Widder Restaurant

French Technique, Thai Heat

4 of 5

Stefan Heilemann trained in the classical French school, and he cooks with a Thai accent. That sounds like a gimmick until you remember that both traditions are obsessed with balance. Sour against sweet, heat against fat, crisp against soft. He holds two Michelin stars and 18 GaultMillau points at the Widder Hotel on Rennweg, in the old town.

The restaurant says it combines the history of the city with contemporary design. I will take them at their word and spend my attention on the food. Dinner is Wednesday to Saturday, from seven. Lunch happens on Fridays only, noon to half past one. There are gourmet and vegetarian menus, and the room is wheelchair accessible, which is rarer in the old town than it should be.

Why I would send you here. Stars tell you a kitchen is consistent. They do not tell you it has a point of view. Heilemann does. French technique gives the plate its discipline, and Thai flavor gives it nerve. That is a good trade, and an ambitious cook can earn a second star on it. Book early, keep the evening free, and finish downstairs at the Widder Bar, which has a serious reputation of its own. Same hotel, same Rennweg address, a very different kind of loud.

Order this: The tasting menu with a Thai thread in it, The vegetarian option, A drink in the Widder Bar before or after
The damage: $$$$
Go: A Friday lunch, the only daytime service
Find it: Rennweg 7, 8001 Zürich