Neue Taverne

High quality cooking

In Zurich’s fast-paced dining scene, it has actually been quite some time since Nenad Mlinarevic and Valentin Diem took over the listed, wood-paneled “Neue Taverne” in the old town, where chef Fabian Fuchs serves creative, plant-based cuisine on both the à la carte menu and the tasting menu. We opt for the Tavolata, and to start, a truffle shokupan impresses—a Japanese milk bread roll served with parmesan foam, truffle cream, and shaved winter truffle. The chef then skillfully pairs fermented kohlrabi with creamy cashew ricotta, spicy yuzu kosho, and pumpkin seeds infused with lime. For the miso-glazed, sesame- and kimchi-seasoned roasted savoy cabbage, Fuchs serves a romesco sauce made from smoked chili, peppers, and cashews—a savory course packed with umami. The Jerusalem artichoke salad (confit and caramelized) with chicory, Jerusalem artichoke chips, and peanut vinaigrette is equally harmonious. The main course, however, falls short: lentil tempeh presented like a slice of meatloaf, accompanied by a sofrito of apple, leek, and potato, along with curly kale, chili crunch, an onion beurre blanc, and potato foam—it comes across as flat and monotonous in flavor. To finish, a technically proficient but slightly heavy dessert is served: puréed dried pear and fig, walnut crumble, parsnip glaze, a cherry-balsamic reduction, and wood sorrel.