Les Dix Vins

I had been hearing about Les Dix Vins for a number of years. And even though I'm often in the Carouge area, I never actually got around to going there, not until sometime last month that is. The reviews I had heard were overwhelmingly positive and the meal I had certainly lived up to any expectations I might have had.

We kicked things off with this octopus starter. It was delicious, I would definitely want to go back to Les Dix Vins just for this.



I then moved on to my main course. a slow roasted beef dish that comes in a rich, hearty wine sauce with carrots and a couple of other vegetables. Again it was excellent. But the star here was definitely the amazing house mashed potatoes -- comfort food taken to unprecedented levels of perfection! And just for that, I'm definitely going to try to make another trip to Les Dix Vins



My friend had boeuf tartare which she said was one of the best she'd ever had. I don't usually have boeuf tartare so I can't really give a first-hand account. But I do trust her tastes.



Then came the dessert, a mille-feuilles the chef makes from scratch. Again another winner at Les Dix Vins! See when it come to dessert, I have two basic criteria, first how it tastes -- that's fairly standard I would think -- and second, nothing adds more to the experience of a great tasting dessert than a mixture of textures, and this mille-feuilles definitely delivered on both counts. It was simply delicious, maybe even the best mille-feuilles I've ever had, and the creaminess combined with the crunch just made for an amazing experience. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mille-feuilles!

Pakupaku

Pakupaku is an Asian fusion restaurant located in Carouge. I had a few meals there over the last couple of years and I quite enjoy the atmosphere and the experience. The food is good without exactly being spectacular, and the service and decor are very pleasant.

Pictured below: dumplings, seaweed salad, spring rolls, fried shrimp, yakitori chicken, a bowl of steamed rice and beef teriyaki.

Le Mont-Salève

Most of the time when I'm meeting someone for lunch and dinner, I figure, let's play it safe and go to one of the places that will reliably serve up something delicious. But then, every now and then I think, let's be a little adventurous and try something new, something different. And that's exactly what I was thinking on a recent Friday night, when we decided to go to Mont-Salève. I had heard a little about it, and by all accounts, the food there was definitely worth the trip.

Located at the foot of the Salève in the Veyrier area, the restaurant isn't exactly in my neck of the woods, but when you're in the mood for something different, why not go with a change of scenery too? I was told the restaurant specialized in entrecôte and had great sides of risotto and french fries which all sounded great on a freezing December evening.

We got there and ordered our entrecôtes - medium rare for me, and rare for my friend. The meat was more or less what you'd expect, the sauce was a little bland to my liking, but the sides of risotto, fries and the absolutely delicious cardoon gratin definitely made the trip worthwhile. I was somewhat less impressed with the carrot puree but with three other delectable sides, I was still delighted with the experienced.

Then came the dessert, a meringue topped with sweetened chestnut cream and a dollop of fresh whipped cream and I was on cloud nine! Easily one of the best meringues I had ever had, it certainly seemed fresh and it was probably made on the premises.

Overall, I would definitely go back, though more for the side dishes and the dessert than for the main attraction.

Pictured below: a garden salad starter, followed by a special sauce for the meat, a medium rare entrecôte with sides of risotto, french fries, cardoon gratin and carrot puree and finally a meringue topped with sweetened chestnut cream.

Chez Arsène

Chez Arsène is a new bistro located between Rive and the Eaux-Vives area. It specializes in French cuisine, boasts an art nouveau décor, and a recent visit there left me pleasantly surprised. The food is tasty and the service friendly.

Pictured below: a mixed green salad with an excellent balsamic vinaigrette, lamb stuffed with vegetables (the daily special), filet mignon, a side of fries and raspberry and white chocolate pie.