Inside, the rooms were separated by walls, including some windows! We were seated in one of the side rooms near the front of the restaurant. I love all the little chalet touches on the walls, but I think my favorite was the hanging lamps.
Once we were seated, we perused the menu for what to eat and drink. Unsurprisingly, we decided to share a bottle of water and a bottle of wine. The Pinot Noir we chose was a Swiss Chalet Reserve wine and we found it smooth and refreshing.
To start we shared a raclette, which Jessica recommended on our bus ride earlier. Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The raclette cheese round is heated and then scraped onto diners' plates. Traditionally the melting happens in front of an open fire with the big piece of cheese facing the heat. One then regularly scrapes off the melting side. It is accompanied by small firm potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat. This wasn’t very big and I would recommend 1 for every 2 people, but as it was an appetizer for us, it worked out well. I thought it was delicious.
We each ordered a different entree. One of us went with the beef stroghanoff. It is beef and mushrooms in a brown gravy with noodles. A bit heavy but good flavors and if you like stroghanoff you’ll enjoy the dish.
Next up is the beef filet with herb butter, potatoes gratin, and vegetables. It is what it looks like and is a good, but safe choice.
Finally is the Wienerschnitzel, or breadcrumbed veal scallop with french fries and vegetables. This had a nice crust on it and the fries were delicious.
We chose not to get dessert as we were full from our entrees and finished up the wine for a sweet end. Overall, I thought the Swiss Chalet ended up being a nice choice for dinner. The food and atmosphere were cozy and comfortable, and I feel like anyone could find something good on the menu here. Our waitress was attentive and we would recommend eating here if you find yourself in Zermatt.
Upon leaving the restaurant, we made our way back to the hotel. Other than the few bars that were still serving drinks, not much was happening in town. As mentioned previously, the stores close rather early here, so we went back to the hotel for some shut-eye. And to take a few more pictures of the Matterhorn.
The Hotel Zermatterhoff does not have air conditioning, mostly because it’s not necessary 99% of the time. We left the windows open to get some air in, which was nice, except that you could hear the bars nearby and they were definitely hopping until well in the night. Not a complaint, per se, just an observation and experience. We were sort of stuck between keeping the windows open to get some chill and airflow, and hear all the nighttime activity or shut the windows and have it be quieter with no airflow. Not a complaint, just an observation and fact of life. I don’t believe ABD is staying here this season, but the same is true for most hotels around the area. I really enjoyed this hotel overall!