r/finedining

Early June visit. Possibly the most old-school Edomae sushiya west of Kanto Area.

Flavor profile here continues to be dominated by Basho-San’s heavily seasoned Neta and Shari. Could be rough for diners with lighter palate, but for the ones craving salty and vinegary knock-outs, this joint will likely be your jam. Highlights for me were the signature starter of Toro-daikon hill, Octopus Negi-Ponzu, Kohada, and straw-smoked Bonito Nigiri.

Main drawback is the value for cost that has regressed significantly over the years. Personally, re-visit within the same season is hard to justified given predictable offerings.

Full course as of below, currently priced at ¥44,000.

🍶Tsumami
———————————————————————————
Tuna Belly with Daikon radish | 鮪トロ 大根おろしのせ
Sardine handroll with ginger and scallion | 鰯海苔巻
Boiled Hard Clam | 煮蛤
Grilled Pike Conger Eel | 鱧の塩焼き
Octopus with scallion-ponzu marinate | 葱と蛸ポン酢
Grilled Beltfish over sushi rice | 太刀魚の塩焼き舎利丼

🍣Nigiri
———————————————————————————
Medium Tune Belly No.1 | 中トロ
Medium Tuna Belly No.2 | 中トロ
Gizzard Shad | 小肌
Red Sea Bream | 真鯛
Striped Jack | 縞鯵
Squid | 障泥烏賊
Squid Tentacles | 烏賊下足
Arctic Surf Clam | 北寄貝
Smoked Bonito | 鰹藁焼き
Horse Mackerel | 鯵
Purple Sea Urchin | 紫雲丹
Marinated Lean Tuna | 赤身漬け
Tiger Prawn | 車海老
Saltwater Eel | 穴子
Triple Hand-rolls: Tuna Belly, Fatty Tuna with pickles, dry gourd | 鮪トロ, トロたく, 干瓢巻き
Egg | 玉子焼き

Where do I even begin? The restaurant feels like a Broadway show where everyone slowly walks in at 8 on the dot to a dimly lit lobby where one member of the staff asks your name, where one in the back hears it and looks up your reservation while the one who asked just stands and stares for 15 seconds, very awkward.

After sitting in one of the 6 tables of this tiny, dim, but nicely decorated dining room the entire place is full but silent, everyone is afraid to talk it’s all just whispering.

The sommelier comes over and asks if you’d like to have a drink, a member of my party asks if they have mixed drinks, not a crazy ask, where he proceeds to roll his eyes and stand there for 5 seconds and just re-think his life. Another asks for a glass of the red he reccomends, to where he also replies, “well we have many, you will try this one” very rudely. The wine was quite good, his attitude was dreadful and he was not happy when I didn’t want a second glass.

Then they came and explained the tasting menu, that took 5 minutes of pure whispering and not understanding what the staff were saying, whatever, I was there for the a-la-carte anyway.

Many of the menu items that required explanation made you too nervous to ask out of fear of a scowl from the staff. We placed our order.

Every dish that showed up they claimed was the iconic.. iconic steak? Sure.

The 5 stages of cheese was good, the foam was good, it was certainly odd and not great for the stomach but the flavors were very good.

They brought bread over saying it was for the main course, where we held off as we assumed it was supposed to be paired with our mains, after 15 minutes we ate the bread because we couldn’t wait anymore, they replaced a singular member of our party’s of 3 bread since it was “essential” to his main, the lobster dish, it was not.

The mains came, the pasta had meat on the inside that was not shown on the menu, of course that’s what the vegetarian in our group ordered. The lobster dish was cooked well and tasted okay.

The steak was obviously a high cut of meat and cooked well, it was freezing cold. They placed sauce next to my plate and said what it was, okay, so I poured some of it next to the steak to use for dipping to try it, and before I could even try, a member of the waitstaff comes over, pours it on top of the entire steak, and says it must go on top… thankfully the sauce was good.

We ordered the lemon tart to share for desert, along with some tea that we never received. It was fine. Our waiter called us a taxi and held the door open of the cab for us, again, weird, but very nice.

Don’t waste your time on this bullshit Broadway show of food. If I traveled to Italy just for this I’d be very, very disappointed.

Length of meal: ~ 2 hours

Personnel favorites: Kisu (best piece for the visit), Ankimo, Nodoguro, Kasugo dai, Steamed stone clam cake in broth, Grouper and herring izushi, Shiitake.

Service and space: Service is great and personnel as always. They have a Fourth of July orchard decoration on the hallway, which is a nice touch.

Drinks: Got a Juyondai Bessen in glass. This is the first time I've seen Juyondai offered by the glass instead of only as part of a pairing or by the bottle in America.

Also got a futomaki takeout. Total cost: 550+600 add-on/drinks=1150.

Just finished an amazing experience in Mugaritz, ** near San Sebastian in Paises Vascos, Spain.

The place is just outside the city (15' by car) totally sorrounded by nature.

The first part of the menu was served outside, with a part of it to be shared with other guests.

Then we moved inside and to be honest it was a surprise.

We expected extreme dishes, but every dish was one better than the other (e.g. tuna ventresca, lobster, veal sweetbread and the final dish all dedicated to garlic).

We also had the chance to enjoy one dish directly in the main kitchen with a unique sake developed by them.

The wine pairing was good ad well.

Overall the experience lasted more than 4 hours, we enjoyed it from the beginning to the end.

Not cheap overall but worth every single euro.

Went there on July 4th and was quite disappointed given how well reviewed this place is.

Edit: I feel like I have to preface this post by saying that this didn’t ruin my night in any way. We enjoyed the food and the company of friends. The whole point of this post is to compare it with the level of service I have seen from other restaurants at this level and price point.

The good part: food was well executed for the most part. One fish course was overcooked in particular. We enjoyed most other courses though.

The bad part: service and attention to detail was lacking for a Michelin rated restaurant. Not deserving of 1 star, much less 2 Michelin stars.

Examples:
- Inconsistent pacing. Main squab course took about 40 minutes to arrive. Bread arrived so early that it got cold by the time the accompanying course arrived. No explanations or remedy given for the long wait. Total dining time was 4 hours end to end for only 10 courses plus 2 desserts.

- Wine pairing was not explained for a few courses. It was also explained to the wrong person for other courses. Also, they didn’t seem to have a sommelier that evening.

- Billing confusing. They made us fill out a gratuity first. When the final credit card receipt came, it wasn’t added, so we had to fill it in again.

- No menus (or any memorabilia) given to diners to take home. I thought this was standard practice at most Michelin starred places by now. And definitely saw some other diners get one in other reviews.

- Service was a bit chaotic and cold. Staff tried their best to be professional in between the lapses described above. But it lacked the warmth and cohesiveness of similar NYC restaurants like EMP, Aska, or Atomix for example.

- Decor somewhat outdated. More of a nitpick, but wood paneling in the dining room is reminiscent of early 2000s fine dining.

- Price is not something we normally notice. But if you expect to charge $295 + 20% for a wine pairing, you better make sure that all of the other aspects of service are on point.

- Is there a dress code or not? It was a hot day, so I can understand not enforcing it. But some diners came in wearing jean shorts and t-shirts despite the dress code. I don’t like dressing up either, but if you’re going to have a dress code, then at least enforce it for the other people who made the effort to follow it. Otherwise, get rid of it.

Overall, it seems like the transition from the former Chefs Table to Cesar has resulted in service taking a major hit. Given that this place has been open for over a year now, it seems unacceptable that service is still this bad.

I’m normally not one to pay attention to the intricacies of hospitality until it is sorely lacking, which it was in this case.

Du Bourg, in the city of Biel, is run by four friends who first met while working together at a previous restaurant. It had already been a successful Michelin-starred restaurant under its former owners, but the current team took over in late spring last year and managed to retain the star only a few months later. (Picture 1)

Their cooking is clearly influenced by Japanese techniques, but I would describe it primarily as seasonal market cuisine—one of my favourite styles of cooking. They change at least two courses every month and rely heavily on local, seasonal ingredients, complemented by preserved and fermented produce from earlier seasons.

After hearing nothing but praise throughout last year (both from colleagues and reviews), I booked a table shortly before the Michelin ceremony and ended up dining there shortly after they officially became the newest Michelin-starred restaurant in the Canton of Bern.

I was hooked immediately.

Not just because of the food, but because of the hospitality. They let me taste both the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic pairing before ordering, encouraged me to choose whichever I preferred—and then topped up the other glass anyway. I've never experienced that level of generosity at any other Swiss restaurant.

So I knew I had to come back. This Friday was my last day at work before a few weeks off, so I decided to celebrate at Du Bourg. Since my first visit had been during late autumn and early winter, I wanted to experience the complete opposite, making early July feel like the perfect time to return.

One detail I particularly enjoy: they don't reveal the menu when you book. Once you're seated, you'll find an envelope on the table. You can either open it or keep it closed and enjoy the meal as a complete surprise. Normally I'm not a huge fan of mystery menus, but this concept works perfectly for me—I can know what's coming if I want to, but I don't have to. (Picture 2)

The amuse-bouches were served outside, in the middle of Biel's beautiful old town, together with a glass of sparkling wine. They consisted of a sweet potato taco filled with smoked trout, a cucumber and silken tofu tartelette and a smooth little corn ball. A wonderful balance of saltiness, acidity and texture and the perfect way to begin the evening (Picture 3).

Back inside came what they call their bread and butter course, although it isn't a traditional one. Since the restaurant intentionally avoids serving lots of starches or carbohydrate-heavy side dishes, you're encouraged to use the wonderfully buttery, cloud-like brioche throughout the meal instead. Last year the butter was browned butter topped with calamansi juice. This time it appeared in the shape of a rose, on top as a browned butter, on the bottom mixed with salad and finished with cucumber gazpacho, rose powder and rose petals (Pictures 4-5).

The first proper course followed: a rose assembled from pickled vegetables, fruit and pikeperch. The fish was wrapped in a leaf of algae, before becoming the centrepiece of the rose, accompanied by kohlrabi and melon and finished with a buttermilk-miso sauce.

Over the past two years I've become accustomed to Switzerland's almost obligatory opening course of raw fish, vegetables and plenty of acidity. This, however, may have been my favourite version so far. Yes, there was plenty of acidity, but the miso contributed an almost equal amount of savouriness, creating exactly the kind of balance I love (Picture 6).

Next came my favourite course of the evening: cauliflower in several variations, enhanced with koji, sauerkraut and sansho, accompanied by a sauerkraut infused beurre blanc.

The best cauliflower dish I've had in months—and considering how much cauliflower I cook and eat, that's saying something. I chose the non-alcoholic pairing, which incorporated caramel and - once again - sauerkraut. Surprisingly, it worked beautifully with the dish (Picture 7).

The third course was a chawanmushi served with vegetarian caviar made from seeds and radish, cherry tomatoes (which are only truly seasonal outdoors for a very short time in Switzerland) and an intense tomato consommé.

The consommé was the real star here: intensely savoury, deeply umami and something I immediately wanted another bowl of. The egg custard was just enough present without disappearing behind the tomatoes, although I wouldn't have minded just a little more of it. The vegetarian caviar added a welcome textural contrast (Picture 8).

Before moving on to the main course, one thing stood out to me: I honestly enjoyed every dish that evening, but the two vegetable-focused courses were easily my favourites. Somehow, that tends to happen whenever I'm eating at restaurants that truly embrace market cuisine.

The main course featured Limousin entrecôte topped with artichoke purée and a small herb salad, accompanied by grilled artichokes, a rich jus, beurre noisette and wild garlic oil.

Everything came together beautifully. The beef was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, and the three sauces never competed with one another but instead highlighted both the meat and the artichokes. I was especially impressed by the wild garlic oil, which remained remarkably intense despite wild garlic season having ended well over a month ago (Picture 9).

I skipped the cheese course—even though I know they usually put a great deal of thought into it—because I really wanted to experience both dessert courses.

The first dessert featured Japanese milk bread (shokupan), citrus fruits, kombu, green apple and an apple sorbet. With its combination of bright acidity, mellowed sweetness and lingering savoury notes, it created a perfect bridge between the savoury part of the menu and the desserts. I didn't miss the cheese course at all (Pictures 10-11).

The second dessert revolved around strawberries: strawberry sorbet, yoghurt, macerated strawberries, sunflower seeds and a delicate meringue topped with roasted fennel seeds. I couldn't decide between the Riesling and the rhubarb-based non-alcoholic pairing, so I ordered both. They each worked beautifully, although the rhubarb pairing and the roasted fennel seeds were particularly outstanding. The fennel added an unexpected but brilliant layer to the dessert (Pictures 12-13).

A fruit jelly, a praline and homemade marshmallows brought the evening to a close (Picture 14).

As I mentioned earlier, I was able to taste both the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic pairing with almost every course. Even after I had made my choice, they often poured me a little of the other beverage as well.

Despite operating with only two people in the kitchen and two in front of house, they always found time to chat, answer questions and genuinely connect with their guests. They go for a first-name basis immediately, creating an atmosphere that feels warm and personal.

Combine that hospitality with outstanding food and beverages, the enthusiasm of four young owners and one more important detail: this is probably one of the best-value Michelin-starred restaurants in Switzerland.

Six courses cost 156 Swiss francs (around 195 US dollars), while the non-alcoholic pairing is only 11 francs per course and the alcoholic pairing 16.

So if you ever find yourself in Switzerland and are looking for a memorable fine dining experience, I can wholeheartedly recommend Du Bourg and its wonderful young team.

Over the last few years I’ve started doing short 3–4 day trips away from the family routine — what I call a “solitude escape.” This time it was Copenhagen, but to make it a bit less trivial I’ve added couple of days on Bornholm. And yes, the elder sibling of Kadeau was the quintessence of the trip.
I’m not a big foodie, so don’t expect much writing here(added menu to carousel), but since the place has not been mentioned often, I figured I’d at least post some pics from the current menu — though it’s seasonal and changes regularly. Absolutely enjoyed experience; the only thing that might raise an eyebrow is the wine pairing: for example cider thrown into the mix (fits the chef’s vision, I’m sure, though at £180 there are wine alternatives). Otherwise, food was fantastic for my taste, service and presentation were spot on, and — ah — the view over the sandy dunes of the Baltic coast deserves an extra star.
P.S. to balance expenses in Copenhagen The Pescatarian was selected for dining- can’t compare experiences but hard to beat 6-course tasting menu for 80 pounds (160 with pairing).