Demi-Lune

I'm not much for red meat but I am partial to the occasional cheeseburger (or steak). However, I don't really care for fast food chains and I actually think the best burgers are home-made. Having said that, there are a few places in Geneva that serve up a decent burger and are worth checking out.

One such place is old town café Demi-Lune. Their burgers come in several varieties and are accompanied by a traditional side of fries. However, I for one feel it is high time to find an alternative to fries as an accompaniment, I no longer really enjoy them and they're hardly ever home-made. Also, if you like your meat well-done, you should mention that when ordering otherwise it might be a little rare.

Best of all, however, was their strawberry crisp, a crispy almond crust covered in custard and topped with fresh strawberries and confectioner's sugar -- definitely a winner!

Pictured below: a cheeseburger with a side of fries followed by strawberry crisp.

Forno a Legna

Pizzerias abound in Geneva and when it comes to recipe and technique, the gamut runs from coal-oven thin crust pizza to electric oven thick crust pizza... my preference, of course, goes to the former type (though I have enjoyed the occasional thick crust pizza in a number of establishments but hopefully more on that in an upcoming post). Also, I usually order a plain margherita, the first pizza listed on many a menu. However, when it comes to toppings, there is so much to choose from, so for the purpose of this blog, I decided to expand my pizza horizons and try a couple of different things.

One small pizzeria I quite like is Forno a Legna located in the lively neighborhood of Servette. They make a coal oven thin crust pizza that is definitely worth the trip! Of course, I usually go for their margherita (they also make excellent pasta dishes) but this time I gave their vegetarian pizza a try, and quite enjoyed it. A word to the wise, though, if you're getting takeout pizza, go easy on the toppings, especially if you're planning to eat your pizza on the move!

Pictured below, a vegetarian pizza from Il Forno a Legna, toppings include bell peppers, mushrooms, artichokes and capers... and to boot a nicely charred crust:

Demi-Lune

One of the nicest things about living in Geneva is spending a sunny summer afternoon on a terrace in the Old Town! Demi-Lune allows you to do just that with a rather small but enjoyable terrace... and if you're looking for more than just beverages, whether you want a quick snack or a full meal, Demi-Lune's kitchens remain open from 11.30 am to 11.30 pm on weekdays, which as previously mentioned, is quite rare in Geneva!

Pictured below: a demi-lune chocolate fondant:

Phuket

Pad Thai noodles is easily one of my top ten favorite dishes, unfortunately it is often botched by restaurants. That is why when it comes to Thai food in Geneva, Phuket is my establishment of choice, and it has been for a number of years now. Their Pad Thai is very good, although the last time I was there, it seemed to me their portions had gotten quite a bit smaller... but no worries, I was quite full at the end all the same!



Pictured below: Tom Kha Kai, a slightly spicy chicken and coconut milk soup, spring rolls, a staple of Asian cuisine, the above-mentioned Pad Thai noodles, and a succulent rice, mango and coconut milk dessert:

Chez Nina

Takeout pizza from Chez Nina's...

Pictured below: a garlicky shrimp atlantic pizza charred to perfection!

La Boursiere

Anyone who's lived in Geneva for any length of time will have no trouble confirming that only a handful of restaurants will serve you dinner after 10.30 pm in this city. Thankfully, La Boursiere happens to be one of the few places you can enjoy a late meal! This Italian restaurant located in the heart of Geneva right by Confederation Center offers one of the largest selections of salads in the city in addition to many pasta dishes and pizzas.

The wait staff is friendly and helpful and the food is quite good, though I tend to prefer my pizza crust slightly more charred, however that is just a question of personal taste.

Pictured below: margherita and Calabrese pizzas.

Chez Nina

Chez Nina is currently one of my favorite restaurants. Located right between Petit-Saconnex and Grand-Saconnex, the food is simply delicious, the service is beyond reproach and the staff very friendly. Whether you want to enjoy some fresh pasta or a pizza, Chez Nina is definitely a place I wholeheartedly recommend!

Pictured below: a wonderful thin-crust margherita pizza, a fresh garden salad, followed by some scrumptious pasta with tomato and vodka sauce.











I have yet to be disappointed by any of the dishes on the menu, but I would especially recommend the vodka pasta -- an absolute delight for the palate!

Clearly, Alain Giroud from the Tribune de Genève thoroughly enjoyed his meal there too (article in French).

Pain Quotidien

Brunch on Sunday is a time-honored tradition in numerous cities around the world and Geneva is no exception. To enjoy a late morning or mid-afternoon meal, there are many places to choose from including several world-renowned hotels. However, I recently visited a slightly different type of chain. With restaurants in Rive, Plainpalais and Champel, Pain Quotidien is a favorite among Genevans. Their menu offers a variety of salads, a selection of hot or cold tartines -- their signature open-faced sandwiches -- and many other house specialties.

I did note they changed their menu and no longer offer their four-cheese tartines which is rather unfortunate, but their croque-monsieur or sun-dried tomatoes, cranberry chutney and goat cheese tartines are worth a try...

Pictured below, the bread basket, hot goat cheese tartines, hot croque-monsieur tartines and bressane salad.

China Garden

Over the years, I have found it challenging to find a decent Chinese restaurant in Geneva, but China Garden is definitely one of my favorites. Located in Petit-Saconnex near the Intercontinental hotel and the international organizations neighborhood, it is a must-try for Chinese food aficionados. It is reasonably-priced and the food is excellent. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Pictured below are some of the starters from their menu including nems, an imperial roll and a spring roll, my preference definitely goes to the two latter. These are followed by their shrimp fried rice, an excellent side dish, their delectable kung po shrimp, be sure not to miss it, and finally a shrimp and broccoli dish I quite like.

Muller's Factory

Whether served sweet or savory, the crepe is definitely a breakfast and snack staple around these parts. Making these thin pancakes at home is fairly simple, and recipes abound all over the Internet, but crepes can also be found all over Geneva, at restaurants, food courts and a variety of other places. One particularly popular crepe destination in Geneva is Muller's Factory -- whether you're in Balexert or Globus, you can stop to enjoy some of their signature crepes (fillings include sugar, chocolate, apple sauce or jelly if you have a sweet tooth, cheese, eggs, spinach or mushrooms, if you're in the mood for something more savory), waffles or fresh juices.





Pictured above: a chocolate crepe and a chocolate and banana crepe.

Point du Jour

Point du Jour is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Geneva. It is located in Petit-Saconnex and residents of the neighborhood are probably all familiar with its delectable dishes. Point du Jour probably makes some of Geneva's most delectable fresh pasta dishes, they also specialize in risotto, piccata and various other culinary gems.

A meal at Point du Jour is always a memorable experience -- it simply never disappoints! I highly recommend the pasta, but the other night I had their salad, one of my favorites in Geneva, the home made dressing is simply exquisite.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photo -- it was taken with my cell phone at night on the terrace, it certainly doesn't do this salad justice.



Hopefully more photos from Point du Jour to follow shortly -- stay tuned!

Roberto's

Roberto's, also located in Rive, is probably one of Geneva's oldest establishments, and a favorite among local gastronomes. I had never been, and figured it was time to see if it lived up to its reputation.

I should start by saying that it is a rather pricey restaurant by any standard, but the service is beyond reproach, however, while the wait staff is definitely polite and helpful, they can only be described as a solemn bunch... which is not really a problem as far as I am concerned as long as the service is up to par.

The atmosphere and interior decoration can hardly be described as modern, they are, on the contrary very traditional in style. It has its own unique charm which may not be appealing to all, those seeking a very lively evening probably ought to keep looking. However, for a quiet dinner with friends, business partners or a significant other, this may well be the place to go.

The food was overall good. Starters included saffron risotto and a mozzarella eggplant dish which was a definite winner. They were followed by creamy, tasty lasagna and a rather unremarkable chanterelle farfalle dish... which definitely could have been creamier. Desserts included profiteroles and excellent raspberry floating islands. Espressos were accompanied by Godiva dark chocolate.



















Overall, I would say I certainly enjoyed this restaurant experience, but wouldn't make a regular habit of going to Roberto's, it is more appropriate for special occasions when one is prepared to pay a hefty bill and I think it also requires a certain mood... again, if you're looking for a fun, loud evening with your friends, this is not the place to go!