Cantonese Dim Sum at China Restaurant ZEN, Zurich, Switzerland
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It is virtually impossible to find dim sums in Basel, until recently I stumbled on the internet and found China restaurant ZEN in Zurich which serves Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine and authentic dim sum every day. On Sundays they have even more choices, since all dim sums are made in-house and required a lot of preparation time, that’s why it’s not possible to have all of them every day.
It took us an hour drive from Basel to get there but luckily the new motorway opened on the other side of Zurich enables us to avoid the traffic passing through Zurich City Centre. After lunch, you can have a nice stroll along the river side.
If you are used to having dim sums, you may think the dim sums I had today are pretty standard and traditional ones but living in Switzerland, this is already something. They are probably very special or even exotic for the Swiss here. I was so surprised that they would have chicken feet in black bean sauce, wonder who would try them except Chinese!!! Having said that I do have a French friend who told me that he likes our Chinese chicken feet.
Top left: Xiao Long Bao (小籠包), the size is smaller than the ones we usually have and does not contain the meat juice inside, I was told that the Swiss is not used to eating peeping hot food as the juice will burn their mouth, therefore they have modified to this version and it contains spinach juice which make green in color.
Top centre: Fried Tofu with Sweet & Sour Sauce (炸豆腐)
Top right: Bean Curd Sheet with Pork wrapped inside (腐皮卷)
Middle row left big: Steamed Rice Roll or Cheung Fan with Roast Pork (蜜汁叉燒腸粉)
Middle Upper right: Steamed Beef Balls (蒸牛肉球)
Middle Lower right: Ham Sui Kok (Savoury Pastry, 咸水角)
Bottom left: Chicken wrapped in Bamboo fungus (竹笙雞扎)
Bottom centre: Chiu Chow style Dumpling (潮洲粉稞)
Bottom right: Chicken feet in Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸雞腳)
China Restaurant ZEN, 怡和園
Im Sihlhof 1, 8134 Adliswi, Zürich, Switzerland
Opening hours (Tues - Sun):
11.30 a.m. - 15.00 p.m.
18.00 p.m. – 24.00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays
Website: http://www.restaurant-zen.ch/
Was the dim sum up to standard?
Only a Chinese can tell…
Yes they are up to standard, just that I am used to have even more choices in HK. You are right, only we can tell if they are good or not : )
Too bad I couldn’t make it yesterday…Nils is just home for one day, so we got so many things to to at home. Maybe next time…looks yummy, do they taste good too?
.-= carmen´s last blog ..Latino Sushi Session =-.
Hi Carmen, the dim sum tastes good but not cheap at all, afterall eating out in CH is never cheap right. At least we have access to find the food when we crave for them. It was like an afternoon out back and forth but worth it. And opposite the restaurant, there is this one and only Japanese Patisserie and Bakery which I have to visit one time.
Great looking food!
cheers,
Rosa
What a great find! The fried tofu looks delicious!
.-= lisaiscooking´s last blog ..Scallops with Blood Orange and Campari Granita =-.
I can not tell you how relieved I am to hear you can get Cantonese style Dim Sum in Zurich. I am moving to Basel in July and not being able to get my Dim Sum fix was seriously worrying me!
.-= JC´s last blog ..Volcano airspace update -22/04/2010 =-.
Haha, my initial is also JC too, wow, you are coming to Basel in July. Drop me a line when you arrive : )
Hello janet!!
The dim sums are looking very appetizing & tasty too!
I travelled to Switzerland a lot in my childhood & even then Switzerland was very expensive too!
But I so love Wallis & the mountains, the food & the people!
.-= Sophie´s last blog ..Spinach & ricotta filled large mushrooms topped with Parmesan cheese =-.
Hi Sophie, yeah, Switzerland has always been expensive to live in to travel, I think one of the reasons is because the small population of this country.
Oh! You just reminded me that I should go to a dim sum soon…yummie!
Find your blog really interesting and informative. Great work for sharing..
Hi, well living in CH is not easy to carry on our own tradition as we would love too but if anyone can help by telling me is there a good Chinese shop where they also sell seasonal cuisines? For eg. mooncakes during this time and other times, chinese dumplings, etc etc?
I know how you feel Jenny, may I know where about you live in CH?
Thanks for the review, any chance you can give an idea of the cost of a dim sum meal there?
for 2 ppl, easily CHF 80-100 for Zen