Restaurant STEINBOCK Saas-Fee (ehem. Arvu Stuba) — Restaurant in Saas-Fee

Best In Saas-Fee

There are a lot of places to eat in Saas-Fee, but if you’re only there for a week or weekend make sure you go to Arvu Stuba. We’ve been coming for a few years and always come back. Why? The food, the wine list and the service are all second to none. Let’s start with the food... the Chef is fantastic and is brave enough to move away from the stables of Rosti and Fondue (although their Prosecco and Truffle fondue is the best in town). Dishes such as the Lobster Bisque soup can seem out of place in most Swiss restaurants but here it works. Along with specials like Polenta and Porcini mushrooms everything is delightfully flavoured and absolutely beautifully presented.

As for the wine, there are the usual local favourites of Johannesburg and Heida, but go for one of the Walliser special selections. The owner of the restaurants works with local vineyards and she selects some of the best vintages. Try Hommage for a wonderfully robust and rounded red wine.

The service is also impeccable. The husband and wife team run a tight ship that’s friendly, professional and efficient. Whilst he might be in the kitchen most of the time he comes out to greet and thank guests whilst his wife makes sure everything runs perfectly. Nuno, who’s the quad lingual waiter greets everyone with warmth and humour and makes everyone feel at home.

The final thing is the overall ambience and feel of the place. It looks quite traditional but the food or service are not old or stuffy. The small size of the place means it’s always booked up and has a buzzy atmosphere.

Definitely...

Arvu-Stuba offered a warm and inviting atmosphere perfect for an early evening meal. The service was exceptional, with the staff attentive and friendly. The pumpkin soup was a standout, rich and flavorful. However, the pulled pork burger, while decent, fell short of expectations. The portion size was smaller than anticipated, and the bread lacked softness, the coleslaw too unbalanced on vinegar, however, the french fries were delicious, even though they came with a charge while I thought they were a side for my burger. My wife’s entrecote was unfortunately tough and chewy, a disappointing dish given its price point. The complimentary bread with herbs and spices was a thoughtful touch. While the restaurant's ambience and service were commendable, the quality of the main courses was...

Where do I even start? We went as a group of 8 and all ordered the fondue (which costs 31 per person). The first shock was discovering that they had added herbs to the fondue—one of the biggest no-goes when it comes to a good fondue. From there, it all went downhill. The fondue was bland, lacked flavor, and had a strange texture, as if it had been overcooked. To make matters worse, the bread was equally disappointing—like some 20-cent bread from Denner. The entire meal was a disgrace to Swiss cuisine, and I would not recommend anyone...