January 2023
Dining Review: Brasserie Konrad at Ski Lodge – Engelberg
Our dinner was right by the train station inside the popular Ski Lodge Engelberg. This spot is known for the after ski drink spot – Ski Apres. We grabbed seats to enjoy a drink before heading to the dining room. The vibe here was fantastic – this is definitely the happening spot as we haven’t seen anything like this in downtown Engelberg. If you are looking for a place to unwind and hang, go head to Ski Lodge.
Named after Konard von Sellenbüren – the founder of Engelberg – Brasserie Konard is located next to the bar and where we had our final dinner. Reviews indicated this spot was great for sandwiches and burgers so I figured this was a more casual dining spot. I had a reservation and while this was the meal I knew the least about, I was certainly happy we had this reservation as they turned people away during our entire meal. We were in for a treat!
It was like be transported to another place all together – the noisy ski bar in one room and then this elegant, cosy, candlelight dining room next door. We definitely loved the interior that had a feeling of being in someone’s lived in home – old pictures on the wall, bookcase full of various topics – we could have stayed here all night.
The menu was simple but showcased a wide variety of flavors and cuisines. Reviews indicated this was a great burger spot but the menu seemed to indicate they did a bit more than burgers well. When the server brought over the daily Skiers Menu, I know we were in for a treat. A ski lodge / bar / restaurant with a daily three course menu? Get out of here! Kevin decided to go al-la-carte and I went all in with the Skiers Menu.
After we ordered drinks, a bread service appeared at the table with whipped butter. I do not know what made this so notable but the butter was so delicious that we had to cut ourselves off from eating the entire basket of bread. We had a three course meal ahead of us!
Beef Tartare – fermented asparagus, pickled mushroom, juniper emulsion, burnt cream, jersulam artichoke chips, grilled bread
Kevin started with this dish and it was very tasty and well balanced. Typically tartare is served as is with little else but the addition of all the rest on top really elevated the dish playing into the earthly flavorful. Great combination of ingredients to make this a delicious dish.
EFC Burger – deep fried chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, aji araillo pepper cream, fries, dip
Fried chicken sandwiches are a great staple on menus and this one did not disappoint. The chicken was well prepared and executed, maintaining its position as the star of the sandwich. The accompaniments were fresh allowing the chicken to shine.
Daim Cake – swiss meringue, almond, brittle, chocolate
I had high hopes for this dessert and it did not disappoint. This is like what Tastykakes should taste like if made fresh. The chocolate on the outside formed a hard coating around the cake. The cake was light and airy and the layer of swiss mergue made for a wonderful filling. I could have had this over and over again.
Savory Cabbage Cnnnelloni – grilled cabbage tea, grilled spring onion vinagriette, kale, fried savory cabbage, mushrooms, and black garlic cream
What I like about tasting menus is that it allows me to try things I would never order. For example, if I saw this dish, I do not think I would order it. Now, the server did say you can swap things out of the tasting menu but I was curious to see what the Brasseire was showcasing. This dish was delicious – the cannelloni were like lettuce rollups and it worked very well. The black garlic cream went with everything – nothing left on the plate.
Duck Leg Confit – carrot x 3 (puree, fermented, pickled), roasted sunflower seeds, parsley stems, and black garlic jus
The main reason i went with the Skiiers Menu was for this dish. Presenting the carrots in three ways was very fun and showcased just how versatile the vegetable can be. The puree was really the winner though – so delicious. The duck was a generous portion including leg and thigh and was very well cooked. Loved everything about this dish.
Pear Parfait – “cake cream”, bay leaf/cardomom/lemon braised pears, roasted dark chocolate
While I was tempted to swap this dish out for Kevin’s Daim Cake, I kept with the Skiiers Menu. I could have are Daim Cakes for days but this Pear Parfait was definitely more sophisticated with different ingredients blended together in a way that works. The presentation was different that what I expected based on the menu description in a good way. The “spiced” pears were very creative.
What a surprising evening! Here I thought we were getting drinks and sandwich but instead we walked out for a full three course meal showcasing a wide range of flavors, techniques, and styles. I am so happy we found this spot, that we were able to secure a reservation, and that we ended the trip on this wonderful meal. Highly recommend you include this spot in your Engelberg trip!
