As The Say in Zurich, En Guete

My first week of time off was spent in Zurich, with every intention of skiing and snowboarding in the surrounding areas before heading to Garmisch for the Airline Ski Week. Mother nature completely laughed at this, with all the low lying ski runs devoid of snow and the cross country runs resembling puddles.....

So what better to do than eat and drink ?? The week was spent eating out, drinking out, drinking coffee and gossipping. The sadness of lack of snow was forgotten once we entered my one of my favorite restaurants in Zurich, Hiltl. Hiltl was opened in 1898 by an owner who was so wowed by the health improvements of a vegetarian lifestyle he had to share it with everyone. I wonder if it was viewed as suspiciously then as raw food is now?? At any rate, their food is delicious even for a part time carnivore like me. It is not often you find a place where you weigh your food by the plate yet get to be surrounded by chandeliers, wine glasses clinking and tablecloths. Only in Zurich.....Hilti is on Sihlstrasse 2 and no German ( Swiss or otherwise) is required to enjoy a delicious meal.

Another must stop at every time I get to Zuruch is the Cafe-Bar Odeon on the Limmatquai 2. It is the type of place that never seems to exist outside of Europe. Dark wood, newspapers being read in a dozen languages, espresso after espresso served and surely in a corner a great novel is being written. Starbucks has nothing on this type of place! Hot chocolate that is thick and rich enough to make a meal, waiters letting you sit for hours with no pressure to order more or leave, flirting going on between tables, it is people watching at its best .

The best food of all though is often the simplest. The Bellevue Deli, located at Bellevue Platz serves up some of the least inexpensive and most delicious take away food you can find in the city. Run by a former Pan Am stew ( an American from Fresno) and a former Swiss Air Purser , this deli is a melting pot of workers from all lands. They all work together to make the most delicious soups and sandwiches you can imagine. Grab a bite and sit on the steps of the Opera House to watch the world go by , as many locals do, or cross the street to enjoy your lunch along the lake. En guete means 'enjoy your meal' which you will in Switzerland.