City Break- Eat your heart out in Geneva

I grew up and lived basically my whole life in Geneva. It’s a teeny town in Switzerland bordering France that has an up and coming food scene, slowly but surely getting better. Amidst the whole lot of restaurants, there are a few gems that are undeniably great and deserve all the recognition they could possibly get. These gems are my must-eat places, that I rely on when I want good food.

spicy salame, funghi & mascarpone, acciughe (anchovy, onion, black olives)

Starting with my favourite grab and go roman style pizza slices/pizza al taglio: Nero’s. I’ve been a big fan of their pizza slices since their food truck days, and actually discovered n’duja (my favourite Italian spicy sausage) through buying my first slice from them. Quick and easy, and made with the best quality of ingredients (i’m also pretty sure its sourdough.) They have season-less pizzas and seasonal ones, so every time you go there, there will be new slices you can taste, but, here are my favourites: Obviously the N’duja with pickled onions and mozz, funghi & mascarpone, spicy salame with peppers, regina bufala, their vegetarian foccacia, and tiramisu. I have also had all of their basics, the ones that are permanently made, and they are all delicious. I’ve never had something from them that wasn’t good. The base dough has a crispy bottom, and is super airy, it’s a slice you can’t get anywhere else in Geneva.

Geneva is also known to have quite great Döner shops. You can find many in all corners of the city, especially in the city centre. My favourite is Parfums de Beyrouth. This is actually a Lebanese restaurant that serves everything from mezze, to sandwiches, shawarma and sweets. I personally think they make the best warak enab in Geneva- grape leaves stuffed with rice, anytime I order food from there I can’t not get them. The sujuk sausage is also some of the best I’ve had, you can get this by itself or in a sandwich. Sujuk is a spicy sausage usually made with beef- one of the most delicious sausages out there, and a must have if you’re into spice. For a more grab and go situation, the shawarmas are a no brainer. The lamb or falafel one are my favourites, add whatever veggies, sauces you want and you have a delicious easy meal. It’s also one of the cheapest meals you’ll get.

Moo Klook Foon, Tom Kha Kao, Tam Mamuang

Now, getting into more sit-down restaurants. The first recommendation is for a Thai street-food inspired canteen called Soi. They specialise in grilled dishes/bbq, thai salad, and soups. I’ve been there twice, and both times I was throughly impressed. I would recommend going full Thai spice with everything, it really does add to the experience. My favourite dishes are: Moo Klook Foon (Crispy marinated pork, fried with kaffir leaves and toasted rice powder, Sriracha sauce) super crispy, bursting with flavour, and not too spicy, Kai Yang (Roast chicken marinated with lemongrass and coriander, sweet & chili, spicy tamarind dipping sauce), this dish is perfect for people who don’t eat spicy, the tamarind dipping sauce is so so good, the prefect sweet and sour balance (not that spicy), Som Tun Thai (Green papaya salad prepared in the mortar, cherry tomatoes, long beans, mini dried shrimps, grilled peanuts) a Thai classic made really really well, great to freshen up the palate, and for the soups you can’t go wrong with Tom Kha Kai (Chicken broth, coconut milk, chicken, oyster mushrooms, lemongrass, galangal, chili) or Tom Yum Kung (Prawns, oyster mushrooms, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lime, chili,) both have a great balance of salty, umami, and sour. Obviously can’t not mention dessert, I don’t think you could go wrong with either of their choices, but my absolute favourite transports me right back to one of my absolute favourite things i had in Bangkok, coconut ice cream. Probably not the type of ice cream you’re used to, nothing like gelato, the texture of Thai ice cream reminds me a little bit of mastic ice creams, slightly more fudgy and chewy, and the actual flavour is one of a fresh coconut. The toppings added on top make it that extra bit better. It’s a dessert you quite literally cannot get anywhere else in Geneva, or for that matter I haven’t had it anywhere but Thailand.

Another casual spot is The Hamburger Foundation. Well known in Geneva because they make possibly the best burger you can find in the city. The menu since opening has broadened, you can now find vegan burgers, and more hefty ones. The patty is perfectly cooked, still a little red, the bun is soft and fluffy and the chips are super crunchy. There’s nothing more to say apart from its a really good burger spot.

Getting a little fancier, Izumi is a Nikkei restaurant- Peruvian Japanese fusion. It is pricey, but the food is fantastic. I’d recommend going in Summer when the weather’s good, as you get to eat on the rooftop, with one of the best views of Geneva. Over the years I’ve gone a few times, and figured out my personal favourites. I need to start with a special mention for the Tuna tartar, gochujang sauce on crispy rice - I think anyone that has ever ordered this, knows it’s possibly the best bite of food ever. Not too spicy, super creamy, fresh and the crispy rice brings crunch - a texture and flavour combination everyone needs to experience. Next is an aubergine dish with a yuzu glaze, the glaze is really where it’s at- if you love yuzu, the aubergine is the vehicle for a sweet, salty, zesty glaze. Baby spinach salad with yuzu truffle dressing, Meunière style sole filets with shiso dressing, super tender and delicate fish filets with an acidic touch to cut through the fattiness and creaminess of the dish, and to finish off the mains; Tofu Agedashi. Tofu may not be your thing, but this dish was one of the first dishes I had from Izumi and to this day, it has stuck with me. The tofu is actually silken tofu that is fried, so texturally complete opposites. The outside is crispy, and the inside melts in your mouth. The sauce that accompanies it is so dainty, its maybe one of the most elegant and exquisite dishes I’ve had. To finish everything off I’d go with the cheesecake option - I don’t like cheescake, but the Izumi one is magically different.

Saving the most special restaurant for last; Kozan. A Japanese restaurant that makes probably some of the best food i’ve ever had. The restaurant is a family business run by Chef Machida, he makes the most exquisite sushi, with what I feel like is some of the most authentic you can get outside of Japan. For the past 2 years, 99% of the time I went out to eat, I’d go to Kozan. I can count on having excellent food, fresh fish, and a great experience. I’ve had quite a range of their dishes, but here are some of my favourites: Kanpyo maki, kanpyo is a dried ground that is rehydrated in a soy mixture, it brings a crunch to the rolls, and it’s unlike any vegetable I’ve eaten. Aburi Salmon and Unagi, aburi is a flame seared technique, the salmon with a hint of chilli ends up melting in your mouth, the most pleasant experience, and the unagi (eel) is meaty, with its sauce full of umami and sweetness. I’d also recommend a toro (fatty) tuna and chives hand roll, the textural difference between the fatty tuna that literally melts like butter as soon as it hits your mouth and the crispy nori makes for a fantastic experience. One of my favourite salads also comes from Kozan, the crab salad; super crunchy and fresh, with real crab, fish roe, crispy shreddies (i don’t know what they are, they’re just super crispy) and a banging vinaigrette, it’s truly amazing. If you’re more into mains, their teriyaki chicken is super tender and succulent, and any fish collar on the menu is out of this world. Honestly, I could go on and on about recommendations, but everything I’ve had was phenomenal, so you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. To drink, my favourite is their cold green tea, a potent, fresh and vibrant sencha, a must. To finish off your meal, you need to get the matcha ice cream with adzuki beans, the combo of the beans and matcha, something about the slight temperature difference, flavour and texture difference, makes it one of my favourite desserts. This restaurant has a special place in my heart, and it’s the perfect place to bring friends, family or even a 1 on 1 meal with yourself. My favourite thing about the restaurant is that they have seating at the bar and normal tables. At the bar you’re sitting in front of Chef Machida, watching him make all the sushi - It’s a whole experience, and if you go for lunch and get the sushi menu, the service is like a omakase meal. He serves you one by one the sushi, and you don’t know what you’re getting, I would highly recommend anyone that loves sushi to go for this option. All in all this is my favourite restaurant in Geneva, and easily in the whole world. Until I have better, this stays #1.

To finish off the recommendations, I want to mention Gelatomania. There are a few great gelato places in the city, but Gelatomania has recently started expanding opening more shops, and making a lot more flavours and soft serve. Some of their flavours are in partnership with other well known restaurants, and you can sometimes find funky flavours, that can be surprisingly good. My favourite flavours are; pistachio, hazelnut, lavender and honey, and matcha and black sesame.

I know it’s sometimes hard trying to find a reliable place to eat in the city, but hopefully, this can maybe decide your next restaurant outing.