A cool place with a decent level of authenticity: Restaurant Cartell (3. June 2021)
I have read and heard about the Restaurant Cartell quite a couple of times and was wondering what the fuzz is about. And I do admit, I get it to a certain degree (not entirely though). Okay, to be fair, I’m rather skeptical here when it comes to any Mexican food being served in Europe, but I was happy to be potentially positively surprised.
As a starter, we shared the “padron toreado (grilled padrón peperoni with jalapeños, garlic, soy sauce and lime juice)” (CHF 12.50) and the “guacamole & chicharrón (chicharrón with home-made guacamole)” (CHF 16.00) which were both great. The chicharrón weren’t as intense in taste as I know them from Mexico but they were still enjoyable. And the padrones toreados were actually quite enjoyable too.
As a main, I went for the “quesadilla al pastor (filled corn tortilla with pork, Oaxaca cheese, pineapple and chili sauce)” (CHF 22.00) and they were definitely okay. And to be fair, from a “Oaxaca cheese” perspective, this was the closest to the real thing I’ve ever head in Europe. So, yeah, good Mexican food but still a way to go to achieve the actual original.
The “cilantro lime rice (Carolina rice with lime juice and coriander)” (CHF 5.00) was a nice add to the whole thing but all in all rather standard too.
So, to sum it up, the Restaurant Cartell is a nice kind of Mexican experience with absolutely enjoyable food for – especially for Zurich – incredibly fair prices. You might want to book a table in advance to make sure you will actually get a space to eat.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Cartell
Sihlporte 3
8001 Zürich (CH)
Tel.: +41 43 558 28 27
Homepage: http://www.cartell.ch
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
