Eating Well in the Vaud

Eating Well in the Vaud

The marvelous culinary delights of the region range from the cuisine marché (cuisine based on fresh market produce) of top-drawer chefs to the simplest fare: papet Vaudois (a straightforward stew of leeks, potatoes, and cream served with superb local sausages), delicate filets de perche (local perch fillets, sautéed or fried), and even malakoffs (egg-and-Gruyère fritters), which hark back to the days when the soldiers of La Côte fought in the Crimean Wars. Fondue, the Swiss national dish, can be ordered in any season, but locals prefer chillier months or cooler climes before gathering around a caquelon (earthen pot) of bubbling cheese.

A generation of acolytes from the kitchen of renowned chef Fredy Girardet are now master performers in their own right, showcasing their culinary talents in villages scattered along the lake. Season after season, they fill their high-end dining rooms with scores of obsessed restaurant habitués and locals celebrating milestone events. Eating well does not mean you have to raise your credit card limit or book a table months in advance. There is hardly a village without a white-tablecloth dining area. It could be a nook of half a dozen tables or a carefully orchestrated salon, the space and the menu set apart. Your host has stocked the cellar with top-quality vintages from neighboring wineries as well as global selections, and the staff is aptly qualified to pair them with the menu du jour.

Be adventurous and stop when you see a sign or lace-curtained window you find inviting. There is probably an exceptional meal to be had—one that is in harmony with the character of the wines produced down the lane and appreciative of each head of sun-sweetened lettuce.