Bell’s, Los Alamos

los olivos

Jun 28

I’d been given fair warning that the food in Leysin might not be great. Certainly that moving from the bountiful Santa Ynez Valley and it’s spectacular restaurant world might prove slightly disappointing.

But today, as we sipped orange Fernweh wine (made us think of you, Lisa!) at the bucket-list of all bucket-list restaurants, the owner attended our table filled with questions and an earnest endearment regarding our upcoming Swiss Alps adventure.

Much to Fred’s surprise and humor, I’d written into the optional “are you celebrating” online reservation notes field that we were celebrating our last night in the valley at Bell’s. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I wrote the silly note about our move and next adventure, but when we walked into a table with menus titled “bon voyage Shona + Freddy”, I felt seen + celebrated in the most delicious way. And we hadn’t event tasted anything yet.

Between our server and the owner (we were seated right by the door, so he chatted with us between greeting folks at the entrance), sweet questions about our move arose throughout the evening. A few courses in (I think we were enjoying the Finley Farms salad at the time — Kennedy, had me thinking of our scrumptious lunch!), he thoughtfully brought over a thick edition of Alpine Cookbook, encouraging us to pour through the beautifully laid out pages between courses.

For the first time, I felt like the food lover and cook in me could grow enamored with this next home of ours. If the greatest restaurant owner in this renowned “foodie” area could gush about Swiss alpine cooking then perhaps there was more than just a glimmer of hope. Perhaps there was a hole slap of buttery goodness to look forward to in this next chapter.

It certainly helped that the first page I flipped open featured none other than a full-page photo of an identical orange ceramic cast-iron pot to the one I’d found in my favorite SB antique store (the Blue Door) heartily filled with Fondu in a Swiss ski restaurant. We’d tucked that favorite pot of sunshine away in the storage we’re leaving at my parents… but I just may need to grab it out and sneak it in my bag alongside a newly purchased copy of this cookbook for inspiration in the days, months and years ahead.