Silex turns to game from the Alpine slopes

Silex has drawn its autumn menu from the Alpine larder, bringing venison and duck to the table in three distinct interpretations. The kitchen approaches these proteins with characteristic precision: grilled fallow deer arrives with a terrine of the same animal, pickled cabbage cutting through the richness, and prunes and smoked walnuts adding depth and texture. A second reading offers deer tartare with pickled quince, chutney and flatbread scattered with hazelnut butter, the raw meat’s delicate mineral character balanced against sharp fruit and toasted nut oils.

Both venison dishes draw from Hirschbetrieb Jud, a producer in Winterthur whose game has long supplied kitchens across the region with animals reared with particular attention to provenance. The duck pie comes by way of Maison Miéral’s Bresse birds, sourced through Alfred von Escher, a distributor known for connecting restaurants with the finest producers of the Romandy and beyond. Bresse duck carries its own quiet distinction: the breed, identifiable by its blue plumage and red comb, has been raised under strict protocols for generations, and its flesh carries a flavour and texture markedly superior to standard poultry.

The dishes speak to a kitchen that understands the relationship between source and plate. These are not flourishes but considered treatments that honour both the animal and the season. Silex operates in Zurich.

Imagery courtesy of Silex (@silex.restaurant).