Chez Marion, Mühlegasse 22, Zürich

Aren’t we all looking for a little bliss and happiness in our lives? Take a short break from the maelstrom of events constantly circling around us? Don’t worry – I’ll leave life coaching to unscrupulus people who enjoy to prey on the weak. But I dare say that walking into Chez Marion made me happy. Needless to say I was just coming from Zurich’s largest library after researching legal literature for a little dispute I have on my hands. If you’re ever blessed to get involved with local bureaucracy: the number one lesson is to not get fazed by made-up fees, baseless legal assertions or four page letters stating that you’re a doofus (in slightly more elegant terms). Research your legal position dilligently and fight for your right!

As you can imagine, I wasn’t in a terribly good when I entered Chez Marion, but as mentioned it changed instantly! The bistrot is like a warm hug for worked-up patrons. Friendly staff, a good selection of newspapers and a silver-topped bar turns this into a soul-soothing oasis of tranquility. But I’m straying… I ate the Galette Forestiere a buckwheat crepe filled with cheese, bacon, mushrooms and onions, topped with crème fraîche. While the dish looks rather modern – the shape reminds of Mondrian, the color of Rothko and the drizzle is distinctly Pollock’esque. For all I care it could have been a huge mess, since it tasted lovely and was a very pleasant meal. Happiness for a restaurant critic comes from two things – first by discovering a new restaurant one likes and secondly seeing that the waitress wrote “Merci” on the check. What a way to make your day!