Il Salotto, Zentralstrasse, Zurich

The former Zentraleck has had quite an exciting history, great chefs who’ve moved on to other locations have worked here (Cafe Boy, Stefs) and others apparently had to spend some time in a government sponsored facility. So any re-opening at this place promises to be interesting. The folks from the Baracca have opened a slightly more upscale restaurant, especially for aging men like me, who don’t like all the commotion and lousy service at the Baracca.

The restaurant is now called Il Salotto (not to be confused with the Salotto Zurich – really you don’t Google before registering a domain name ?). Service is very refreshing, the maitre d’ introduces himself by name (Gaspare) and makes you feel rather welcomed. First course was a tuna tartare on a bed of Avocado. The avocado was lacking aroma and the tuna would have done well with more acid and seasoning. But the bread served along side was simply beautiful. Rustic, crunchy with a healthy slab of butter.

The highlight of the evening was the Pici dish that followed. Slightly shorter and thicker than Spaghetti, topped with a hearty ragu and truffle. I am always skeptical on the use of truffle, but here it was full of flavor (not just odor) and it was more of a touch than a dousing, making it perfectly balanced with the meaty sauce. The lamb racks were okay, neither the breading, the meat nor the vegetables scored high points with yours truly. At the recommendation of the waiter I went with the dessert variation, which came with dining instructions (left to right). Panna Cotta, tartelette, chocolate mousse and a torta made a lasting impression, very nice variety. The Il Salotto has a good vibe, is more sophisticated than the Baracca and has mostly very tasty food. The Pici alone are worth a visit, take two portions and you needn’t worry about the main course.