Le Bistro ; Restaurant of the Hôtel Royal in Geneva

After several months of renovation, Le Bistro at the Hôtel Royal has had a makeover, with chef Armel Bedouet, named chef of the year, in the kitchen.

Le Bistro

Restaurant of the Hôtel Royal in Geneva

It is eleven o’clock, and the sky is cloudless over Geneva. A few minutes from the station, Le Bistro is part of the four-star Hôtel Le Royal. Located on the ground floor, the restaurant has just been renovated and brought up to date. Its menu is evolving too. For the occasion, the establishment invites journalists and bloggers to discover what is new. Knowing neither the place nor the menu, curiosity is at its peak.

Le Bistro ; Good to Know

The Hôtel Royal is on rue de Lausanne, a few steps from Cornavin station. Le Bistro is therefore easy to reach by train from anywhere in French-speaking Switzerland. Booking is recommended, especially in the evening. The lake and the Quai du Mont-Blanc are a few minutes’ walk away. On the same street, the Michelin-starred restaurant L’Aparté (in French) offers a more gastronomic experience.

From Gastro to Bistro

Le Bistro ; A New, Accessible Menu

Once seated, it is time for a little culinary marathon. Simpler and more accessible, the new menu brings a breath of fresh air. To whet the appetite, a parade of starters arrives at the table. On the menu: a casserole of morels and green asparagus in cream. Next come a salmon carpaccio marinated with olive and lemon, with country toasts. Mackerel rillettes with Espelette pepper and an avocado and prawn salad complete the spread. Simple, indulgent starters with lovely flavours.

Between conversations and comments on the plates, the next course arrives in the same way. On the programme: pollock with artichokes and green asparagus. Then beef blade, gribiche sauce and boiled potatoes. For those who do not eat meat, the pollock, a fine white-fleshed fish, is a delight. Every bite offers a lovely, perfectly mastered journey of flavours. Simple but effective cooking.

The meal flies by, and it is already time for dessert. More lovely surprises arrive: raspberry tartlet, coffee éclair and vanilla-blackcurrant vacherin. Sweet lovers are spoilt, with a huge crush on the vacherin. One last surprise finally arrives: a chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream. A chocolatey note that ends this meal in the finest way.

Right next door, L’Aparté (in French) offers equally gastronomic cuisine. Opposite Cornavin station, Téséo (in French) celebrates seasonal cuisine at the Warwick Geneva. Near the lake, L’Artisan delights at the Hôtel Rotary MGallery (all in French).

Rue de Lausanne 41-43, 1201 Genève
Website

Le Bistro

Article written following an invitation from the Hôtel Royal