10 posts tagged “dinner”

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Zürich. The name "Mund+Art", has two meanings, "mouth and art" which is direct translation and also "Swiss German". (swiss German is only spoken language so it's been said as an art) The name eactly represents the concept of this restaurant which you can experience "very modern and unique Swiss cuisine".

Normally, in typical Swiss food restaurant, it's often designed classic and simple. Sometimes they are like a lodge house in mountain. But here "Mund+Art" shows you something new. The modern designed interior coordinated with red which is "Swiss colour".

A unique table decoration drag your attention.

The restaurant always has some seasonal menu and original menu. In autumn, they offer many seasonal dishes with mushrooms.

Our salad was finished soooo quickly:)

Our main menu. Grilled pork topped with tomato and Swiss cheese. The name of the dish sounds typical Swiss but it actually turned out to be very unique and original. It is an "art".

Grilled swiss fish with spinach. Sauteed spinach served like a scoop of ice cream! A light dish who wants little bite.

Stewed lamb with seasonal vegetables. Lamb meat were very soft and tender. For me, all the portion was perfect. When you have Swiss food, they are usually heavy with plenty of meats and cheese. But here, since the concept is an "art", the decoration is important than portion.. which is perfect for real gourmet!

Don't forget to treat yourself with sweet temptation..

Wildberry Purfait. Check how much berries are served! Perfect for those berry lovers!

Nuts torte with carame sauce. Sounds heavy but actually not. The cake was very light and airy.

Ruberb pie with home made johgurt ice cream. This is really an ART!! Combination of warm Ruberb and crunchy pie is like a dream, followed by sweet sauer johgurt icecream melt gently in warm warm Ruberb sauce. All these dessers are indeed an art. They are served in big place but they won't make you suffer after full meal. This artistic presentation satisfies you and also light cakes and fruits give you perfect delight to finish the meal.

I also like how they served tea..!

What I also have to point out is this confortable service. When I first time came here, I was impressed by friendly service and also a manager who see us off saying "Thank you for your visit". This time, the manager greeted each table and we had small chat with her. She is very professional.

When we left the restaurant, Swiss cross designed candy were given.

The restaurant is along the Seefeld strasse where you find many places to dine out. But don't forget to try this place at least once..!
 
 

Restaurant Mund+Art Wiesenstrasse 1 8008 Zürich TEL:044 380 1919 www.mundundart.ch

One of my favorites life style in Zürich is "Invitation". Well, of course the reason of the size of house, there's no such a culture in Japan. But here in Switzerland, people often invite each others to a house and enjoy cozy dinner at home.

This Saturday, we have been invited by my friend couple. My friend Hana is a half Japanese and has Swiss boyfriend. The most comfortable friend I have in here Zürich. I was really looking forward to this day.

Hana at kitchen. She is preparing something very stylish.

Strawberry Champaigne! Hmm,, I'm not a big drinker but can't say no for this. Too sexy!

Followed by starter. Salmon bruschetta. I like this "Aperitif" style in Europe. First you enjoy some finger food with drinks.

Patrick, a boyfriend of Hana has a big collection of records which took him almost 20 years. He played many different types of music and was like a real DJ! He has professional equipment.

Here come great appetizer! Hot rucola salad with ham, chestnuts and figs! Clean hit!! I really loved it. I like vegetables but prefer warm dish. Not only good but also very balanced and healthy. I already asked her the receipt so that I could prepare same thing when I invite someone. This is also perfect to share in a party!

 
Surprise! Main dish was authentic Indian curry with also authentic Indian subsidely dishes. In Japan, curry is very popular but they are "Japanese curry" and far different from that of India. Upon she serve the meal, she told us small story. The curry is actually a receipt from a Indian ex-boyfriend of her mother:) I liked the story very much! It was tomato based mild and healthy curry.

Another part that I like about this "Inviting" culture is bringing a dessert or flower who has been invited. Flower or dessert? I prefer bringing hand-made dessert. I tried Rasberry Tiramis. It was a receipt from my Swiss friend and was also perfect for summer night. It is joghrt based light dessert from fridge and not from oven.  At the moment, Switzerland is like a treasure box of berries! You can get very high quality berries simply from supermarket.

We are fully satisfied with a whole meal and then headed to a fashionable club. A boyfriend of Hana, Patrick is a member of this stylish place.
Here, I experienced "water pipe" first time in my life. It was fruity and nice.
Music was also nice a we danced for a while.

Enjoying dinner at house makes people more intimate. Good food, good music, and good people,, our summer night couldn't be better.

Spanish food is famous for Paella.  Real Spanish Paella is served in a huge pan.  Not only in the restaurant but also what mother cooks in home is same style.  It comes on the table with big pan so that everybody can share it.

This eating concept is applied not only Paella. 

For example in Tapas bar, I found variety of menu in the show case.  Each of them are very tempting but to be honest, they are all too much if you have to finish it all by yourself.  Therefore, Tapas are served in a portion which everybody can share.

 

 Jamon Serrano.  Said to be the best raw ham in the world!

Gamberi fried with garlic oil.

 
Grilled pulpo. (octopus)

Collaboration of puplo and Gamberi!!

There were also fresh salty anchovies and marinated Sardina.

Vegetables are also available.  These are fried paprikas.  Could be dangerous since some of them are REALLY HOT!!

My favorite dish, Tortilla.  It's an omlet with potatoes.  You could enjoy it just like pancake or even in a sandwitch!

Also in the restaurant, foods are served in a big portion.

Croquetta is something reminds me of Japanese mother's food.  It's a mushed potatos deeply fried in a pan.

Vieras (Scallops) wish onion sauce. Ohhhh, I've never imagine that I could meet with my loving scallops in Europe!

 

Pulpo (octpus) and rissoto.  Very tasty.  I often eat boiled octpus but grilled octpus was something new discover!

wowwwwww, big dish!!

Langostino (spanish shrimps) and crubs.  I was suprised that I could eat the brain as well, just like we do in Japan.

 

Another huge dish!!  All white fish in a tomato flavoured sauce.  It taste similar to Cod.

I think Spanish foods are reflecting it's cluture.  I see people in the country is more intimate to each others.  Maybe it's comes from it's food sharing style.  Interesting is that there are many Chinese living in Spain.  Chinese is one of the most known country who dine in a big party and share a huge plate.  Interesting similarity!

Pure Japanese food (kaiseki) is not to share but otherwise, we Japanese also like to share a plate.  One can not only enjoy variety of taste but also can enjoy friendly atmosphere by sharing same food!

"Dinner at Tennis Court".  What kind of dinner can be imagined?  Maybe casual snacks like pizza and hotdogs on the paper plates?  Well, actually, the tennis court in Zurich offer quite a special dinner in a very private atmosphere.

Upon we arrived, the table was set for 10 people.

 

 

The table was covered with pretty red linen and napkins.

 

Just looking at the table, you could hardly imagine that it is actually by tennis court..

 

 

But it is, indeed.  Two people were playing tennis when we arrived.  I enjoyed watching them plyaing tennis. 

The right man on the photo plays really good.  Even his style is like that of professional players!!

I often meet him when I go and play as well.

 

So what we had for dinner is...

 

 

A herb rice with shrimp and vegetables steered fry!  Rice containg herb is more healthy than normal white rice and it served with many vegetables such as celery, paprika and onions.

 

Here often serves one plate dish.  But people are free to bring own desserts.  This time, Tomomi brought self-made plum cakes!  Even we brought dessert by ourselves, the owner kindly prepared it on the plate.

 

Unlike other restaurants, the place was all for us and completely private.

Cozy dinner time last until late.  Perfect way to conclude fulfilling weekend and be ready for another week..

For weekend, I tend to think about the menu for dinner.  I normally don't have time to cook over weekdays.  So from Thursday, I think about what to cook over weekend and how practically use ingredients for 3 nights meal.  (from Friday to Sunday)  Specially important in Switzerland since all the shops close on Sunday!!

So Friday night,,  I had paprikas must be used..  I have been veggies lost over week and absolutely in need of vegetables.

Therefore, I made paprika, mushroom and bacon quiche.  Side dish is Rocola Salad and tomato soup risotto.

Saturday evening is another healthy menu.  During the week, when I had business lunch, I ordered a menu so-called "Fitness Teller" (fitness menu).  In Japan, when it say "healthy menu" warm vegetables and soup will be served.  However, this "Fitness Teller" turned out to be big piece of beef with many fats and boring salad with too creamy sauce.  Somehow often the case, I don't like salad in Switzerland.  They are too waterly and sauce are fatty.  Ok, I understand that little bit of meat and raw salads are healthy but they can do better.  So I tried by myself.

Bunch of ricola from Friday evening and thin fine beef with less fat.  The bed of rucola with sliced onion and mushroom makes meat menu healthy.  Beef is cooked with little bit of garlic and sauce is made from white vinegar and soy sauce.  Side dish is rice and simple vegetables soup.  I say this is real "fitness teller". 

I cooked rice a lot in order to make it easier for Sunday's dinner.  Sunday, after long day, I can't spare too much time for cooking.  So here comes Cheese rissoto.  Just cook rice, onion, mushrooms are bacons in pan with bouyon soup and add cheese at the end.  Sorry, no photo!  I was too hungry to take photo! 

Good food add more quality in your life.

I was realllllly looking forward to this date, both positive and negative.  Last Saturday, we had a visit of a couple, a girl is a winnter of famous cook show in Switzerland!  That means, she cook the best in this country!!

 

Last time when she invited us, she treated us with such a perfect course menu.  Salad was tied with cute red ribbon, (good presentation!) and even a dessert was cooked on the spot.

 

So, I knew I cannot satisfied her with western food since she knows EVERYTHING!  I have no choice than treating her with Asian food!  I was even asking my husband to postpone her visit until I receive a box from my mom, filled with Japanese sauces and ingredients.

 

So here come a couple with lovely pink roses!  Ohhhhh, huge!!

 

 

And my appetizer was ready to be served!!  My favorite Namaharumaki!

 

 

 

Ms. Chef was curious about rice paper.  Yes, so far I've never found rice paper in Switzerland.  I really like this harmony of Namaharumaki rolling veggies, shrips and hams.

 

 

 

This is OBORO TOFU.  Tofu served with poached egg.  Very delicate dish.

 

The course was followed by Wang Tan soup, spicy Tofu and pork fried and Curry potato.  We kept Japanese style dining, pouring foods on rice like DOMBURI.

 

 

 

Dinner was finished succesfully.  Super chef is such a heartwarming lady and she said everything I cook is very good, even if I made everything wrong.  But I still think what was the best through the evening was chocolate mouce brought by her as a dessert.

Somehow I like to cool pasta on Friday night.  It doesn't take much time but still gorgeous enough to enjoy private Friday night!  The menu was Tomato, Basil and mozzarella cheese pasta and cabbage soup for more vitamins!

I like healthy and yummmmyyyyyy!!!!

 

 

 

Last weekend, we had another visit of nice couple!  They already invited us once, so it's our turn to invite them!

They showed up with pretty package as a wedding gift, which is foam milk maker!  No other gift can be better than this, since we are just planning to buy a coffee mashine!

 

 

 

So what I have made today as a starter,,  here comes fried cucumber on Japanese cracker.  Salty and crispy!

 

 

 

Hulaaaaaaaay!!!  Namaharumaki!!  Raw spring roll, which is my favorite appetizer!  Finally I can make this in Zurich since my mom sent me rice paper from Japan.  I rolled up lettuce, cucmber, rawham, herbs, noodles and shrimps!

 

 

Hmm piece of art!

Shame that no photo available for main dish.  It was herb chicken rice and fried cabbage.

We sat down on the terrace and enjoyed drink and appetizer.

 

 

It was like a spring roll night.  You enjoy a harmony of many foods in one srping roll.   The harmony of conversation continues whole night and when we realized, it was already 12o'clock!  I'm really happy to have such a cool friends in Zurich.

So, we had important visit last weekend cocktails.  Hmmmm, cocktail foods are something like finger foods but it's a three big man.  Food must be enough for them..

 

So here come my original canape.  Always works good for parties.

 

And then salmon roll.  Cheese and pickles are inside with basil-lemon sauce.

 

 

There was rawham-mango as well but unfortunately no photo. 

Here under are french toast gratin with cherry tomatoes and bacon asparagus.

 

 

There was also Edamae, which is typical Japanese lover of beer.

 

Cooking is fun.  Most important is that the food create fun atmosphere to share with friends and families.  It must be suitable for the occation and also have to consider the preferences of guests.  I like to cook mixture of Japanese and western.  Our guests expecting me something Japanese, but real Japanese foods are often a little bit difficult for guests. (I avoid octopus this time and chose salmon)  At the end, what's the most popular from the menu was french toast gratin.  I was so happy that I decided to add this dish even though it become a little bit too much for appetizer.

 

 

The menu was appetizer, tomato and beef soup, chicken and mushroom gratin and orange salad.  Ohhhhhhh, only the starter was taken photo!!

It was three types of canape.  Avocado and eggs,  salmon paste and ikura, and tomato and mozarella!!  Perfect to enjoy at balcony in Sunday evening!!