I was first introduced to this restaurant about three years ago. My family has this long standing tradition of going to a film festival in the winter with a friend and then going out afterwards to have a meal and discuss the film. That year, our friend, chose the restaurant we would go to afterwards. We left the cinema and headed off through the dark cold streets with snow starting to fall. We walked about half an hour. I felt exhilaration at being in an unfamiliar part of Zürich. Finally we turned down a street and stepped into a restaurant called Maison Blunt. It served Mediterranean mezze and was decorated to look like you had stumbled into a Moroccan restaurant. The floor had been covered in brilliant white, blue and yellow tiles and along the sides of the walls were low, warn sofas clustering around mismatched tables either of faded wood or stamped metal.
The service that we had was very impressive. We all ordered several different items and drinks and the waiter made NO notes. He then vanished off towards the kitchens and shortly returned with our orders and placed each of them down in front of us. All perfect and no mistakes. Now that’s what I call good service and a stunning memory.
Today we have ordered a cold mezze platter and some cheese cigars. The platter consisted of a basket of bread, traditional style hummus, cucumbers in labneh (Greek yogurt), two types of couscous and a sweet tomato dip. The hummus was pale, almost white in colour and was decorated with a scarlet scattering of paprika. The tahini could be clearly tasted and the hummus was as smooth as silk. The cheese cigars were light buttery filo pastry wrapped around feta cheese. For some of them the pastry had burst and the cheese had turn a rich golden brown. It made a satisfying crunch as you bit into it and contrasted nicely with the softer dishes of the mezze. The cucumber in labneh helped cool your mouth down after the sudden heat of the cheese cigars and was excessively creamy. One of the couscous dishes had mint and raisins mixed in with it, adding a delightfully fruity note to the overall meal. The other couscous dish had masses of chopped parsley which made the dish very bitter which is known as tabouleh. All of these came in small earthen ware bowls and could be scooped out onto an aqua blue plate.
At the end of the meal came one of the best bits. The dessert! It was a cherry and chocolate cheese cake. The base was almost like marble cake, a mix between pale vanilla and dark chocolate with cherries scattered throughout. Then a thick layer of vanilla cream and finally a thin layer of cherry jelly, topped off with a delicate flower. I know, not very Mediterranean flavours, but it was still a devilishly good cake.
Maison Blunt has become a family favourite where we have often returned when we are craving such good Mediterranean food and the feel of Morocco. In short we go when we want some excellent food and a great atmosphere.
Maison Blunt, Gasometerstrasse 5, 8005, Zürich
Rassasy 