Secret Trip Destination #4 – Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt, Switzerland was a breath of fresh air (no pun intended) after a week of city center hustle and bustle in Austria and Italy.

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The cooler air at this higher elevation also provided relief from the scorching heat in our last two Italian destinations. Zermatt is a small ski resort town with only about 5,000 residents and could have equally as many visitors. Walking around town, all buildings seemed to be hotels and most had restaurants on the ground floor of the hotel.

Chris made reservations at Restaurant Julen located on the second floor of hotel by the same name, which is part of the Traditional Julen brand. We started our meal with the soup of the day (pumpkin cream soup) and tomato and curry soup with fresh cheese. We selected the roasted rack of lamb and lamb fondue for our entrees. The roasted rack of lamb was served in two portions (each plate was big enough for a serving) with different vegetable pairings. The lamb fondue was served on an apparatus with an adjustable flame and a horseshoe shaped dish filled with dips and sides. Chris and I shared a chocolate Toblerone mousse for dessert.

Bread with Creamy Butter at Restaurant Julen

Soup of the Day (Pumpkin Cream Soup) at Restaurant Julen

Tomato and Curry Soup with Fresh Cheese at Restaurant Julen

Chris Adjusting Fondue Flame at Restaurant Julen

Gently Roasted Rack of Lamb with Potato Gratin and Vegetables (Plate #1) at Restaurant Julen

Gently Roasted Rack of Lamb with Potato Gratin and Vegetables (Plate #2) at Restaurant Julen

Slices of Lamb for Shepherd’s Fondue at Restaurant Julen

Broth for Shepherd’s Fondue at Restaurant Julen

Dips and Sides for Shepherd’s Fondue at Restaurant Julen

Fries Served with Shepherd’s Fondue at Restaurant Julen

Chocolate Toblerone Mousse with Black Cherries at Restaurant Julen

Chris and I tried to go to Sparky’s for a bar food type dinner on the last night in Zermatt, but the restaurant was closed for the day. We roamed the streets and decided to try Restaurant Avena. We had worked up an appetite from hiking earlier that day and enjoyed the food. The server was funny and friendly, which was a nice change from the formal setting the previous night. At the end of the meal, he served us complimentary glasses of limoncello.