Currently on a tour for Michelin restaurants in Geneva, so managed to make a booking the first chance I got for Il Lago. Having received a Michelin star for each year since 2014, its undeniable that this Italian restaurant in Four Seasons has something special...to offer. Also, just as a side note, I did hear from some of my mother’s colleagues that Il Lago’s food was not up to their expectation. So maybe it is fair to say that there is, somehow, a rather mixed reputation among Geneva’s inhabitants.
Made a phone call for reservation at 11am, managed to get a table within a minute’s call. Sat at the bar in the beginning, and decided to order a cocktail. I had a bit of an issue with what I received, but it was a very specific issue and I thought the best way to address it was to directly contact someone from the hotel privately. So I’ll leave the bar part out of this review.
Restaurant is very elegant, in the old fashioned way. Pretty much in line with what the hotel itself looks like. Terrace seating is an option, but I chose to sit inside. A fully equipped guéridon (trust me, it was FULLY equipped) next to the table, the gentleman who waited my table spoke perfectly fluent English (as did most of the other people I talked to in the hotel) which is a huge relief for me. So far the experience has been very pleasant: considering that it is 1 star Michelin and considering that it is Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, the hospitality is not only perfect but also above my expectation.
After having a quick look at the menu I decided to go with a 4 course: 1 cold appetiser, 1 hot appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert. With a bit of suggestion I settled with gambero rosso first. Two savoury bites and some crispy shrimps were offered, all were very tasty.
Prawn tartare came with a very pleasant plating. Rich amount of prawn, cucumber ribbons, two pieces of surprisingly delicious jelly on top. That’s all I remember as far as the ingredients go. Seasoning is a little bit on the lighter side for my taste, but at the same time it fits perfectly as a seafood crudo. Refreshing, light and acidic, and not taxing on the stomach.
The octopus starter was simply fantastic. Slow-cooked octopus tentacle, burrata and basil dressing, probably basil-flavoured savoury sponge, confit cherry tomatoes, grilled Savoy cabbage, microgreens and edible flower petals, and two black tuiles (probably coloured with squid ink or an alternative). A lot of action going on. In terms of flavour: impeccable. Each element individually seasoned to perfection and all of them worked in cohesion. Some chefs would make a common mistake: while pursuing a visually stunning dish, they forget to make sure all elements are equally delicious, and some elements will be either poorly cooked, under-seasoned, or just didn’t fit the flavour profile of the dish. The chef at Il Lago managed to present a perfect plate which is breathtakingly artistic, and at the same time so naturally balanced and delicious. Everything on the plate was also hot: admirable considering the time it takes to plate this dish. I used to work with a chef who hails a very similar style in his plating: focus on elevation and combination of colours, never afraid of using a hearty amount of sauce if the dish needs it, touches of sauces with contrasting colour here and there, each garnish needs to be in the perfect spot, if it’s not perfect then we plate it again. This octopus reminds me of his style, and I was just joking with him earlier today about this. Being a fan of aesthetics in food plating, this dish alone is the manifestation of what makes Il Lago a starred restaurant since 2014. Pursuit of culinary perfection shown in one plate.
Followed with a veal ravioli with wild mushrooms and truffle, side of steamed vegetables on the side. Hard to compete with the octopus. Plating is a bit less sophisticated, and the ravioli was on the very borderline for al dente for me personally. As far as the flavour is concerned, perfectly seasoned veal and delicious sauce. The mushrooms were well cooked too. The only thing that was not satisfactory was the steamed veg: close to zero seasoning. A bit of a shame.
Dessert was quite special. It was a strawberry baba in proper haute cuisine style, and honestly something that I didn’t expect at all. Goat cheese cream, baba drenched in strawberry sauce, limoncello granita on the side. Fairly creative way of presenting a classic dessert.
I browsed through a handful of rather damning reviews about Il Lago and found a common consensus: that it is not “proper Italian cuisine”. Which I can partially understand: clearly the chef here adapts certain “modern” cooking techniques into the menu, and certain dishes might be served in a way best described as “reinvented”. But for people who are more open-minded, if not passionately in love with the culinary world, the efforts and dedication put into the food menu here is well received and appreciated.More