Cordon bleu: Where can you find the best ones in the canton of Zug: Part 2

We ordered one of the classics of hearty cuisine eight times. Read in our self-experiment which breadcrumb coating is particularly crispy, where the cheese becomes the main actor and which restaurant has a refined interpretation in the canton of Zug.

We continue our overview of Cordon Bleu in the canton of Zug

5. Restaurant Ochsen, Menzingen
The intense smell of cheese rises in the nose before the meat is cut – and lasts until the last bite. The cheese is the star of the Cordon Bleu in the "Ochsen" in Menzingen. Not too big, not too small, and accompanied by the obligatory fries and an amazing variety of vegetables, the Cordon Bleu is something special. And this despite the fact that this dish was not on the menu card at all.

The spontaneous wish for this traditional dish is also fulfilled In the "Ochsen" without any problems, however. As the attentive eater noted, she was not the only one enjoying a cordon bleu on that Monday afternoon.

The Restaurant/Hotel Ochsen is an institution in Menzingen. Tradition is a top priority here: Johann Klemenz Hegglin-Röllin, the great-grandfather of today's business owners, acquired the property in 1888 and opened a catering business together with a butcher's shop. A Hegglin has stood behind the counter ever since. Hospitality and butcher’s shops have always belonged together. And, of course, only meat from this butcher's shop is served at the table.

There’s also a regulars' table (Stammtisch) in the "Ochsen". But the restaurant exudes anything but a typical restaurant ambience, and the interior has a simple, modern elegance. But back to the main actor: the cordon bleu is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The intense, almost dominant cheese scent is probably quite intentional. For those who like to experiment, there is also a whole selection of different fillings.

But even those who like the classic version will be well served – comfortably satisfied, but not too much. It’s an ideal way to start the new week with this kind of feel-good food. (cro)

Summary:
Breadcrumb coating            Crispy and firm, the rich interior is not apparent at first glance
Filling                                     The highlight, especially for cheese fans
Meat                                       Tender, juicy
Taste                                       Home-cooking style, with a clear note of cheese
Price                                             CHF 33, (with veal CHF 39.50)
Value for money                        Excellent
Overall impression                    Would recommend

Hotel & Restaurant Ochsen
Neudorfstrasse 11, 6313 Menzingen                       Tel: 041 755 13 88

6. Restaurant zur Alten Lorze, Zug
A full house at noon in the Restaurant zur Alten Lorze, which is located just a few steps from the Schochenmühle bus stop, which is served by bus line 36 – Baar Railway Station to Steinhausen Sennweid – on the city limits. Hungry workers from the surrounding area find their lunch here, about a ten-minute walk from Ammansmatt. This is hardly surprising, because the prices of the lunch menus are very attractive for Zug conditions, at CHF 18 to CHF 22.

The family-run restaurant came into the hands of Mirjam Küng in 2015, who has since continued to run the traditional company with her team of nine. Guests will find seasonal and regional cuisine, as well as home-style dishes with meat and vegetables from the region. Although the rustic and somewhat restless decorative ambience of the dining room (Gaststube) did not really convince me, the large green garden area with playground inspired me all the more.

The weekly hit of the lunch menu, which varies every week, would actually be a Cordon Bleu with Chorizo, a slightly smoked, mostly spicy Spanish sausage made from coarsely chopped pork. But, on request, I could also have the classic Cordon Bleu made from pork, with a salad side dish for CHF 36.50.

I receive a considerably sized cordon bleu with a very varied mixed salad, which even contained kiwi, pineapple and apple pieces. The cordon bleu is not "closed", and you can therefore see the edges of the meat fillets that have been placed on top of each other.

This is very pleasing for the eye, because it doesn't look like a mass-made cordon bleu from the supermarket. When cutting, the breading holds onto the meat, which certainly deserves plus points. I don't like it when it crumbles during cutting and everything becomes stuck on the knife.

And I’m also not disappointed at all even when I bite into it. The meat is tender, and tastes as if it had been deglazed with white wine. Whether this is the case, I cannot say exactly, and the waitress unfortunately didn't know either. Otherwise it’s a good spicy cheese, tasty, crispy breading and a very good piece of meat, which can also satisfy a major hunger.

In order to burn off some of the calories again, I would recommend a walk from the restaurant along the Alte Lorze stream, which was revitalised about five years ago by the Cantonal Hydraulic Engineering department, and down to the Ammannsmatt. The footpath along the stream is very idyllic and has a decelerating effect in the sometimes hectic everyday life. (tn)

Summary:
Breadcrumb coating            Well seasoned, does not break up
Filling                                     Generous, but not too much
Meat                                       Tender, has a white wine note
Taste                                       Spicy, harmonises with the tasty salad
Price                                       CHF 36.50 (with veal, CHF 49.50)
Value for money                  Completely OK by Zug standards
Overall impression              I’ll come again!

Restaurant zur Alten Lorze
Schochenmühle 1, 6300 Zug        Tel. 041 741 57 54
 

5.The perfect size and, thanks to the vegetable content, an ideal lunch – prepared in the Restaurant Ochsen in Menzingen.         Photo: Carmen Rogenmoser
6. The cordon bleu in classic form, the salad exotic: this is how the menu was served in the "Alte Lorze" in Zug.                        Image: Tijana Nikolic
7. Barely cut, and the juices start to flow starts – at the Gasthaus zum Rössli in Oberägeri                Photo: Kilian Küttel
8. A medium bacon cordon bleu with green salad and French sauce in the "Limi-Hütte" in Hünenberg        Photo: Andreas Faessler

7. Gasthaus zum Rössli, Oberägeri
No urban restraint, no genteel subtlety - as soon as the Cordon Bleu is cut, the cheese flows. Yes, they like things direct, honest and down-to-earth at the "Rössli" in Oberägeri. This was also the case on this Tuesday afternoon at the beginning of May, when, in addition to the representative of our newspaper, only three other eaters graced the restaurant in the heart of Oberägeri with their presence.

This was probably due to the brilliant spring day and the fact that places in the sun are a rare commodity in the "Rössli". It could hardly be due to the quality of the dishes that host couple Barbara and Guido Schneider serve. And certainly not the Cordon Bleu, which can be found daily on the menu card, and on the daily menu every Friday.

But what does Cordon Bleu even mean here? Guests In the "Rössli" can enjoy the "Rössli roll", which in its core competencies is in no way inferior to the classic, but does not come across as the usual folded meat-ham-cheese variation, but is rolled lengthwise.

Hence the name. And perhaps also the explanation why one is spared the unfortunate drying period of after two bites, to which the experienced eater has learned to adjust when the chef is stingy with cheese. Not so in the "Rössli", where the Alösler Gruyère drips out of the roll from second bite – and has the decency not to flood the plate, which would make the cordon bleu feast difficult to distinguish from a fondue.

No, balance is the trump card at the "Rössli". This applies to the Gruyère, his applies to the Gruyère, which is easy to taste without being overbearing, as well as to the breading, which crisps and crackly, but neither crumbles nor flakes off.

And it applies even more to the composition of the portion; the unobtrusive vegetables swirled in butter, with cauliflower, broccoli or peppers, and the French fries that can do what they need to be able to do. They are neither dry nor watery, neither bland nor salty and, above all, they are: enough.

Our picture with a plate full of white space may be deceptive. If you stop at the "Rössli" for lunch, you will leave it well fortified, even without an starter or a dessert. Which, in view of CHF 53.50 for the "Rössli roll" of pork, two bottles of cola zero and a café crème, is an essential item on the programme.

But you don't just walk strengthened, you walk away satisfied and happy. And this seems to be both desire and goal in the "Rössli". (kük)

Summary:
Breadcrumb coating            Crispy, crunchy, firm
Filling                                     Decent, both in quantity and in behaviour
Meat                                       Inconspicuous - optimal carrier medium for the Alösler Gruyere
Taste                                       Full, round
Price                                       CHF 29.00 (with veal CHF 47)
Value for money                  Nothing to criticise here
Overall impression              Convincing!

Gasthaus zum Rössli
Mitteldorfstrasse 1, 6315 Oberägeri               Tel: 041 750 12 36

8. Restaurant Limi-Hütte, Meisterswil (Hünenberg)
What a setting here in Meisterswil, a small Hofweiler (hamlet) in the southern part of Hünenberg. The view sweeps over into the Oberfreiamt to the picturesque villages of Dietwil and Oberrüti at the foothills of the Lindenberg. Country air blows through the bright garden of the Limi-Hütte restaurant, while folklore and popular  music plays unobtrusively in the background.

One after the other, the friendly waitress carries plates of the house speciality to the tables: most guests order one of the Cordon Bleu variations, for which the charming restaurant/bar is widely known.

In addition to a very inexpensive daily speciality – at the time of the visit this was a Meat-Cheese Cordon Bleu – the menu offers variants with shoulder ham, bacon, salami and raw ham. The latter is not breaded, but only swirled in the egg. They are all available in "large" or "medium", and you can order either salad, mixed/green, or fries with vegetables as a side dish – the price remains the same.

I opt for a Medium Bacon Cordon Bleu with a green salad and French sauce. One can only agree with the positive comments for the "Limi-Hütte" on the usual Internet rating portals: You will be presented with a cordon bleu that it just as you would wish it.

Baked dark-golden-brown, the breading wonderful, the meat juicy and tender, the content perfect in proportion: fragrant cheese, which flows nice and  slowly from the inside when cut, without flooding the entire plate, while the bacon spicy and full-bodied, without drowning out the taste of the rest.

The fresh green salad becomes a sideshow, but still deserves mention: it is decorated with asparagus, egg and cherry tomatoes. The dressing has not already been poured over it, but is provided in a small sauciere for individual "dosage". The occasionally scents rising from the pigsty reminds you of what you are currently eating: The meat comes from their own farm, and this is a seal of quality.

Located far from the hustle and bustle of civilization, the "Limi Hut", which is particularly popular with the locals and walkers, is truly an insider tip for passionate cordon bleu connoisseurs like me. (fae)

Summary:
Breadcrumb coating            Nicely balanced
Filling                                     Just the right amount, with the right taste
Meat                                       Perfect consistency, melts in the mouth
Taste                                       Intensive, spicy
Price                                       CHF 27.50 (large), CHF 25 (medium)
Value for money                  Very acceptable, quality does not have to cost a lot
Overall impression              Top recommendation

Restaurant Limi-Hütte
Meisterswil, 6331 Hünenberg                           Tel: 076 361 14 98