hofweissbad, Weissbad, Appenzell

Taubenbrust auf Rotkrautrisotto

Lammfilet mit Gemüse und Appenzeller Capuns

Gebrannte Creme im Duo mit Cassissüppchen

I was watching Bauer, Ledig, sucht… and they kept referring to the Hotel hofweissbad. So when Kathi Fässler was announced female chef of the year 2009 by the Gault Millau I decided to spend my Saturday on an outing to Weissbad. The restaurant is split into three rooms and we land in the newest and most avantgarde of the three. Typical crowd seems to be the type retired couple which takes the geriatric mother-in-law to lunch. None of the natural beauties from “Bauer, Ledig, sucht…” can be found here. The menu is a tad surprising for a classic Gault Millau, quiet a lot of rather traditional classic and not the usual (pseudo-)sophistication. My starter is a pigeon breast on a red cabbage risotto. What a course! Succulent, perfect pigeon on a true and exciting revelation. The red cabbage risotto is lovely idea and Ms Faessler’s brigade pulls it off very nicely. My main course is a lamb filet with vegetables and an Appenzeller Capuns. To be honest, I chose this dish, because I wanted to see what the Capuns was about. No complaints on lamb or vegetables at this level of cooking, the capuns was a nice try but it didn’t reach the level of excellency a classic Capuns from Graubünden. Normally I’m not to keen on dessert but one of the old geezers at the next table had an interesting dish, so I ordered a Duo of Creme brulee with a cassis soup. The cassis soup was too acid and not quite to my liking, the creme brulee were okay. Looking at the place I’m just not convinced that 16 points in the Gault Millau is adequate. For me personally the place is rated a bit high with 16, even though the food is very good. I can understand that Ms Faessler was chosen female chef of the year, but I’m also led to believe there aren’t that many female chefs in Switzerland.

Pricewise it is excellent – 220 CHF for lunch for two including a bottle of wine for a 16 point Gault Millau restaurant is almost cheap:

Rechnung