Njørd café

good quality, good value cooking

High quality cooking

Philippe Deslarzes is in top form. The chef with Scandinavian roots and his crew are turning this simply elegant venue with its charming garden into a hotspot for Nordic cuisine, with the kitchen revolving entirely around the river, lake, and sea. We were thus delighted at the outset by a chestnut-algae sablé adorned with gold sequins and flowers, and were advised by the young Breton sommelier Simon Stephan. He recommended a suitable pairing from the exciting wine list featuring many open crus, or sophisticated alcohol-free creations such as a blend of verjus and white tea. Accompanying the whitefish from Lake Joux, the friendly service brought out bonbons filled with lovage jelly. The smoked eel with celery and combava was original, although the nearly ice-cold fish barely allowed the flavors to come through. Perfectly suited to spring, however, was the char with beurre blanc and wild garlic, served with parsnip and barberry. To complement the delicate skrei, the chef skillfully added a fine turnip and anise foam. For the Swedish (excellent blue cheese!) and Swiss cheeses, there was exquisite vin jaune jelly. For dessert, pastry chef Mattéo Thiévin surprised us with an exciting, contrasting combination of violet and kumquat.