The Restaurant

We chose a 8 course tasting menu. Service is great with a great Mountain view. Like the 2 lobster dishes. It is a strong 2 star Michelins restaurant near Zurich.

An extraordinary culinary experience from start to finish. We chose the 8-course tasting menu, which was already impressive on paper, but the reality exceeded all expectations. The meal began with no less than seven amuse-bouches, each a small, stunning bite full of flavor and creativity. Every course was perfectly executed, with bold combinations and refined techniques. We expected mignardises at the end, but we didn’t expect six of them — a generous and delightful surprise. To top it all off, a tray of house-made chocolates was offered, each one beautifully crafted and delicious. The service was impeccable, the atmosphere elegant and welcoming. Truly one of the finest dining experiences I've had. Highly recommended.

The overall ambience and décor is really comforting as there were hardly any people when I arrived and so was able to pick a seat of my own choosing. However, the main event of the evening - the 6 course meal was rather...Ok. Although the starter bites were really good, the mains fell flat. The only main that stood out was the King crab and goose liver. I'm not a big fan of cold foods but this one was really unique and had the wow factor. The scallop dish lacked seasoning and the deer main, while it was cooked to perfection, the sauce on top did not compliment the dish at all. The several bread options were mediocre at best. The butter flavours however were really tasty. The star of the evening was the Yogurt with Lychee dessert (in the cup)! Simply superb! In all it was a good, if not a memorable experience.

“The Restaurant” at the Dolder Grand is a culinary wonderland underpinned by its gorgeous local herb and vegetable garden. Chef Heiko Nieder has been cooking his ever evolving menu for 17 years and with the magnificent wine cellar - this is a night to remember. As you stroll through the hotel - keep your eyes open for the spectacular modern art collection located in every nook and cranny.

The Restaurant at Dolder Grand delivered on its 2 Michelin stars. We had a perfect night from walking into this elegant and luxurious establishment to the goodbye by the head chef at the end of night. Staff were all friendly, knowledgeable and very nice. Service was impeccable. Ambience and decor were both chic and sophisticated. Food was extraordinarily and beyond expectations. Ingredients were fresh and unique. Presentation was artistic and colorful. We appreciated the attention to details in every aspect. Taste and flavors were complex and unique. We pretty much liked all our courses, few highlights of the menu included Lobster with melon, Hake with chorizo and Wagyu-cheek with herbs. Desserts were delicious and a special birthday cake for me was the cherry on the top. It did have literally a cherry on top by the way. Wine pairing was perfectly chosen and complimented dishes very well, they even have non alcoholic pairing and champagne which was kinda interesting as well. Overall, we had a memorable experience and will definitely consider when in town again.

We had the 8 course menu with the wine pairing. The wine pairing was exceptional, the sommelier did a really good job. The serving was perfect, nothing to say. The atmosphere as well, on point. Now for the food, on the 8 courses, 5 out of them were perfect to our taste. For the remaining 3, one was a mix of oyster and kimchi (kimchi being really strong and oyster really weak, it leaves only the texture of the latter to enjoy, which is unfortunate), another a lemon ice cream with a very light emulsion, where the emulsion was accounting for more than two third of the mix. The third dish that could have been better was a crab based one, where unfortunately some crab shell was remaining inside. Overall a good experience!

Our six course dinner (not counting the numerous complementary amuse-bouches) with a visual and gustatory delight. The Asian-inspired nouvelle cuisine is an unforgettable experience. You can choose between six or eight course meals, either non-vegetarian or vegetarian. Optional vine pairing. Highly professional staff.

We came for the Amuse-Bouche lunch menu that is currently being offered on Thursdays and Fridays only. The meal came in five courses, each consisting of three amuse-bouche sized portions. So this totals basically to a fifteen (!!!) course menu albeit in small portions, but for us this was the ideal entry point to get to know Heiko Nieder's cuisine. All dishes were top notch, displaying immaculate craft, innovation and product quality. It's easy to see why this is being considered to be Zurich's best restaurant by the respective guides. Apart from the amuse-bouche courses we also were served a sequence of snacks upfront and petit-four to end the meal with, those were excellent as well. Other than the food: The dining room is luxurious, the wine list is extensive and it's contents are very expensive, as is the wine by the glass selection. Service is welcoming and genuinely friendly.

I've had the opportunity to eat in quite a few Michelin starred restaurants, among which a few who have the coveted three star ranking but I can confidently say that although The Restaurant only has two, it ranks in my top three fine dining experiences. The tasting menu, we "only" got the 6 courses was sublime. Every course was right on point with the highlight being the amuse bouches, the veal and the rhubarb dessert. But all were absolute top. The wine was also great, we started with a glass of Krug which always hits the right spot and went with a recommended bottle that the sommelier recommended, rather than the wine pairing as we weren't planning to drink much. The service was also, as expected on point and the atmosphere was amazing - but what do you expect from a restaurant in the Dolder Grand. Not cheap but amazing and highly recommended for a special occasion.

"What's in a name?" Not much, if you ask Romeo. But the question certainly bears contemplation when dining at The Restaurant. That which we call the restaurant by any other name would still be as delightful an experience. However, perhaps this restaurant really is THE restaurant by which all others should compare. From the flavor bombs and textural contradictions to the attentive service and warm ambiance, our dinner at The Restaurant is among the top fine dining experiences of my life. Having the fortune and luxury to dine at Michelin restaurants around the world from Napa to New York City to Versailles, the twelve course tasting menu delivered more than anticipated and is perhaps the most memorable and delicious of them all. The Restaurant's name really can have no other name as fitting as its current epithet. The meal began with an offering of champagne which we politely refused. Immediately my husband and I were served an array of half a dozen amuse-bouche with complex flavors and spices, mainly with an Asian flair. From the Gruyere cone and baked potato puff to the rice roll and seafood foam bisque with caviar, our palettes were absolutely whetted. Every course was on point. The various ingredients which independently are ordinary came together in every bite to be unique, one of a kind, bites of decadence and wonder. From the Norway lobster tail served with underripe mango discs in Rooibos broth to the Kagoshima beef prepared three ways, each dish was expertly prepared and delivered. It's no wonder Chef Heiko Nieder earned his three Michelin stars. By the end of the meal, we were amazed how fast the five and half hours flew by. We finished with a dessert of milk and apple sorbets in a lychee broth, and of course several confections and pralines. The final bite was appropriately the best--a macadamia nut praline enrobed in white chocolate which reminded me of the Chantilly buttercream frosting on a Hawaiian Chantilly cake. Simply divine. Wayne Newton couldn't have said it better: Danke Schoen to everyone at The Restaurant.

I'll keep this short: If you want to eat a great variety of incredibly modern food in a luxurious setting (and your pockets are deep), then I can recommend The Restaurant. If you're looking for simple and tasty food, then there are other restaurants in Zurich that offer better value for money. I was impressed and confused by the variety and sophistication of the food. It was a bit too ethereal for my sweet, simple tastes. The amuse bouches and friandises were the biggest highlights of the evening. The evening's pastry was very good, but expensive. The deconstructed chocolate cake was delicious and also very sophisticated, but the asking price of CHF 39.- à la carte was a case of stunning pretention! It's the kind of place you go to to been seen around rich people. If that's your kind of thing, then that's great! For more photo reports, interviews and restaurant reviews, please visit: http://www.dessertblog.ch