Denise's Art of Burger

Yes, dear reader(s), today we'll be discussing Denise's Art of Burger... because if there is one thing Geneva needs, it's a burger joint. ANOTHER FREAKIN' BURGER JOINT. But here's the thing, contrary to appearances, there is actually no plot to try to force feed the Genevan population burgers -- or "gourmet" burgers as business owners would have you believe -- however, without wanting to get on the conspiracy theory bandwagon, I am fairly confident there is a plot to feed you barbecue sauce and caramelised onions. For, yes, dear friend(s), Geneva's food scene is slowly being taken hostage by unbelievably bad burger toppings. And I am having none of it!

Enter Philippe Chevrier's Denise's Art of Burger, the newest addition to Globus' food court. The burger joint is no exception to the rule, and left to its own devices, it will gladly layer your burger with generous amounts of caramelised onions and barbecue sauce. However, you, the customer, should know that things can be different. You can actually enjoy a burger that isn't overpowered by the taste of toppings that take away from your eating experience... well at least they certainly take away from my eating experience.

Anyway, it turns out that once you ask the right questions, Denise has a couple of alternatives on hand. One of them -- and so far my favorite -- is a béarnaise sauce in lieu of the offensive BBQ sauce.  And as far as onions go, they don't seem to load up on regular raw onions in their kitchen, so I was able to get them to substitute spring onions instead. Fine by me!

The fries are a little unexpected, they come in a curved shape that is probably intended to help you scoop the dips they are served with. Which brings me to my next point: condiments. By default, your fries will come with mayonnaise and a house ketchup. Yep, folks, Denise's Art of Burger clearly makes its own ketchup. And while that is definitely a step in the right direction -- I have, after all, often complained about Geneva's unwillingness to serve up anything that didn't come in a little Heinz container -- one problem remains: their ketchup is... well... not good. So kudos for making the effort, but now let's work on improving the recipe.

Denise's Art of Burger also offers a wide range of desserts. My personal favorite is the cheesecake, it's perfectly fine just as long as you don't try to compare it to anything you may have had, say, across the ocean.

I should also mention that Denise's burgers aren't limited to just beef, if -- among others -- a lamb, salmon, veal or vegetarian burger is what you're in the market for, you're in luck! One word of advice though: I'd skip the chicken burger (truth be told, I haven't actually tried the others). I was somewhat underwhelmed. Just sayin', folks. Overall, if I were to recommend a burger, I guess it would be the bacon & cheese. I'm actually not a huge fan of bacon on my burgers, but the bacon cheeseburger's sesame bun is vastly superior to the plain bun you'd get with the basic burger. Furthermore, I know many of you do like a little bacon on your burgers.

Needless to say -- this is Geneva, after all -- Denise's burgers don't come cheap, a bacon & cheese will cost you CHF 20 and a basic burger menu which includes sides of fries and a salad as well as a dessert and a drink will run you CHF 30.

Pictured below: a bacon cheeseburger, a basic burger, a chicken burger, fries, house ketchup and mayo and a cheesecake at Denise's Art of Burger.

Luigia - a couple of new dishes added to the menu

Well what can I say, Luigia has pretty much been my favorite restaurant since it first opened its doors in 2010. They've recently added a few new dishes to their menu and they are certainly worth checking out - I would especially recommend the sausage and eggplant paccheri.

Pictured below: a four-cheese gnocchi dish, sausage and eggplant paccheri and a cheesecake.

Shibata

Shibata is a Japanese restaurant located in Petit-Saconnex. With only a few tables inside and a small terrace outside in the summer, it would be easy to miss the restaurant while driving by. However, what this establishment lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quality. Indeed, I wholeheartedly believe the best chicken teriyaki in the city is served at Shibata. However, if you're hoping for sushi, this is definitely not the place to go -- it is simply not on their menu.

The restaurant is slightly on the expensive side, but the exquisite dishes and the fresh ingredients make it worth the extra cost in my humble opinion.

Pictured below: dumplings, seared tuna and chicken teriyaki with sides of mixed vegetables and rice, a cheesecake which is somehow as delicious as it is light and finally scoops of red bean and sesame ice cream.

Cheesecake & Co.

Are you in the mood for cheesecake? Cheesecake & Co. located in Plainpalais offers a variety of different cheesecakes, including chocolate chip and peanut butter cheesecake, marble cheesecake, coconut and pineapple cheesecake and of course New York cheesecake. Their menu also includes bagels, cupcakes, muffins and brownies.

Many places like this one have tried their luck in Geneva in the past, so it is hard to tell how Cheesecake & Co. will fare. Their competition includes Starbucks which offers many of the same items on its menu. Maybe it will just be a question of whether your preference goes to Starbuck's raspberry cheesecake or Cheesecake & Co's almond amaretto cheesecake.

Pictured below: a slice of chocolate chip and peanut butter cheesecake.