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!

Le Sud

Le Sud is a restaurant operated by Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva. It boasts an extensive menu, and its desserts are certainly worth the trip.

Pictured below: a crème brulée at Le Sud.

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.

Table du 9

Yep, yep, more Table du 9. What can I say I just love that place.

Pictured below: vol-au-vent followed by the most delicious veal hanger steak over Pommes Anna (layered potatoes).

Auberge du Lion d'Or

I think I've made it pretty clear on this blog that overall, I've been a little less than impressed with the food culture in Geneva of late. However, I think I've also said before that every now and then a restaurant in Geneva will surprise you with quality food and great service at a decent price. In my book, Auberge du Lion d'Or, located in Versoix - not to be confused with Cologny's prohibitively expensive Lion d'Or - is just such a place. Unless you happen to live in the area, it's probably slightly out of your way, but it's well worth the trip and I definitely look forward to going back!

I apologize for the poor photo quality, it definitely doesn't do the meal justice - the lighting wasn't being very cooperative - but it should give you an idea of what kind of food to expect. I should also mention that I'm not sure I've ever eaten anything quite so garlicky as the squid salad starter, but that is no complaint on my part: I love garlic! However if you don't, I would definitely recommend you ask just how much of it you're committing to. As for desserts, the chef's special is an amazing assortment of the restaurant's most scrumptious desserts and at CHF 14 it is a really good deal. However there is so much on the plate, you may want to share it with one of your dinner companions especially if you had a starter.

Pictured below: a delicious squid salad starter, followed by a perfectly cooked medium rare ribeye steak with the customary side of fries and finally the chef's special dessert platter.

Table du 9 - again!

I like going to Table du 9 every so often, though theirs is a small menu, they do change it on a regular basis, I also like the location and I like the restaurant itself. This last visit took place a couple of months ago but the duck breast was cooked to perfection.

Café Universal

Café Universal is one of Geneva's better known restaurants. Located in Plainpalais, it's been around for a while, but I only recently had my first meal there, and though I had heard mixed reviews, I quite enjoyed it! My only complaint is that I asked for a medium rare ribeye steak and it came a little rare to my liking, but this is Geneva, and I think I've said this before, they hardly ever get the doneness right here. Oh well.

Pictured below: a ribeye steak with sides of vegetables and fries followed by a nutella crème brulée I would definitely recommend and if you like nutella!