Fondue and raclette are the official go-to foods during the long Swiss winters, but when the cold sets in, all I really crave for is a large bowl of soup noodles. No frills, just some hearty broth and good ol’ carbs for maximum comfort on a cold, grey day. I’ve rounded up my personal favorite Asian soup noodles in Geneva, should you be searching for a cozy bowl of noodles in the city.
- Ramen
- Pho
- Beef Noodle Soup
- Curry Laksa
- Mie Bakso (Indonesian Beef Meatball Noodle Soup)
- Thai Noodle Soups (Khao Soi & Ba Mee Kiao)
Ramen
Ramen is probably what first comes to mind for most people when they think of Asian soupy noodles. And for good reason. The global popularity of ramen knows no limits, with its depth of flavors, diverse variety of ingredients, and the adaptability to local tastes. Geneva is no exception, you can find a ramen restaurant in basically every neighborhood across the city.
While I’m not here to write a dissertation about ramen, I do have strong feelings about what I consider good ramen and below are some important elements I think about when critiquing a bowl (in order):
- The Broth: Is it rich and savory? Are there complex layers of flavor? Is it too salty or perfectly balanced? Do I get hit with maximum umami with every sip?
- The Wheat Noodles: Are they chewy and not overcooked? Does it “soak” up the broth well?
- Toppings: The way the eggs are cooked (it should not be a hard-boiled egg) and the fat-to-meat ratio of the chashu pork.
My favorite ramen restaurant in Geneva is Nagomi Ramen (📍Rue de Lyon 1) near Cornavin. They specialize in Hokkaido style ramen, which features soup bases of miso, shio and shoyu. It’s savory, hearty, and perfect for cold, grey days. Their ramen prices range from CHF 20.80 to CHF 25.80, depending on the toppings you chose. I loved the miso butter corn ramen, and I’m itching to try the kimchi miso flavor ramen as well as the udon noodles (another delicious soupy noodle option) the next time I go.
Another ramen spot I’d recommend is Yukiguni (📍4 bvd James-Fazy), where the broth is super rich and flavorful. I’ve tried their classic shoyu ramen, and was pleasantly surprised with how umami the broth was. The noodles were also perfectly chewy and tasty. My only beef with Yukiguni is the egg, which was…literally a hardboiled egg. So if you’re a ramen purist, don’t be shocked to see it 😬. A bowl of ramen starts at CHF 24.50 and up.
Pho
Pho is the other Asian soupy noodle dish that has also become so popular and accessible across the world. This iconic noodle dish from Vietnam is comfort in a bowl, with its rich aromatic beef (or chicken) broth, mountain of fresh herbs, and perfectly cooked rice noodles.
For the most authentic pho in town, my fellow French-Vietnamese cofounder, Diana, recommends Thuy Hang (📍Rue du Grand-Pré 25), a hidden Vietnamese gem not too far from Cornavin. Their star is phở bò, the classic beef noodle soup, which comes in small (CHF 19) and large (CHF 22) sizes. The broth is deeply flavorful and fragrant, not too oily and packed with nuanced layers. The thinly sliced beef comes half cooked and half raw on the top, which is cooked medium-rare by the hot broth and retains its tender texture. If beef pho isn’t your thing, Thuy Hang has a variety of other noodle soups, such as phở gà (chicken pho), hủ tiếu nam vang (shrimp and pork noodle soup), and more. In addition to pho, we highly recommend trying Bun Bo Hue, which is Vietnamese style spicy beef noodle soup and a speciality at Thuy Hang.
A few stone’s throws away is Maison d’Asie (📍Rue de la Servette 20), a popular Vietnamese restaurant in town. Their pho is available with beef, chicken, or tofu, with a choice to add on meat balls. They also have a regular (CHF 19.50+) and large (CHF 24.50+), depending on your appetite. I personally found the broth a bit less flavorful compared to Thuy Hang but it’s still a delicious bowl of pho at the end of the day.
Beef Noodle Soup
The beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), the beloved Taiwanese national dish, features tender braised beef, a rich, aromatic soy-based broth, and fresh, chewy wheat noodles. Unfortunately, there isn’t really a Taiwanese restaurant in Geneva that serves this delicious noodle dish.
However, there are some great alternatives in town that still serve up a comforting bowl of beef soup noodles. Jiawei (📍Rue des Terreaux-du-Temple 14), where fresh noodles are the star, offers a tasty tomato beef noodle soup (CHF 24.80), which really hits the spot when I’m looking for something home-y. They also have other noodle soup dishes like braised pork noodle soup, and noodle soup with tomato and egg (another beloved comfort flavor).
If you find yourself around Carouge and craving beef noodle soup, be sure to check out Noodles Bar Acacias (📍Rte des Acacias 30). I stumbled across this tiny noodle shop by chance recently, only to be pleasantly surprised with the fare. It’s a no-frills noodle shop that reminded me of the eateries in Hong Kong. You can build-your-own noodle soup (CHF 18.50) – between vermicelli or fresh wheat noodles, choice of meat (beef, chicken, duck, shrimp, or tofu), and soup base (maison – chicken + beef, laksa or vegetarian). I opted for the beef noodles with their ‘maison’ soup base, and loved the fresh noodles. It’s a generous bowl of homemade style noodles and I felt extremely at home and cozy after I finished.
Curry Laksa
Laksa is one of my favorite noodle soup dishes in the world. It’s a popular dish that can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, with a large degree of regional variation. The base of curry laksa is curry paste, generous amounts of coconut milk, and tons of aromatics like shrimp paste, which creates a thick and deep rich orange soup. A combination of egg noodles and vermicelli are often used for laksa, which gives it a nice mix of texture in every bite. Toppings vary quite a bit, but you’ll usually find some kind of protein like chicken or shrimp, puffed tofu, bean sprouts, a hardboiled egg, and generous fresh herbs on top.
The best laksa that I’ve had in Geneva is at Jeck’s Place (📍Rue de Neuchâtel 14) in Paquis, which is a pan-south east asian restaurant. The flavor of the soup (CHF 26) is incredibly rich and umami, it’s thick and not watery, and the toppings are fresh and tasty. They have a few other noodle soup dishes like the penang prawn Mee (shrimp noodle soup), which is also delicious.
Mie Bakso (Indonesian Beef Meatball Noodle Soup)
Mie Bakso is a beloved Indonesian noodle soup that features clear beef broth, egg noodles or rice vermicelli, and the bakso or meatballs, which are the star of the show. It’s definitely a comfort dish, according to my Indonesian husband.
There is only one Indonesian restaurant in Geneva, Bali Palace (📍Rue des Corps-Saints 4). They do not compromise on the taste, which is truly authentic. Their Mie Bakso Malang (CHF 25.50) is a hug in a bowl, and features generous amounts of chewy beef meatballs, fresh veggies and tofu. The broth was clear, savory and peppery but just the right amount. If you want to try other delicious soupy dishes, I would highly recommend the sop buntut (oxtail soup) and lontong sayur (rice cakes with vegetables in coconut milk soup).
Thai Noodle Soups (Khao Soi & Ba Mee Kiao)
Thailand has an amazing array of noodle soup dishes that range from a delicious spectrum of light, clean broth to rich, heavy curry soups. When it comes to Thai noodle soups, I’ve found a lot of comfort in the Khao Soi (CHF 30) from Suahoy (📍Rue Prévost-Martin 25). Khao soi is a rich and savory coconut milk based curry soup with egg noodles, topped with lots of fresh aromatics. Another favorite is the Ba Mee Kiao from Soi (📍Rue du Prieuré 6), which is reminiscent of Cantonese style wonton noodle soup but with stronger Thai flavoring. It’s a seasonal menu item, but worth checking out during the colder weather.
On the subject of Thai noodles – I’m still on the look out for boat noodles, so if anyone knows a place that serves it, please drop me a message.
I hope these noodle soups bring you as much comfort and warmth this winter season as they bring me. Enjoy the slurping, and let me know your favorites!
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