I headed over the border to the village of Sierentz in France to the Auberge Saint Laurent.  I know it as "the restaurant with one Michelin star," so of course I was going for the food.  But the building is lovely - reminds me of a 18th century coachhouse in Sierentz's tiny tiny historical centre.  But of course, Michelin star very rarely equals cheap night out, so this is special occasion territory.

 The menu is more of a list of delicacies where you have to choose what not to have.  Foie gras with cabbage chutney - tuscan style pasta with truffles, crunchy fillet of sea bass with french caviar - I translate, but in french the menu comes across as positively magical. The tasting menu seemed the only democratic choice.   We began with roast tail of lobster in a saffron sauce, moved on to roast milk veal stuffed with foie gras, smelly Epoisses cheese served with a soft caramel bonbon - that was amazing as the sweet takes the edge off the cheese.  Eight dishes in all, if you include the "presents" from the chef -a super light fennel mousse was fantastic way to cleanse the palate.   They also had - in the depths of winter - some perfectly tiny, perfectly red strawberries. That tasted.  No Michelin star comes to people who fly in produce from around the world, so I wonder if there is a greenhouse. 

I can't criticise the food, but the décor is ever so slightly kitsch.  The restaurant is in an old Alsacian building made from old stone and timber frames...but it feels to me like the upholstery and the curtains are a bit too pink chintz and a bit too 1980s.  Do you know though, after a while, I actually got to thinking it was nice.  One thing I would point out is that vegetarians who don't eat fish don't have such a great choice - just one dish I could see on the à la carte menu.  The staff say they will always try to get the chef to accommodate you, however.

Recommend it?  Oh yes.  But with the proviso that my menu cost 65€ so it is really not for everyday, although it compares quite well to central Basel. There are other menus for 40€ but you get just 2 courses, and portions are fine, though not big.  I think this is common in French cuisine to compensate for the butter and cream that are extremely pleasant "en bouche."  Where the Auberge Saint Laurent is very talented is you do not think you are eating anything heavy - it all seems light and floaty even as you slip the softest of buttery potatoes into your mouth.

A lunch menu can be had for 30€ and the wines I think are pretty reasonable - we had a white Alsace wine for 30€.  They do say they will prepare special portions for children under 12. After then - you're an adult! Who would have thought it?

Service? Fine with English, French, German, or pidgeon versions of these.  The waiter will always explain your courses and tell you if there is something you should do to get the best out of your dish. I find this a bit solemn, but for a business dinner it can be useful for fostering conversation.

Location? Easy to get to off the motorway, there's even trains to Basel, though the station is a 10 minute walk from the restaurant.

Don't say "Ah non, I'm on a diet."

Do say "I loved the caramel lollipops, the pre-pudding pudding."

In short?  Best food I've tasted in the 3 countries corner.



Tapas is not exactly my favorite thing, maybe because of too many overly oily gambas pil-pil, rubbery tortillas or chewy fishy calamari….. So I guess I have to admit that I don’t yearn for tapas the way I do a glass of amarone or some delicately put together sushi roll.  But how could I say no, to the ladies that lunch and go snowboarding, when they invited me for a glass of wine and tapas one day after work.

Bodega Espana is tucked away in Basel’s old town on Heuberg 4, CH4051.  The Tapas bar is back to back with the wine ship Vinos de Espana and owned by a Spanish family who now call Basel home.

The bar is cosy with huge ornate ceiling lamps and a chunky, old fashioned, dark wooden, café bar.  The patron makes everyone feel welcome and at home, priding him self in offering authentic, affordable, quality tapas and Spanish wine! 

We had tapas and wine for three for 110CHF with the highlight being the juiciest, freshest, calamari rings we had one plate and ended up ordering another.

The service is very laid back and may not be the place for a quick snack on the run.  Go for the cosy, friendly tapas served up by a family who knows Spanish food and wine.

Roll on the smoking ban though as the bar was chokingly smoke filled.



Rubino’s restaurant is tucked away behind Basel ancient history museum.  It off the beaten track and few people come across it by chance rather they are recommended the restaurant due to its quirky concept and fabulous waiting staff.

Rubino’s concept is daring to say the least as they off a surprise menu!!  Yes, that’s right you sit down and is you allow them, to surprise you with a three course meal with the option of them choosing your accompanying wine for each surprise course.  Ok, I hear the control freaks shouting loudly…what if I don’t like the food or maybe you’re a fussy eater, veggie or vegan!

Luftgässlein 1  4051 Basel, T +41 (0) 61 333 7770
F +41 (0) 61 333 7771
info@rubino-basel.ch

Öffnungszeiten: Montag ‒ Samstag 11.30‒14.30 & 18‒24 Uhr,
Sonntag geschlossen.

If you’re in a small group you can claw back control and eat ala carte but for larger groups you can only opt for the surprise option.  There is a bit of choice within the surprise menu as you can choose, meat, fish or veggie for starters and main and desert is a surprise sweet or cheese platter.

To my surprise and after some argie bargie at the beginning of the evening there wasn’t one plate out of 33 that hadn’t been well tucked into.  Our starters consisted of rabbit wrapped in bacon with nut salad, veggie pasta or fish (can’t remember which one) and for mains, lamb with roasted vegetables and dauphinoise and perch on puy lentils.  A medley of cheese or puds finished us all off!

Was this brilliant choice of food on the restaurant parts or just delicious food that would be delight for many palettes?  Congratulations Rubino’s you delivered both.  We all adored our waitress who kept us informed to the dishes we hadn’t chosen and the wine she thought we should be drinking with them.  Lets me tell you, she was bang on the money and kept us all entertained.

Rubino’s is three course surprise menu in 65CHF which I thinks is quite reasonable for Basel.  Adding the surprise wine choices to that will set you back another 35CHF which is pricey and even in option excessive, especially on a school night.



I often go into the Kuchelin bar before or after a night out at the cinema...you know the bar I mean?  the one right next to the Pathe Cinema?? The Kuchelin has great waiting staff who speak wonderful English and are always happy to recommend a wine or help with the bar menu.

I was more than happy to find the Kuchelin is now smoke free during the day.  In my mind its got some of the best Flammekuchelin in town, I do like L'escales Flammekuchlin too but boy is that bar always smokey!!

L'esclaes bar menu is limited on both the food and drink side for all you foodies out there this might not be your thing and you might be better off in CONSUM.  My big suprise was sweet flammekuchelin with pears and cream....yummy!!

Price wise its not for those on a budget....you are going to pay town centre prices.  A flammekuchelin is around 20-25CHF but two could easily share as a snack.  Cocktails around around 15CHF and a glass of wine 8-9CHF

Go to the cinema and make a night of it at the Kuchelin bar....in the summer sit out and watch basel go by.........