Cheval Blanc, one of the world’s greatest restaurants

Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl

47° 33′ 37” N

07° 35′ 15” E

A comprehensive review of one of the world’s greatest restaurants, holding 3 Michelin Stars and 19 GaultMillau points.

The gourmet restaurant Cheval Blanc is part of the 5-star luxury hotel Les Trois Rois, which we visited recently. If you have read our previous blog post, you know the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois is one of the oldest city hotels in Europe and it’s located directly on the Rhine in downtown Basel. Same as the rest of the hotel, also the restaurant Cheval Blanc boasts the inimitable flair of a luxurious grand hotel. So let us start off with a quote from the current 2020 Guide Michelin: “Cheval Blanc boasts high, stuccoed ceilings and striking chandeliers, a lovely old parquet floor, stylish paintings, classy furniture, and exclusive place settings, not to mention excellent service. Fortunately, the food – classic yet modern, perfectly balanced, exquisitely presented, and using the very best ingredients – is more than a match for the wonderful setting.”

The beautifully designed dining room is located on the ground floor of the hotel, with fantastic panoramic views over the Rhine. The dining room is equipped only with a very limited number of tables and since there is an extremely high demand, the restaurant is always fully booked months in advance. So book early. Especially now, since the restaurant could finally open its doors again after corona on the 3rd of June.

We opted for the six-course full tasting menu (250.-) which seemed the best option, though the menu items were also available à la carte. Furthermore, we got the dishes together with wine pairings that allowed us to experience some great white and red wines that were perfectly matched to the exquisite cuisine. So let’s dive into the world the Cheval Blanc – the world of superb creations. The world of French haute cuisine enriched with Mediterranean and Asian influences. The world of Peter Knogl.

The Menu

The dishes

What an amazing menu, 6 courses (+ 4 starters), and every single one was cooked to perfection. Since we’re speaking Haute Cuisine (and the French invented the culinary profession), here’s the menu in French:

Huîtres creuses/soja/pomme verte
Macaron/foie/orange/Garam Masala
Textures de champignons/Pata Negra
Espuma Jalapeño / Carabinero

Anguille fumée, betterave rouge, ail fermenté et Wasabi
Homard breton et bergamote
Sole «petit bateau» et truffe du Périgord
Entrecôte de bœuf Wagyu, vinaigrette d’échalotes et okras
Chariot de fromages frais et affinés de Maître Antony à Ferrette
Châtaigne, mandarine et armagnac

Desserts

Wine Pairings

We opted for the wine pairings to experience some fine French and German wines that perfectly matched the exquisite dishes.

Interiors

“Cheval Blanc boasts high, stuccoed ceilings and striking chandeliers, a lovely old parquet floor, stylish paintings, classy furniture, and exclusive place settings, not to mention excellent service. Guide Michelin 2020

Peter Knogl – the big boss himself

Peter Knogl himself was present to greet every guest personally. Later in the afternoon, we had the possibility to meet him again in the hotel for a quick chat.

btw: it felt a bit awkward to do so, but it is definitely worth peering through the small kitchen window in the entrance hall to catch a glimpse of Mr. Knogl and his team working on their masterpieces. What they create is not just fine food, it is fine art. If you haven’t noticed yet from the images above, then the next picture perfectly shows what I mean:

Breakfast at the Brasserie Les Trois Rois

The breakfast on Sunday at the Brasserie offered everything we could wish for. We could choose from a wide selection of savory dishes in a relaxing ambiance just right next to the Rhine river. Apparently, there is also a Sunday Brunch which takes place in the Salle Belle Epoque – the hotel’s historic ballroom. And according to some reviews, the brunch is an absolute highlight in Basel. As you know, were are total Sunday brunch lovers – we will definitely have to come back one day to experience this.