the wine pairing 116. Then cheese was an additional 31. And then there was the water and tea.

Gawd... Gotta do it , my first Michellin Star experience...

I could starve for the previous week to save money.

adrianlondon · #39 04.02.2011, 18:27

I heartily recommend http://www.wielandshoehe.de/ in Stuttgart which is up on the Zackebahn (U10 from Marienplatz). It has a Michelin Star, a "TV celebrity" chef, and stunning views over its private vineyard down to central Stuttgart.

It's a bit more basic, i.e. less "fiddled with" than the Dolder Grand (based on the photos, I've never been) and doesn't have Swiss prices.

Gastro Gnome · #40 04.02.2011, 18:48

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	I hearily recommend http://www.wielandshoehe.de/ in Stuttgart which is up on the Zackebahn (U10 from Marienplatz). It has a Michelin Star, a "TV celebrity" chef, and stunning views over its private vineyard down to central Stuttgart. It's a bit more basic, i.e. less "fiddled with" than the Dolder Grand (based on the photos, I've never been) and doesn't have Swiss prices.

Having a TV celebrity chef is not a plus.

Thanks for the recommendation though.