Underwater Love Zürich

Visited April 2024
Dinner
Rating: without

At irregular intervals, three ladies offer a pop-up in Zurich’s Seefeld district, serving a five-course menu based on fish and seafood. I had already been here last year and quite liked it, so I was curious to see what they would serve this time. The menu is not announced in advance on the Internet.
The selection of wines, which are offered by the glass or bottle, is limited and also relatively special.
This time we started with a greenish aperitif in a low long-drink glass with aniseed, mint, sparkling mineral water, and ice.
It was followed by the first snack, which was also listed on the menu written in English.

This was a very nice treat for the palate. A folded brown baked toast rich in oil was filled with shrimp, which brought out the sweetness that is often characteristic of crustaceans. I did not notice the ginger. I didn’t use the as well skewered lime. It was a delight anyway.

Mackerel tartare, rhubarb slices, and small pieces of raw cucumber formed a kind of salad with a nicely balanced vinaigrette with not too much acidity.
Good light bread with labné was served separately. Labné, which is Lebanese labneh, is a whipped cream made from hung yogurt. It can be used as a substitute for butter. Here, chives and bottarga di mugine, dried fish roe, were used as toppings.

A fried, half-shelled, large black tiger prawn was accompanied by pickled feta, whose chili pieces added an interesting spiciness. The plate also featured fennel cooked al dente and some tarragon. Pernod was used in the sauce.

Very nice mild smoked salmon with a pleasant texture came on Castel Franco, a special type of radicchio salad, in the style of Cesar’s salad with pieces of pomelo fillet, roasted almonds, and a very fine vinaigrette. I thought I could taste coffee aromas. But these probably came from the poppy seeds, which were also sprinkled on top.

A wonton cracker was topped with thin slices of yellowfin tuna, marinated mango, avocado cream, chili, and leek straw. The fresh coriander had been left out for me.

The main course used monkfish, the “poor man’s lobster”, in two forms as the central ingredient. On a bed of sorrel were pieces of fillet and liver seasoned with a little fleur de sel of monkfish, purple potato, green asparagus, and currants.

I had no more room for a dessert, which was on the menu as an extra course. It was as far as I have seen chocolate mousse with raspberries.

Summary

Good quality ingredients especially for the fish and seafood, interesting combinations, and proper execution make this a valuable dinner option for people who like food from the seas. The menu is announced to be “French-inspired”, meaning rather Bistro than fine dining cuisine. And that is exactly what it is.
Service was again flawless.

Website: Underwaterlove french inspired fish and seafood pop-up restaurant Zurich