Cafe Select

SWITZERLAND

The last time I was in Cafe Select was in June of 2014, arriving very early for a World Cup game taking place between Switzerland and an overmatched opponent. I was immediately told that I could not stay long, the place had been reserved out long before, so me and a friend took a quick meal and enjoyed the build up as Swiss fans arrived and readied themselves. There are not a lot of Swiss places in the city, so Cafe Select was an obvious spot for them to congregate and cheer on the game.

Now that the weather is cold, they advertise for their popular "apres ski" fondue, available by reservation in the back room, and probably the most recognizable Swiss food contribution to the world besides chocolate. But chocolate does not quite count as a meal for most people, while dipping random items in thick melted cheese certainly does.

The third most recognizable food might just be rösti, the pan-fried potatoes similar to hash browns. With thick chunks, the potatoes are fried in a round pan that gives it the circular shape, and most commonly served as a side or complement of something else. There are a couple options for eating the staple here, the rösti Norwegian ($13, below) being one. A thin layer of very nice smoked salmon is laid over the footprint of the rösti, and topped with sour cream and fresh herbs.

I would tend to have lunch here more than dinner, but midday meals are when the place is most crowded with office workers coming down for bites. Evening offers the chance at the well-stocked lists of alcohol, including bottles of Quöllfrisch naturtrüb, a recommended beer that certainly gives you a feel of being somewhere alpine.

The gripe to have with this place is only its holier-than-thou New York City acting crew. Each time I come here, I feel I have to fight them a bit, they are either too cool or just unfriendly, but this may just be the circumstances of the lunch rush which requires them to have fast turnover.

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