Zurich on a platter with chef Suvir Saran

(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today Spice issue dated October 2024)
Daybreak parcels the elements, saturating the sky with a dull gold bruise that slowly turns to blush, separating it from the inky blackness of the waters of Lake Zurich that warm to a solemn grey. As the placid lake gradually comes alive, ducks circle Andi Braschler’s fishing boat, loudly claiming their share of his morning catch. It’s 4 am and Braschler, a passionate fisherman, who is no stranger to such dawn coasting, is hard at work, as he has been for over 30 years—the 6th generation in his family’s fishing business. But it isn’t just his passion turned profession that has drawn us to this angling expedition in near freezing temperatures. It is to experience first-hand the links in the chain that sustain Zurich’s farm to table sensibility and feed its seasonal, regional and sustainable food philosophy.
Braschler sells his fish directly from his store in the town of Hurden not just to neighbouring residents but also to restaurants in the region such as PUR. Famished from our foraging adventures on the lake, lunch is at PUR, just a five-minute walk from Braschler’s store. And no prizes for guessing what the menu offers: The freshest, most flavourful ceviche made from our early morning catch.
PUR HURDEN
“PUR” luxuriates on the edge of Lake Zurich with the most breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps, and food made from fresh produce, locally procured, usually within an 8 km radius. This authentic taste experience summons the best of farm-to-table to your table by the lakeside. The restaurant helmed by the gracious, talented chef-duo, Adrian B¼hrer and Tarik Lange combines the best of traditional cooking and innovative ideas. Basking in the sun-lit, all-wood, almost 200-year-old house, which has been converted into a charming chalet-restaurant, you can feel and taste the harmony with nature. As for food, they don’t offer an exhaustive menu since wastage is anathema. Instead, the menu relies on the season and its produce. The wines, both red and white, served with the meals were procured from the winery next door, K¼mins Vineyard, which was the next port of call on our gourmet romp.
Chef Suvir’s recommendation PUR was all about paucity of ingredients; if less is more, lesser was most at PUR. The Cheesecake icecream was the last bite but it demonstrated how something as basic as ice cream can be a work of art; this is magic and purity at its best. Another standout dish was the ceviche made from the fish caught that morning, with just some citrus, salt and pepper, fresh herbs and microgreens. It was artwork and a dance of pure flavours on your palate—consumption of food that brought you closest to the planet in the cleanest possible way.

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Cost: CHF 40- 80 per person (Rs 3,880-7,760)
SALTZ, THE DOLDER GRAND
For an all-day dining restaurant, Saltz is sensational. It is helmed by two michelin star chef Heiko Nieder, executive chef of The Dolder Grand, who has transformed the hotel into a gourmet destination. The decor underscores clean lines, dollops of natural light and smartly placed design elements peppered with the right amount of theatrics. The cuisine is unconventional, honest and delightful. Signature dishes, in particular the Black Cod served with aubergine and miso is simple and exquisite. The sweet, umami, velvety miso coddles the cod in a flaky, fresh bundle of flavour. The breakfast buffet is nothing short of grand: Choices range from healthy to decadent, from fuss free to elaborate; breads are artisanal and gloat over gluten; the juice shots rally together the finest of super foods and are still delicious. Farm-fresh and seasonal produce add taste, while inventive intervention add nuance and texture.
Chef Suvir’s recommendation: Small bites, beautifully crafted with finesse and flavour, served at the right temperatures and perfect texture ensure satiety in every bite—many familiar, some exotic, but all suffused with artistry and crafting detail, a signature of Chef Heiko Nieder.
www.thedoldergrand.com/en/saltz-restaurant
Cost: CHF 100 to 180 per person (Rs 9,700-17,460)
ZUNFTHAUS ZUR WAAG
One of the city’s most beautiful guild houses (1315), this restaurant is bathed in history and famous for its breathtaking Chagall windows. The elegant dining room on the first floor lets in light and stunning views of the town square and church spires, while the food includes Zurich classics as well as innovative new creations.
Chef Suvir’s recommendation: The Zurich style veal and the R¶sti had a lovely satiny mouthfeel. The R¶sti was hot, crispy and crackling on the outside and soft, steamy and pillowy on the inside—the perfect complement to the autumnal air.
https://www.zunfthaus-zur-waag.ch/en
Cost: CHF 60-120 per person (Rs 5,820-11,640)
BAUERNSCHÄNKE
Understated, small, cosy, and all-wood interiors make for a homey atmosphere that is the kind of place that makes you feel at home in a foreign country. And yet it is perfect to soak in the fabulousness of great food served simply but graciously. Located in the middle of the charming Old Town in Zurich, the fuss-free Bauernschänke, helmed by feted chef Nenad Mlinarevic, focusses on deliciousness rather than pretty plating or pretentious portions. It is a simple matrix of first-rate products and food that hits the right spot. The roasted pork belly has made it to urban lore but it was the Gruyere churros that melted my heart. Another food memory that made it to the Hall of Fame lot was the home-made bread.
Chef Suvir’s recommendation: The Sea bass ceviche was wonderful because it brought out the seabuckthorn—a superfood ingredient. And the savoury, churros was just the kind of food that makes you fall in love with a restaurant.
https://bauernschaenke.ch/en/
Cost: CHF 60-120 per person (Rs 5,820-11,640)
IGNIV
Igniv is the kind of place you go when you want to flash your refined taste. A fine-dine restaurant with a sharing concept, Igniv by renowned chef Andreas Caminada—nestled in the heart of the Niederdorf quarter—is gourmet central for the gourmandise. The interior design, much like its food, has been carefully thought-out and planned with fussy details. An abundance of fabric and heavy drapes announces its history, which once housed a theatre and vaudeville shows. The food mimics art on a plate, and often looks too pretty to eat.
Chef Suvir’s recommendation: The pigeon breast was delicious; it was savoury, moist and a departure from the safe and predictable, showing that the kitchen had a deft hand. The pairing with the beets was marvelous since their dark and bold flavour effectively masked the gaminess of the pigeon.
https://igniv.com/english
Cost: CHF 100-180 (Rs 9,700-17,460)
SYBARITIC PLEASURES
For langurous wining and evenings given over to the flow of soul, Zurich offers a bevy of exciting watering holes.
KœMINS VINEYARD
Picture postcard pretty and simply calling out to a Yashraj production, this vineyard is terraced onto a hill, smack in the middle of the city of roses, Rapperswil. Of course, the company K¼mins has several vineyards hemming lake Zurich, and sell their wines to various restaurants of the region, but this is where you should go if you want to bliss out with the most beautiful fresh, light, fruity wines that light up the palate. The tasting room sits on top of the vineyard hill (in pic above) and offers 360 views of the lake, and scenic Rapperswil, ablaze in fall colours, but the sunset on the lake is a sight that lingers in your mind, long after the views and the sips are gone.
www.zuerich.com/en/visit/restaurants/kumin-weinbau
CLOUDS BAR & BISTRO
Perched high above Zurich’s entertainment district, Z¼rich-West, this calls for a spirited high, where your head swim in the clouds, and your feet are firmly planted on terra firma. Zurich’s highest bar offers gorgeous 360 views of the city, all the way till the lake, and with some fabulous cocktails and finger food on call, this is a must-visit. The colours of the sun as it disappears over the city are another conversation.
https://clouds.ch
JULES VERNES PANORAMA BAR
As the name suggest, it’s all about the views at this magnificent bar located in the heart of the city, right next to Bahnhofstrasse. Hardly any other resto-bar can lay claim to such a beautiful view of Zurich’s rooftops, all the way to the Alps. Complementing the wonderful panorama, are delicious cocktails and first-class wines. Romantics can spend that extra hour just watching the sun melt into the Alps.

Welcome

BAR AM WASSER
This is the chill zone; with drinks and service as unpretentious as its name. It seamlessly transitions from bar to restaurant and café depending on time of day and whim of the traveller. With around 400 bottles in its two-storey high spirits gallery, Bacchus worshippers are spoilt for choice. It’s simple elegance at its feelgood best.
https://www.baramwasser.ch/
SPECIAL EXPERIENCES
Spice’s culinary exploration of Zurich’s hip and trendy hotspots
JOHN BAKER
Bread is literally Manna from Heaven in Zurich with artisanal bread ruling the roost and palates. And this is the coolest baker in town. At John Baker, everything is homemade, with ingredients from sustainable and fair production across multiple branches. Give us this day our daily bread…
https://johnbaker.ch/
FOOD TOUR ZœRICH-WEST
A culinary adventure through the heart of trendy Zurich-West, this district is Foodie Central and this walking tour gives food connoisseurs a glimpse of the most popular restaurants and watering holes. Eat and drink like a local at this cultural hotspot.
https://www.zuerich.com/en/toursexcursions/zurich-food-tour (Every Friday in English)
Cost: CHF 85 per person (Rs 8,245)
HOT CHOCOLATE
Switzerland and chocolate are like bread and cheese, a marriage made in culinary heaven. In Zurich, hot drinking chocolate is known as “Heisse Schoggi”. Imagine the autumnal nip in the Alpine air and a steaming mug of decadent, chocolaty sludge to revive the body and warm the soul. You can get it at any street corner or café but we recommend the liquid dream at master chocolatier, Spr¼ngli with multiple locations throughout the city.
https://spruengli.ch
FONDUE
In Zurich, don’t just enjoy Fondue, enjoy the venue too: Open-air restaurants, on a boat, in a streetcar, or go traditional in a cosy chalet.
—Suvir Saran is the only chef on the Nutrition Advisory Council of the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, teaching arm of Harvard Medical School. Currently, he is the Culinary Director of Neuma and True Palate Hospitality that oversees 12 restaurants across India and the globe.
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