In the 1980s, anyone who had not eaten at the Chalet Swiss could not call themselves a Western-food-loving gourmet.
During the summer of 2007, the Chalet closed its doors without warning, leaving many lovers of Western food disappointed. Eleven months later, the establishment is opening anew, and the soufflés, sirloin steak and cheese fondue are attracting old patrons back to enjoy the flavors they remember.
In 1978, one Mr. Trummer hailed from Switzerland, and his Taiwanese wife Wang Cheng opened the restaurant together. The couple chose the Chinese name of their establishment, "Jui-hua", to reflect the fact that one of them is Swiss and the other Taiwanese. Thus was one of the earliest Swiss restaurants on the island born.
In an era where few high-end Western restaurants survive, the Swiss Chalet continues to serve standard Swiss cuisine, and has quickly become a place where the movers and shakers of government and business dine and linger. It is also a symbol of culture and distinguishment in the hearts of Taipei diners. Gourmet Hu Tian-lan recalls that back in the 1980s, anyone who had not eaten at the Swiss Chalet was nobody.
Standard offerings at the Swiss Chalet include steaks, Swiss fondue, and Zurich veal. But no one can forget the signature dessert soufflés; the romantic music that backs them up is the source of the Swiss Chalet story.
The first dish Trummer cooked for his wife was the ox marrow soup and a dessert soufflé that the Swiss usually prepare for family members. Wang, who did not catch the insinuation, was thinking that Trummer was just being cheap.
But the ox marrow soup and soufflé did capture Wang's heart. She has actually written a book called "Love in the Soufflé," and the love evident between the pair as they bustle about the restaurant is the surest proof of the glory years of the Chalet.
A soufflé takes at least 45 minutes, from the preparation to the final presentation. But the rich chocolate scent makes it worth the wait. Although you thought you were full before, now you suddenly discover that little bit of extra room.
Swiss cuisine cotains both German and Austrian food's clean and light flavors. It is like enjoying the clean lines of classic Swiss decoration, which communicates deep emotions in the midst of simplicity.
After 30 years of operations, Trummer passed away, and his wife Wang Cheng has also left the restaurant. Today, the operation is headed up by Trummer's assistant, Chang Song-ching.
Chang insists on everything being just as Trummer had it: the cheeses must be a genuine Gruyere, Raclette, and Emmentaler mix, and all must be imported from Switzerland.
Cheese is the epitome of the cuisine at the Chalet, as well as being its signature food. The best way to enjoy it is as fondue on fresh bread. Chang advises their diners that the Swiss, who really know their cheese, do it in this way.
Besides the cheese fondue, the chocolate fondue and the fondue Bourgogne are not to be missed. Chang usually suggests that new diners order the fondue Bourgogne, because the beef and seafood used in it are always fresh, and are dipped into the boiling oil using small forks, which provides a new experience of eating as well as a new dish.
But insistence on the best ingredients is not enough without painstaking workmanship. The sirloin is prepared with a special sauce that requires high culinary technique, and is frozen after being prepared. Additional time is required to cut it into pieces, which are placed into the oven with the meat. When the dish is eaten, the flavors combine deliciously in the mouth.
Christmas Eve dinner at the Chalet is festive. Once the dining room door opens, the Christmas spirit comes swirling out to meet guests, with the holiday feeling and warmth never missing at this venerable old restaurant.
(This article originally appeared in The Liberty Times Dec. 19)