Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

The gray skies seen from the bus window on our ride to Basil made it clear we were wise to bring along our umbrella, and as the rain began to fall in Basil we hurried across the congested street past the cable cars to the Kunsthalle Restaurant, which had been recommended to me by our Viking program coordinator.

The Kunsthalle Restaurant is within the Museum complex, and I will be forever grateful for this recommendation because the Brasserie was an incredibly elegant old world space, with rich wood and colorful murals on the walls, elaborate ceilings and sconces, and was oozing with warmth and a cozy ambiance, but surprisingly showcased a modern open kitchen allowing us to watch the chefs at work. The Kunsthalle location includes a brasserie, formal dining room and bar that are all outstanding.

Their menu offers everything that is great about Swiss, Mediterranean or European food, including comfort foods like rich cream soups, specialty sausage plates, outrageous white asparagus with morel mushroom sauce, scampi Saint Jacques, familiar schnitzel options, grilled Loup de Mer and more. The spacious outdoor garden becomes a hot spot in summer where Fondue Chinoise is popular, while in winter it's all about the Fondue Stubli experience. The attractive Compari Bar offers a bevy of signature cocktails, including some actually featuring Compari.

For champagne lovers there is Bollinger, Laurent-Perrier, Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon and Prosecco Superiore at varying prices per bottle (some by the glass). I found it fun to see a Cannonball Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from Sonoma County on their menu. The dessert wagon is off the charts with simply gorgeous options to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee. The staff are cordial but formal and during our visit the restaurant was jammed by 12:45 with young attractive business people conducting business over lunch.

Kunsthalle Basel Museum is a place for innovative contemporary art exhibitions of an emerging generation of artists exhibiting, discussing and reflecting on the art of the present since its founding in 1872. As Switzerland’s oldest and still most active institution for contemporary art, Kunsthalle Basel forms a vital part of Basel's cultural centre and is located next to the city’s theatre, opposite the concert house Stadtcasino, and in the same building as Restaurant Kunsthalle.

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