Il Tartufo, Lavaterstrasse, Zurich

Who doesn’t like italian food ? Il Tartufo looks like it’s well positioned for old school italian dining. The waiter does a great job of pushing the specials and except for the soup I follow his guidance. It also helps when you get to see the veal roast beforehand to make up your mind. Unfortunately it started with a disaster. The minestrone I had ordered was water with coloured pieces of stuff. I left the soup to the side after a few spoons, and the waiter failed to ask me about it when he whisked it away ( I did make a point of sharing some feedback when he returned).

The mushrooms where nice, maybe a tad too much olive oil which distracts from the flavor, but miles ahead of the soup. The veal impressed as well, juicy in the middle and slightly seared on the outside, accompanied with some lovely homemade pasta. The Il Tartufo scores high points for offering a Zabaglione, which is a relatively intense dish to make. As soon as I order it you hear a whisk beating against a dish which is exactly what you would expect.

I liked the old-school flair of the dining room, I liked the mains and desserts. However failing on a minestrone and not asking what was wrong about it is a pretty big no-no for a fine dining italian establishment. The market is getting tougher for classic restaurants and one needs to spend some more time on the details. I am inclined to give them a pass simply for doing a good Zabaglione.