Not only a lovely place but also fun staff and delicious food: Restaurant Hönggerhof (1. December 2022)

Although the Hönggerhof exists for quite a while, I wasn’t really aware of its presence until I read about it recently. And I must say, it’s a great place. Not only because it’s lovely in terms of interior design, but also in terms of service, quality of dishes, and price performance. We went for the “six-course menu” (CHF 140.00) and asked to replace the dessert for another starter – which was possible without even the slightest hint of annoyance by the responsible.

Once, the order was placed, we got a little amuse bouche from the kitchen in the form of a “zucchetto roll with bread from Sardegna” which was a nice little bite to get your palate started.

The first course of the day was the “tuna (tuna tataki, mango, avocado)” (usually CHF 29.50) which was a nice combination of high-quality tuna and a great reduction and slightly spicy – which combined perfectly.

Next in line was the “tatar (beef tatar, quail egg, onion, aioli, brioche) (usually CHF 26.50) which was good in terms of quality of the meat, went well with the brioche, and the spicy sauce really added a bit of something to it.

Usually, I am not the very biggest fan of “homard (lobster soup)” (usually CHF 18.50) since it’s often way too intense and, therefore, not enjoyable for me. However, this particular one was actually delicious. It had a smooth yet intense flavour profile, and the pieces of langoustine which were in the soup really added the perfect bite to it.

Since I had just had tagliolini earlier this week, I was curious to compare the two. The “tagliolini with Italian salsiccia, boletus, truffle” (usually CHF 28.50) was a fascinating combination of flavours and textures. The pasta was almost al dente (could have been having a bit more bite if it was up to me), the salsiccia was great, but it was also rather surprising in terms of flavour intensity. The sausage was really quite a bit, almost overwhelming everything else, including the truffle. If you had a bite with a good piece of truffle, you would get a hint of it, if this was not the case, it would, taste-wise, completely disappear within the salsiccia.

The first main course was the “loup de mer (sea bass, blue potato, grilled Mediterranean vegetable)” (usually CHF 49.00) which was, for me, a bit of a disappointment. I mean, the fish was good, the vegetables too, and the foam as well. But, compared to the other dishes they had served so far, it was somewhat ‘boring’.

The “agneau Provençal (rack of Irish lamb, Provençal herbs, sweet potato, caponata)” (usually CHF 42.00) was prepared to perfection. The meat was at perfect temperature and highly enjoyable. On top of that, the sweet potato purée also added a bit of sweetness to the dish, which then went well with the caponata.

As mentioned, the place is quite lovely – the staff is super friendly and attentive, even up for a joke here and there, really making you feel welcome and like you’re a guest they like having around. Hence, I can absolutely recommend the Restaurant Hönggerhof to anyone. Great food experience, fair prices, nice wine selection, amazing staff, and lovely atmosphere.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Hönggerhof

Am Wasser 161

8049 Zürich (CH)

Tel.: +41 44 296 13 13

E-Mail: info@hoenggerhof.ch

Homepage: http://www.hoenggerhof.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.