Les Halles

I've just discovered one of Geneva's little known secrets*....Les Halles des Rives. Camouflaged by it's mild mannered street level shop appearance beats the heart of a culinary like beast. Stand after stand of local producers selling sushi next to artisanal cheeses. Butchers with giant cleavers bump elbows with men making fresh pasta. All under one roof, with an outdoor Saturday market to boot.

As I entered and wandered longingly up and down the isles I noticed that my friend's father had a stand. How fortuitous, I had planned to forage my breakfast at Les Halles and now knew where to start. With his help I decided on a Greek tyropitakia and some borek and specially spiced pistachios for later. He was even so kind as to throw in my breakfast's dessert, baklava.

While walking amid the stalls outdoors I notice that all of the goods being sold are raw products for later. The Swiss farmer's markets tend to be less 'grazer' friendly than their American counterparts. I was hunting for other breakfast treats and something homemade to drink, but try as I may I only found Coke, Sinalco, and bottled water. sigh.

A few blocks away I managed to seat myself among some of the brightest sunshiny yellow tulips of the season and dig into my little piece of Greek fashioned heaven. Phyllo dough that could compete with clouds but feet firmly planted on the ground with earthy toasted poppy seeds embracing a warm creamy layer of the salty goodness that is feta. And gone all too soon.

Luckily my small breakfast ended up as an ethnically diverse amuse bouche for the Malaysian goodies cooked up later at Chex. More on that to come....

*the reason Les Halles is little known is not due to its appearance...but rather it's forbidding hours. 6am til 1pm? ouch.