Loosen Those Belts

Loosen Those Belts

For Valaisans, the midday meal remains the mainstay. Locals gather at a bistro for a hearty plat chaud (warm meal) that includes meat, vegetable or pasta, and salad for under 20 SF. Baskets of crusty pain Valaisan (bread made of wheat and cereal grains) freshly cut from thick loaves, never presliced, circulate around the table.

The evening meal is lighter, perhaps comprising an assiette (platter) of cheese and cold cuts shared by the table, accompanied by another bread basket and fruit. For the time-pressed, sandwiches and quick meals can be picked up at a corner boulangerie or supermarket (Manor, Migros, or Coop), where food halls have buffets and inexpensive sit-down options.

Dress and atmosphere are understated even at top-dollar restaurants, which eschew worn jeans but seldom require a jacket. Keep in mind that most eateries do not offer continuous service; lunch winds down around 2 and dinner does not begin before 6. Unless a host greets you or you have a reservation, it is fine to take a seat at an open table.

Multiple dining options can share the same entrance and kitchen. A brasserie or Stübli is the homey casual section just inside the doorway, with paper place mats, straightforward dishes, and lively conversation. The quieter salle à manger (dining room) has tables dressed in linen and a carte (menu) of multicourse meals and more complicated preparations. If cheese specialties are served, a carnotzet, a cozy space in the cellar or a corner away from main dining, is designated to confine the aroma and foster conviviality.

Wine is a standard companion whether vin ouvert (open wine) poured from small pitchers or bottles selected from cellar holdings. The pace of eating is leisurely, and the server will not bring a check until you request it.