Relais de l'Entrecôte

Le Relais de l'Entrecôte is probably one of Geneva's most famous restaurants, but believe it or not I had never been there until a few weeks ago. It is important to note the establishment will be relocating as of 2013 so if you want to get a taste of their famous rib-eye steak in their current location, now is your chance to do so!

Table du 9

A recent trip to the Old Town was the perfect opportunity to pay La Table du 9 another visit. And it didn't disappoint! The service was excellent, the atmosphere welcoming and the food simply exquisite!

Pictured below: a tender veal hanger steak with a side of gratin dauphinois.

La Broche

La Broche is a French restaurant located in Plainpalais. When the restaurant first opened, a number of years ago, a meal there essentially consisted of either lamb or chicken, but over the years, the menu has grown to include beef, various salads and vegetarian dishes in addition to its original choices. Overall the food is very good (the lamb with a side of pommes charlottes is definitely worth trying) and the atmosphere is quite pleasant.

Pictured below: an excellent pine nut and parmesan salad followed by grilled lamb and mashed potatoes.

Le 3 Rive Gauche

A recent trip to Geneva's Old Town was the perfect opportunity to enjoy lunch in one of its many restaurants. This was my third visit to Le 3 Rive Gauche, the French restaurant offers an extensive menu including various meat, fish and vegetarian dishes as well as an interesting selection of starters. The food was quite good even though I asked for a medium rare steak and what I was actually served can only be described as rare. However, in the establishment's defense, I should say it is highly unusual to get a piece of meat exactly the way you asked for it in Geneva -- at least in my experience!

Pictured below: a goat cheese salad starter, a rib-eye steak with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans and a chocolate fondant.







I would love to read what you think of the Old Town's restaurants, do you like them? Or do you maybe think they're a little overrated?

La Table du 9

La Table du 9 is a restaurant I quite enjoy going to every so often. It's located in the Old Town, one of my favorite neighborhoods, it's rather cozy inside, I really like the subdued light and their dishes are tasty and original. However, while I appreciate the staff's friendliness, I've noticed they do tend to be a little slow sometimes... which as far as I'm concerned is OK if you're not in too much of a hurry.

Pictured below: salmon raita and shrimp starters, asparagus and mushroom risotto and a chocolate fondant.

Café Papon on a Warm Summer Night

One of the great joys of living in Geneva is enjoying one of its many terraces in the summer. As far as I'm concerned, the experience is all the more enjoyable if the terrace in question happens to be in the Old Town. That is probably why on a recent summer night, we decided to have dinner at Café Papon, a French restaurant located right at the top of Old Town, opposite the city's longest bench.

Café Papon's tasty French cuisine, its beautiful terrace and its ideal location make it a great choice for a summer meal but it is probably best to reserve before going.

Pictured below: a puff pastry starter topped with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, goat cheese and mixed greens, a cold tomato soup and lamb chops with sides of vegetables and mashed potatoes

Fondue at Vieux-Carouge

Located in the heart of Carouge, Au Vieux-Carouge is one of Geneva's most popular destinations for fondue. The moitié-moitié (equal parts vacherin and gruyère) provides a creamy, mild-tasting alternative to the all-gruyere fondue.

Pictured below: a moitié-moitié fondue at a recent Vieux-Carouge dinner.

Café du Soleil

Café du soleil is one of the better known restaurants in Geneva. Located in the heart of the Petit-Saconnex neighborhood, the restaurant is ALWAYS full, and if you're planning a meal there, I strongly recommend you make a reservation. According to Café du Soleil's Website, the establishment may well be Geneva's oldest restaurant and naturally -- as many of you know -- it specializes in Fondue. The menu offers various salads, omelets and steak dishes, but it is safe to say most people go there to enjoy a pot of melted cheese!

Pictured below: a garden salad and fondue.

Kudeta

Kudeta gets rave reviews on the Internet. It is easy to see why, it is located in a trendy part of Carouge, the staff is very pleasant and the restaurant itself is well decorated. However, while I enjoyed the dishes for the most part, I asked for a medium steak and it came dry on the outside and a little rare to my liking. The goat cheese starter was very good though.

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.

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: