Restaurant Barendrack - Bolligen

If you love cheese -- like REALLY love cheese -- you should put this place on your bucket list. Just beware, you might have to wait several months for a reservation because they are only open one or two nights a month, and when they do open, they only take 30 patrons a night. I've been coming to Bern off and on for two years, and this place was without a doubt the most special and amazing culinary experience I have enjoyed to date. The place is an offshoot of the world-famous meat and cheese purveyor, Jümi. If you have ever dropped $40 on a tiny little cheese course at a seriously fancy restaurant, you've perhaps enjoyed their products before. Here at Barendrack, you can sample more top-rate cheeses than you can even imagine on one table, and eat as much of it as you want, all before the dinner begins. The concept here is that you will come together with a bunch of cheese-loving Swiss strangers and learn a ton about how Jümi works its magic. After a couple glasses of white wine and some thinly sliced dried meats, you'll embark on a tour of the facility, including a stop in the old "cheese cave" where they age the seriously high-end stuff. (There was a veritable Matterhorn of cheese in here for us to sample during the 10 minutes we spent down there. See my photo below!)After the tour, everyone sits together at a long table for 30, ensuring you will get to meet some new people. (While I was the only native English speaker in the building, 5 out of 6 locals sitting close to me were happy to talk in English.) Dinner comes family style, in 4 courses, including the stop in the cheese cave. The meats and cheeses are all by Jümi, and everything else is sourced hyper-locally from the valley, which is basically the salad capital of Central Europe. The night I attended, there were no fewer than 4 different salads in the first course, including one that came surrounded by famously delicious Piedmontese beef tartare.Then came the Piedmontese beef entrecote, served with the best krauter butter I have enjoyed anywhere on Earth. I swear, they somehow figured out how to get 10 lbs of herbs into 1 lb of butter, plus a bunch of truffles if I am not mistaken. These steaks were beyond excellent. My table mates seemed determined to see if I could live up to their expectations as a gluttonous American, so I ended up eating FOUR of them, and there were still a lot left over at the table. I would guess they brought out 20 lbs of steaks for the 30 of us, and most of us had already powered down at least a half-pound of cheese and enough salad to make a full meal.When dessert finally came, I took three bites and retreated to my bottomless wine glass. Whatever it was was pretty awesome, but I needed to get to work digesting.The service was so warm and friendly, thanks to 3 Jümi employees who were doing their rotation through the restaurant. (Almost everyone learns almost every job at Jümi, because the founders insist that everyone learn and love the whole business.) They just seemed so very happy to be sharing their craft with an appreciative audience. Now here's the kicker. The price for one person -- including wine -- was CHF 110. So basically $110. In a country where a lousy Big Mac costs $12 and a single egg at the grocery store is a buck. In a country where I have had a mediocre steak (no sides) for $75, and a Coke costs $6. In other words, the value for the price is off the charts. A meal like this in the USA would easily set you back 2-3x as much, and you'd probably have to wear a jacket or dress.But this place? Super chill. One of the servers was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I saw at least three pairs of Chuck Taylors among the diners. (What is it with Swiss gals and Converse shoes, anyway?)No pretension whatsoever in here, and I hope beyond hope that I can make it back someday. I really should not be telling you guys about it, because that's just going to make the wait even longer next time I want a reservation. Seriously, y'all. I would plan the timing of a whole European vacation itinerary around a chance to eat here again. But then again, I love cheese. It's pretty much impossible not to once you've sampled Jümi's work.

If they love how really love cheese, they should put this place on their bucket list. be careful, they may have to wait several months for a reservation because they are only open one or two nights in the month, and when they open. they take only 30 months per night. I have come to bern for two years and this place was without doubt the special and most amazing culinary experience I have enjoyed so far. the place is a distraction of the world-famous meat-and-peat jümi. if they have ever dropped $40 on a small cheese course in a seriously chic restaurant, they might have enjoyed their products already. here in barendrack, they can try more top rates than they can even imagine on a table, and eat as much as they want, all before dinner begins. the concept here is that they come together with a baptism that loves Swiss strangers, and learn a ton about how jümi works his magic. after a few glasses white wine and a few thin sliced dried meat, they 'll be on a tour through the facility, including a stop in the old cheese cave, where they have the seriously high end product old. (there was a veritable matterhorn of cheese to taste in the 10 minutes we spent there. see my photo below! after the tour all sit together on a long table for 30 so they can meet some new people. (while I was the only native speaker in the building, 5 of 6 natives sitting close to me were happy to speak in English. the dinner comes family style, in 4 curses, including the holding place in the cheese cave. the meat and the cheeses are all by jümi, and everything else becomes hyper-source from the valley, which is the salat capital of Central Europe in the round. in the night I attended, there were no less than 4 different salads in the first course, including one surrounded by famous delicious Piedmontese bark tars. then came the Piedmontese bark enrecote, served with the best crustnut I enjoyed everywhere on the earth. I swear, they somehow figured out how to get 10 lbs more crumbled in 1 lb butter, plus a few truffles if I'm not mistaken. these steaks were very excellent. my table mats seemed determined to see if I could meet their expectations as a gluttonous American, so I finally ate four of them, and it was still much left on the table. I guess they took 20 pounds of steaks for the 30 of us, and most of us had already at least half a pound cheese and enough salate to make a full meal. When the dessert finally came, I took three bites and moved back to my groundless weinglas. whatever it was quite brilliant, but I had to work digestion. the service was so warm and friendly, thanks to 3 jümi staff who did their rotation through the restaurant. (all learn almost every job at jümi, because the greener insist that everyone learns and loves the whole business. they just seemed so happy to share their craft with a remarkable audience. Here's the kicker. the price for a person including wine was chf 110. So in a big $110. in a country where a lousy big mac costs $12 and a single egg in food business is a buck. in a country where I had a mediocre steak (no side for $75, and a koks costs $6. with other words that are worth for the price is from the diagrams. a meal like this in the usa she would be lightly back 2 3x so much, and they probably have to wear a jacket or dress. but this place? super chill. one of the servers wore jeans and a t-shirt. I saw at least three pairs of chuck taylors among the diners. (What about Swiss gals and Converse shoes? no pretension, and I hope I can get it back one day. I really shouldn't tell you about it, because it's just gonna wait a while longer if I want a reservation. I would plan the timing of a whole European holiday trip to eat here again. but then I love it again. it is quite impossible, not even her 've patterned jümi 's work.