Ristorante Bianchi — Restaurant in Zurich

Where do I even start? I am traveling solo through the country and I like to splurge on a nice dinner towards the end of my journey which happens to be Zurich. Read some nice reviews and decided to try this place out. I walked in behind an older couple (maybe 65-70 years old) and they were quickly sat by a male server without asking for a reservation name or checking the tablet for a name. When the sever returned to the front I asked for a table of one and he point to who I assume is Mr. Paulo Alexandre. Mr. Alexandre told me they were fully booked and I cannot dine in unless I have a reservation but I can sit outside at one of the empty tables if I like. So I chose to do that. However the older couple in front of me had no issues getting a table by the server.

Now the food was amazing but the service was less then stellar. I don't know why the server (I don't know her name, but she was Italian) treated me so poorly, maybe because I look young and dining alone, so she assumed I can't afford it? I guarantee you I can afford a nice dinner when I want. I asked for a wine list, I never received. I was never informed of the specials, but the table next to me were told the specials. I was only offered one piece of bread while the table next to me were offered more. Whatever the reason was, she shouldn't judge a guest by what they look like (or dressed like) or if they are dining alone. After paying $117 USD (99 Francs) for my one meal and one dessert, I still tipped 15 Francs. As someone who has been in the hospitality industry for 20+ years, I always leave a tip, even if I was treated poorly or like a child.

Unfortunately, the amazing food was overshadowed by the terrible service which created an unfavorable atmosphere. Let this be a warning to those who travel/dine solo, that you may not receive the same...

We came here for a Saturday night dinner and made reservations online. We thought about sitting outside but the umbrellas did not offer enough shade in the 30C+ heat, so we opted for inside with air conditioning.

We were seated and immediately offered an aperitif, but almost finished our champagne before the staff realized we did not have menus.

I was excited as I saw oysters in some online reviews, but I did not see any in the fresh seafood display to order.

We ordered the octopus carpaccio and the lobster salad as starters, then the tuna steaks and lobster linguine as the main. The lobster salad was amazing, but the octopus salad did not taste like anything. There was a drizzle of something on top, but even a lemon and olive oil would have enhanced any type of flavor but was not on the plate. The raw zucchini balls also did not add any flavor to the dish. I mentioned this to the staff when clearing the table that the carpaccio was very underwhelming and they offered to make another plate, but I respectfully declined.

The lobster linguine was perfect. Perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked. The tuna steak with pepper crust was also good with an amazing saffron sauce, but the lobster linguine was far more amazing for a flavorful explosion.

The dessert presentations were very creative and very good.

We wanted to order a digestif, but the staff seemed a but overwhelmed with the amount if guests outside so we were a bit overlooked. We just ordered the check instead.

One thing that could be improved is if the waitress could wipe down the bottle of wine after taking it out of the ice bucket. When she was refilling our wine glasses, the water from The bottle was also dripping on the table and onto our bread and food plates.

All in all, the food is if really great quality, but not sure I would...

The whole experience was pleasant until it got to paying. Since we then realised that not looking at the drinks menu and going with the staff recommendation can be surprisingly costly.

We arrived separately, and as the second person arrived, they were asked multiple times if they wanted to join in having a sparkling wine, making them feel pressured into doing so. Not listening carefully enough, they got asked if they wanted to join in having a champagne, though the other person was having prosecco. Thus, the almost 20 chf glass of champagne was a surprice indeed on the bill.

We got the seafood soup and cod, which were both very good. Though for serving a cod skin side up, I expect a crusty skin, which was not the case. The fish was, however, cooked to perfection. Dessert was a pleasant experience. For the pricetag, it still leaves something to be wanted. The absolute wow factor was missing.

The staff was nice enough, though, perhaps because we sat close to the bar, they felt a little too overpresent for it to be a nice place for an intimate date. It was a special occasion, and the restaurant missed the mark in taking the opportunity and making us feel as such. Perhaps that is cultural difference, but a small gesture in the total scheme (such as a dessert/glass of wine for the birthday girl/boy etc.) would have had me wanting to return for other special occasions. As it is, even though food was good, I am unlikely to...