Old Swiss Inn: Home-y Swiss Food at Somerset Olympia in Urdaneta Village

I had an appointment over at Somerset Olympia at 1pm so I decided to grab some lunch at the Old Swiss Inn. I've only been there once (for another meeting) and only had coffee at the time. I was curious to try some of their house specialities, but since there was only myself to feed, I could only limit my order to one dish.

Once you enter the restaurant, you're immediately greeted by this stained glass artwork mounted over this wooden panel. It was a nice piece of art, but somehow I felt it didn't show you the inviting red-colored walls off-the-bat, especially if you're outside looking in.

I grabbed a seat by the corner, and admired the view of the wall, together with the various brands of beer displayed on the counter. Two guys beside me were eating raclette, and I was so tempted to order that too. But anyway, I did find something enticing on the menu, and proceeded to place my order!

The first thing they did was place some bread on my table, together with some butter. The bread was served steaming hot, and it looked really soft. Unfortunately, I was trying to cut down on carbs so I sent it back to the kitchen (but trust me, I died when I did).

For my mains, I ordered their Fresh Corned Beef (Php 690). When it came to my table, it really smelled as good as it looked! And when I used my fork to cut through the corned beef, it was so tender that it just "melted" through my fork.

Taste wise, it was just fantastic! It was packed with flavor, and it met every expectation of what you'd think of how fresh corned beef should taste like!

For the cabbage, it gave this snapping sensation as you cut through it. It was crunchy to bite, and it absorbed the beef broth so well!

The fresh corned beef came with two bowls of mustard and horseradish. Naturally, I placed small teaspoons worth of either condiment on every bite I'd make of my corned beef.... oh, the joy! Initially, the horseradish reminded me of wasabi (it's the same family, after all). But then it took on a more Western taste the more and more I took of it. Overall, a great complement!

If you'd notice, the fresh corned beef came with a potato tourne~ which is like a 7-sided cut that makes it look like a football. It really adds a great texture to the entire dish. And in case you're wondering, yes I also ate the basil leaf! It was nice... blended really well with everything!

This dish was really delicious and I'd go back just for this again. Deep inside, of course, it's something I'd love to have rice with... but it just goes to prove how good it is. Personally, I can't wait to come back here to try more dishes in this restaurant. Perhaps by then, I'd have more photos to post, and a lot more feedback to write on this blog!