Vacation! After Covid! After launching a Covid product! After moving to Europe! During a pandemic! I’m exhausted and so grateful to be here in picturesque, Ascona. I couldn’t be fussed with Covid tests, monitoring border restrictions and the like, so I decided to explore my new home instead, just crossing my fingers I could still dine in restos. And restos held up for me. I could dine inside as a hotel guest so glad that I chose a couple great locales for sleepovers. For night one, I went with Seven, the signature restaurant of my Seven Boutique Hotel. I mean, just look at this view! It was so chilly though, very glad to take the view in from inside.

The bar below was also quite charming and I spent a little time there on a subsequent evening. It was clearly a town favorite as it attracted all sorts of cyclists and apertif goers alike.

Back at the resto, I kicked off with a glass of Ruinart in the most gorgeous oversized champs glass.

The kitchen sent a potato fried prawn out to start. Delicious.

For a starter, I had Sicilian prawns with a gin and tonic foam. Love any gintot in a drink or cooking and these prawns were so flavorful, like nothing I’d tasted before…maybe an acquired taste, actually. I’ll just stick with the gintot, thanks.

The first course, that I had as a main was a very al dente pasta (love) with baby octopus and breadcrumbs. Really nice, but it was defo a first course. I should have done with a full meal after a day of travel.

The wine was really nice and maybe even more so after my gorgeous waitress, whisked a glass of merlot away from me before I could even taste it. Her colleague had brought it for me. She said no, you need something wonderful, you know, solidarity of women. She literally said this. I loved her instantly.

Overall, great service and nice food. It was a bit pricey for what it was, but was an easy choice for night one- really felt like a kickoff to vacation.