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ZURICH HOTEL BAUR AU LAC
Because of the shape of the building, there are some long corridors, so – if you do not like a healthy walk to your billet – you might wish to request a room close to the lifts. My own, air-conditioned apartment, number 31, was reached by two lifts. The first had walls of shimmering gold; the second was made of glass. This was the basic category of room, a ‘deluxe double’, and therefore 902 Swiss francs a night, bed and breakfast for two. In its hallway were fitted wardrobes, with a safe, and a clothes peg on the wall. (This last item was a sign of thoughtfulness. I have, on occasions too numerous to recall, been annoyed to find nowhere to hang my hat near to the door of my hotel room.) Within the bathroom of black and white marble were two wash basins, a tub of good size, a separate shower, large white towels and that object which always frightens me – a pair of scales. Everything about this accommodation was, of course, pristine. The Baur Au Lac has a winter restaurant, Le Français, and a summer restaurant, Le Pavillon. I breakfasted and dined in the latter. In the mornings the colour of the trees and the lawns through the plate glass windows – for the hotel has an extensive garden – was reflected in the green tablecloths. From the buffet I brought orange juice, corn flakes, slices of rare beef fillet, chunks of fresh pineapple, slices of crusty bread and croissants. And from the kitchen came pots of tea (made properly, with leaves) and onion omelettes. Each of these comestibles was of the highest quality. Unusually, I decided to go with the suggested glasses of wine with each course. These turned out to be well-chosen. I particularly like the white Châteauneuf-du-Pape with the lobster – full-bodied, with tones of pineapple and mango – (Calice de St-Pierre, Dom. Des Pères de L’Église, 2007) and the red burgundy with the veal – young, alcoholic and smooth with lots of red fruit – (Gevrey-Chambertin, La Bibryotte, Dugat, 2006). I did, however, look at the wine list. Its prices range from 60 francs for a local white to 12,400 francs for the 2001 vintage of Romanée-Conti. Clarets to catch my eye were: Mouton-Rothschild (1961 – 5,400 frs; 1982 – 3,200 frs), 1945 Ausone (7,600 frs), 1959 Lafite (8,800 frs) and 1988 Pétrus (2,980 frs). But be warned: you take the risk of the wine’s condition if you order anything older than 1986. This is the only warning you need when you go to the Baur Au Lac. It is a wonderful place. Its remarkable tradition, its fine location and its exceptional standards of service place it in the ranks of Europe’s finest hotels. I like it. Now all I need to do is to try to like the music of Richard Wagner.
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ADDRESSES
HOTEL BAUR AU LAC
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© Francis Bown 2003
Let me admit at once that I am not Richard Wagner’s greatest fan. After a performance of Lohengrin at Covent Garden, a friend remarked approvingly of my obvious enthusiasm for the music. He had noticed that, from my seat in the front row of the Dress Circle, I had – during the last Act – leaned forward repeatedly in appreciation of the performance. In fact, I had been straining to look down at the scores on the music stands of the players in the orchestra pit, to see how many more pages of the torment I had still to endure… Still, one thing about Mr. Wagner I have always admired: he loved grand hotels. And the grander they were, the more he loved them. Certainly, he must have liked the Baur Au Lac in Zurich very much indeed, for it was here that he performed the première of the first Act of Die Walküre – singing himself, and accompanied on the piano by his father-in-law, Franz Liszt. For Wagnerians, the Baur Au Lac must therefore be a place of pilgrimage. For me, it was a place of pure pleasure.
I will not bore you with an exhaustive list of the great and the good who have stayed at the Baur Au Lac since it was opened in 1844 by Johannes Baur. (It is still owned by his descendants, the Kracht family.) Suffice it to say that, if you were the Empress of Austria, or the Tsarina of Russia, or the Kaiser of Germany, you would have known this hostelry very well indeed. The location is what you want in Zurich – right next to the River Schanzengraben and overlooking the Lake. Its 124 rooms are decorated in a variety of styles, including Art Déco, Regency and Louis XVI, and its public rooms have a pleasing lightness and assured elegance. I had the sense, throughout my stay, of an establishment which was at ease with its history and with its importance. The recent expenditure of 100 million francs has been used to renovate (not destroy) this lovely old building. You will not find any vulgar straining to impress within these walls.
At around 14 feet square, the bedroom felt sufficiently spacious and its décor seemed cool and sophisticated – effects achieved by a mirrored wall behind the writing desk and a colour scheme of light green, dark brown and cream. The cornice was traditional and the dvd player, flat-screen television and sleek bedside cabinets were modern. A day bed and an easy chair were present for my lounging, and 4 table lamps and 7 spotlights were present for my lighting. White orchids grew from a pot and imparted a little natural softness. Through the two French windows was a balcony, overlooking the river, with a table and two chairs.
Every member of staff I encountered – whether it was the young waiter with golden epaulettes who served me a pot of Earl Grey in the delightful hall, or the waitresses (as smart as fashion models) in the restaurant, or the gentlemen at the concierge desk who sorted out the mess Swiss Air had made of my return flight – was courteous, friendly and efficient. This perhaps should not surprise us, as the General Manager, Michel Rey (pictured), is a relative of the great César Ritz himself, and an hotelier cannot have much better blood in his veins than that.
In the evening, the room was transformed into a restful space of grey and lilac, with a candle in a silver, fluted holder on each table. I liked the Spiegelau glasses; I liked the look of my fellow diners (well-dressed and affluent); and I even liked – since it was Mozart – the canned music. I have commented already on the splendid waitresses. They wore silver-grey jackets and were quick to bring a new napkin for any diner who left the table for a moment. (I have been criticized for the frequency with which I mention this small detail. But I will continue to do so, as it is such a significant indicator of a restaurant’s attitude to service. We ought, of course, to be able to take it for granted. But we cannot.) This careful and proper service was orchestrated by the charming Assistant Restaurant Manager, Agnès Czinzel.
I had heard good reports of the cooking of Chef Laurent Eperon (pictured), so my expectations were high. They were not disappointed. I tried his five course set meal (150 francs, or 230 francs with accompanying wines) and found each dish a model of precision, with clear tastes, attractive presentation and intelligent combinations of flavours and textures. A rectangle of potato, topped with caviar, came with a little pot of clear soup ‘perfumed with Tasmanian berries’. This was a soft and subtle start. Marinated tuna with smoked paprika and chorizo came with another tiny container – this time full of tomato essence. This was lovely – although I would have preferred it without the bullying chorizo. Warm Canadian lobster with spiced vegetables was carefully done, and was a good preparation for some glorious veal. This poached tenderloin was really delicious, and was accompanied to glorious effect by crisp sweetbreads and chanterelle mushrooms. Then I expected an anti-climax, for the menu referred only to ‘Black Forest pie’. But no – the pudding was actually the star of the evening. In one dish came a cherry sorbet of startling clarity. In the other dish came the ‘pie’ soaked in cherry-ness with a ravishing chocolate sauce. Magnificent.
