Review of Restaurant Tao’s, Zurich, Switzerland
Upmarket Euro-Asian cuisine at a stylish place in the middle of the city:
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After reviewing a restaurant for meat lovers in the heart of Zurich here a recommendation for a well-established, upscale Euro-Asian dining spot, Tao’s Restaurant, at least as favorably situated as the just mentioned place and with the additional bonus of the most beautiful outside seating in the first district (Kreis 1).
Location
This stylish restaurant in a central yet quiet location can be found just off the famous Bahnhofstrasse with its great shopping opportunities and in close proximity to the financial district. It is amidst Zurich’s old town housed in a building that is more than 300 years old.
Ambiance
Tao’s is an oasis in Zurich’s vibrant city center providing a moment of calm, especially if you are lucky enough to have dinner in the manicured Asian garden with lots of different plants and trees as I did when dining here some years ago. But also the interiors are nice, providing a perfect mix between Asian décor and modern comfort. There is an elegant dining venue upstairs and a little more informal one on the ground floor, where my husband and I were seated on our last visit. The ambiance here is urban yet casual relaxed.
Food concept
The restaurant has been serving high-end Asian fusion cuisine for more than ten years. The quite varied menu ranges from salads and soups to sashimi and sushi, from classics and grill specials to meat and seafood dishes from the Teppanyaki grill. Everything is Asian inspired except the desserts which are basically the ones you get everywhere. While the food is immaculately prepared, it cannot be called really inventive. It used to be a Gault-Millau awarded place until a few years ago and my guess is that the lack of creativity might have played a role in this context. Anyway, if you are into well-made gourmet Euro-Asian food, this is your place!
Sampled food
A great beginning was the tuna salmon starter consisting of tuna and salmon sashimi with soy sauce and orange.
The fish was of top quality and the sauce was the ideal accompaniment to it, I loved it! When it comes to mains, my husband and I both opted for the US Black Angus beef tenderloin with a teriyaki sauce.
The meat was cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor, it was one the best beef tenderloins we have had in a long time! As to desserts, the Tonka bean crème brûlée with mandarin sorbet
was delicious and also the ice cream excelled,
the black sesame with honey flavored one was quite extraordinary.
Service
The waiter who was taking care of us was up to the level. He was attentive and professional but otherwise unobtrusive and relaxed, we felt well at ease here. Regarding the service, it was paced exactly right.
Pricing
Dining at Tao’s is a wallet breaker. Prices are well above average – also for Bahnhofstrasse Zurich – and I am not absolutely sure whether the restaurant is worth the hefty price tag. Having said this, the quality of produce is convincing, but creativity needs a shot in the arm to justify this price level. A good start might be to serve the mains not only with a sauce but also with a side dish that is included in the price.
Overall
Tao’s in Zurich’s center just off Bahnhofstrasse brings a touch of real urbanism to Zurich. It is a trendy, stylish dining spot serving upmarket Euro-Asian Food at the higher end of the price scale. There may be more exciting choices when it comes to sophisticated cuisine in this field, but if you look for top quality produce, well executed in a cool vibe restaurant, you cannot go wrong with this place.
· Costs: starters from 14 to 34 SFR, mains (with fish or meat) from 45 to 78 SFR (with side dish), desserts from 16 to 21 SFR
· Cuisine: fine-dining, high-end Euro-Asian cuisine
· Awards: Michelin listed
· Address: Augustinergasse 3, 8001 Zürich, Tel. +41 44 448 11 22, E-Mail welcome@tao-group.ch
Date of visit: November 2017
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