More excellent work from the pastry section and a fitting end to an exceptional meal every bit deserving of its three-star accolade. This dessert was followed by an armada of petit fours including a plate with a mi lle-feuille of hazelnut & nougat, yogurt mousse with yuzu, raspberry marshmallows, and lemon cream (top 2 pictures), an excellently made grapefruit macaroon (bottom left), and last but not least two spoonfuls of fruit-based bites - one passion fruit and the other I can’t recall (bottom right). While you won’t find any passing culinary trends in the kitchen, I found the cooking to be perfectly balanced between honoring classic French techniques while still expressing enough of the chef’s personality to avoid becoming staid or dated. Knogl’s cooking is distinctly haute french cuisine with some Asian and Mediterranean flourishes to give it its own unique style. The head chef at Cheval Blanc is German chef Peter Kongl who trained under Heinz Winkler among a handful of culinary stops prior to his current residence in Basel. Each table featured a candelabra with three lit candles and chalice like water glasses to complete the look. Tables were well spaced around a serving station that featured a striking centerpiece of purple flowers, matching the plush purple chairs. While not as over the top as Louis XV or Le Cinq, this is still one of the favorite classical dining rooms I have been to. The restaurant itself occupies a grand dining room overlooking the Rhine. This tradition carries on today with the hotel offering all the classical luxury touches you would expect from a five star in Switzerland. The hotel itself has quite a bit of history, dating back to being a modest inn all the way back in 1681 before being rebuilt as a more grand hotel in 1844. Value: 16.5/20 (higher if you consider it by Swiss standards)Īwards: Three Michelin stars Cheval Blanc backgroundĬheval Blanc, the newest of Switzerland's three Michelin star restaurants (receiving its third star in 2016), is nestled in the swanky Les Trois Rois hotel in Basel. Perhaps the price of this consistency is less adventurous flavors but if the familiar tastes this good that is a price I will happily pay. There were no such issues at Cheval Blanc, each dish being at a three-star level with memorable and precise flavors. Even in the best restaurants, there is usually some puzzling flavor combination or lapses in standard over the course of a tasting menu - the overly strong spice here, a completely forgettable dish there. Verdict: What particularly impressed me about Knogl’s cooking was the consistency, not only in the technical execution but in putting together well-composed and balanced plates. No real negatives other than if you are looking for more modernist cooking this won’t fit the bill for you +Cheval Blanc has a luxurious dining room overlooking the Rhine with well-spaced tables +Service struck the perfect balance between taking care of your every need without being overly formal +Generously priced when compared to everything else in Switzerland (and the other three Michelin star restaurants in the country) +Classic french cooking with just a hint of Asian influences to keep it fresh Managed by LVMH Group, the resort spans across 5 individual islandsĭesigned by renowned architect and interior designer, Jean-Michel Gathy, the design mastermind behind other incredible resorts like One&Only Reethi Rah Maldives, Amanyara, Capella Sanya, Four Seasons Bangkok, amongst many other incredible brands and properties around the world.Cheval Blanc Review at-a-glance Basel, Switzerland
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |