Barranco

good quality, good value cooking

In the trendy, simply styled venue at Bullingerplatz, Chef José Severino serves a surprisingly lavish fusion cuisine with Latin American, Asian, and Mediterranean influences. The amuse-bouches before the six-course sharing menu were already a delight: churros with ají amarillo and croquettes with oyster mushrooms. A vibrant green, tangy-fresh sea bass aguachile with cilantro, diced avocado, and parsley oil provided a lively start. The brioche with ají amarillo and the crispy tostada with beef tartare, mustard cream, mustard seeds, and horseradish were also flawlessly executed. By contrast, the shaved truffle on the steamed and pickled cauliflower with cauliflower espuma added no real value—the earthy mushroom aroma stood no chance against the vegetable’s flavor. Applause was deserved for the gently cooked salmon trout in a boldly soured beurre blanc with celery cream and trout roe. And the beef cheek with black salsify, pear, and Pedro Ximénez jus is a true standout in the main course. It impressed more than the unfortunately served only lukewarm vegetarian alternative: with the king oyster mushrooms paired with pumpkin purée, chimichurri, and hazelnuts, the purée was overly heavy-handed with cinnamon, cilantro, and pepper. We would have preferred more zing at the end with the Jerusalem artichoke lace and cream with caramel and ginger. The service deserves praise for its confident professionalism even when the restaurant is packed. And credit also goes to the skillfully curated wine list, which offers very fair prices by Zurich standards.