After arriving in Luzern late morning, I was famished for some reason after a three hour train ride and headed straight for lunch at Jialu National, I place I had identified in advance as looking excellent. A late lunch on a random Thursday, I pretty much had the place to myself save for a few tables of lingerers. That atmosphere was quite fun.

Some of the cagey lights even featured delicate glass birds perched inside, an idea from a local artist after she’d dined there.

My lunch started with a balancing combination of tea and a local white wine.

The chicken spring roll starter really could have been a meal. The wrapper was quite thick and fried, not really a delicate starter that I was hoping for.

For the main, I opted for the salmon bento box. This was a TON of food. Even though I left quite a bit of the rice, I was positively stuffed after this meal. Maybe they pegged me as an American quite quickly and steered clear of the spice, but the bento box had zero flavor. Zero. Think steamed salmon without salt and pepper. I was quite disappointed in the food, but glad I didn’t waste a dinner on it.

For a next visit to Luzern, I’d steer clear of Jialu National unless someone sway me, by explaining exactly what to order. The ambiance and service were excellent, but the food just did not cut it for me. If anyone can point out some excellent spots for Asian cuisine in Switzerland, please let me know. There seems to really be a market here for this.