Gasthaus Hofwiesen, Hofwiesenstrasse, Zurich

Brettljause

Kasnudeln an brauner Butter

Tafelspitz KLASSISCH !

Kleine Käseauswahl

Kernobstkochtes mit Sauerrahmeis

Ever since I met one of the Zueritipp editors, they’re sticking it to me every now and then. There are a couple of places where they beat me to the punch. But tickling the tiger can be contraproductive and like Asterix against the allmighty Ceasar, with wits, speed and a secret ingredient I managed to discover a small gem called Gasthaus Hofwiesen. It’s an Austrian restaurant run by the same team which is taking care of the Monte Primero on Wolfbachstrasse. It has a rather modern interior and it sports a cigar lounge, which is a nice touch after the Buvette Philipp has shut down. First thing I notice is the friendliness of the staff, I’m unsure wether it’s because the guest to staff ration is low or because it’s an austrian thing – I guess time will show. When I’m asked if I want a Brettljause, I look a bit startled and was told that this is a board with meat, pickles, radishes and a spread to take off the edge while I look at the menu. The tibits were nice, especially the bread, albeit a tad low on the salt. My next course were some Kasnudeln which is essentially a form of ravioli with brown butter and a delicious slightly confied tomatoe – nice touch. The star was the Tafelspitz with potatoes and horseradish. At first I was a tad disappointed that the potatoes weren’t crispy, but they worked perfectly and the soft onions gave it a nice tangy bite. The meat was flavourful and the horseradish used sparingly without overpowering. I was still hungry so I went for the cheese platter of Austrian’s finest. After tasting it I can safely conclude that besides skiing, cheese is another thing the Swiss are better at than the Austrians. I finished off with a compote and some sourcream ice cream a nice palate cleansing finish. I liked the place, I liked the service and I enjoyed the food. There is clearly attention to detail and a hand in the kitchen who knows what they’re doing. Prices:

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