I don't usually start restaurant reviews talking about service, but the service here is what really…read moresets Ann Sophie-Pic apart. From the way we were greeted until the very end, service was friendly, professional, and efficient. All the little details were thought of, e.g. my friend received her menu to take home in French, while mine was in English. Attentive but not intrusive throughout. While my friend visited the ladies room, one of the staff came over and asked me how things were, and we ended up talking about food in other countries. Previously, the same person shared a favorite tip on where to eat and drink in France. You could tell the staff here have a passion for service, and for food and wine.
Now for the food itself. We went for the 350 CHF winter Pic collection, and while yes it's very pricey, it was also very good. Worth it? That's in the eye of the beholder, but let's say I wasn't disappointed at the end of the evening. After the amuse-bouche and bread service (which by the way is very good), came the first course:
- Jerusalem artichoke and melanosporum black truffle, cooked "meunière." This dish wasn't what I expected and while good, it wasn't my favorite. After being breaded, I couldn't taste the artichoke much, and the texture was a bit bready.
- Lobster from Brittany, roasted in shellfish butter, carrots. This was outstanding, as the lobster tasted so fresh. I also haven't had lobster with carrots before, and I believe there were a few different preparations alongside -- great combination, as well with the broth.
- Line-caught sea bass with oscietre caviar. This is the chef's father's classic recipe from 1971, and there's a reason they haven't changed it. Definitely the highlight of the evening, with a super fresh (and sizable) piece of sea bass, perfectly prepared, and completely layered with caviar. Wow and the broth/foam was amazing. I don't remember the ingredients, but I could have licked my plate clean
- Poultry from La Gruyere and black truffle. This is slowly poached and includes a broth of double cream. Never tasted chicken like this. It was just divine... tender, juicy, flavorful. We were talking about how this might be the best chicken we've ever tasted. I didn't think chicken could taste this good unless it was fried.
- Cheeses -- most impressive cheese selection I've seen, with half from France and half from Switzerland. We were too full at this point and shared one portion. Oh so good.
- White mille feuille. After a citrusy pre-dessert to cleanse the palate (this itself was really good), came the main dessert. This was outstanding: the texture, flavors of vanilla and pepper foam. Wow it all worked so well together.
There were mignardises at the end, but the best surprise was as we were celebrating my friend's birthday, they brought out an entire cake! It was chocolate and lemon, and looked delicious. We were too full to try any, and anticipating this, it was boxed up for us after the candle was blown out. As an aside, it was placed in a very elegant box. After trying the cake the next day, I can confirm it tasted as good as it looked.
I'll add that the ambiance in the restaurant is modern and elegant. It has a lakefront view, though you wouldn't be able to see anything when it's dark outside. It's just a very comfortable, inviting place to spend a few hours.
In the end we both really enjoyed the experience, from the service to the food to the ambiance. It's certainly not an everyday (or even every quarter) place, but definitely a great spot for a special meal.
