Zurich: Dining Solo at Sein (CLOSED) – The Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Update: Sein is now permanently closed

When I was in Zurich in September, I was lucky to score a table at Sein on a short notice Friday night. I was traveling solo, but I don’t mind dining on my own. Sometimes I even feel that it’s easier to focus on the food and truly enjoy the meal, when I don’t have to think about being social while I’m eating:)

There are two tasting menus at Sein: One for the carnivores and one for the vegetarians. I chose the vegetarian one, and I didn’t look back. The food was innovative and delicious, and even though chef Martin Surbeck was playing around with textures and flavors, this was done with a steady hand, and an admirable sense of what works.

As I stepped inside the restaurant, I was greeted as a dear old friend, and throughout the meal the staff stopped by regularly to chat and ask about my thoughts on about the food. I don’t think I could have found a better place for dining solo.

In between the dishes, small edible surprises arrived at the table, and the staff would then ask me to guess the ingredients. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, and I failed epically, but what a fun way to engage the guests and make them really taste the food.

The vegetarian tasting menu at Sein is 165 CHF, but considering that Sein has one Michelin star and that Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, I think it was a fair price for an outstanding dining experience.