Engelberg_Magazin_No_15

Wirt Noldy Bissig gehört der Jagdgruppe Rigidal an und geht regelmässig zur Jagd. Hier präsentiert er stolz einen von ihm erlegten Hirsch. Host Noldy Bissig is a member of the Rigidal hunting group and is regularly out stalking game. Here he proudly presents a red deer that he shot himself.

Im Sommer geniesst man auf der Terrasse einen herrlichen Blick in die umliegende Bergwelt. Die Kleinen vergnügen sich auf dem grossen Kinderspielplatz. The restaurant terrace offers summer guests a beautiful view of the surrounding mountain landscape. There is also a play area for the little ones.

For the people of Engelberg, the world reaches its end in the Horbis valley. At least, that’s what the nickname given to the rugged and unspoilt natural area at the end of the valley – Ende der Welt – would seem to suggest. The journey to the “end of the world” is beautiful, leading out of the bustling village into wonderful, tranquil surroundings. But this is not the only reason why people come here; the path is mostly trodden by those on a quest to satisfy their hunger at the famous Restaurant Ende der Welt. This rustic tavern has been owned by the Bissig

ca l land. The Hahnenteller , for example, refers to Engelberg’s majestic Hahnen mountain. And, of course, no diner can leave tru ly satis- f ied until they have tried the delicious des- ser ts, such as homemade cakes and f ruit tar ts. Ende der Welt has space for 50 din- ers, and is peppered with reminders of the host ’s passion for hunting. The sma ll separate room (the Sä li) seats 25, making it the per fec t venue for a sma ll private par ty. There is a lso a large terrace where v isitors can soak up the sun between noon and 3 p.m. – even during

family for 28 years, and serves up a range of exquisite dishes including their speciality – wild game. As I enter Ende der Welt, I am greeted by the wonder- f u l aroma of wild pepper. It

winter – and enjoy v iews of the sublime surroundings. It takes one hour to reach the end of the Hor- bis va lley on foot f rom Engelberg. A lternatively, those looking for an un-

Restaurant Ende der Welt serves up a rustic culinary experience full of typical Swiss mountain charm.

is autumn in Engelberg, and loca l hunters like Noldy Bissig – the restaurant ’s merr y host and member of the Rigida l hunting group – are out sta lking game. Noldy trained as a chef at the Bana lpsee guesthouse, and uses his skill and dedication to transform his prey – red deer, roe deer and chamois – into the delicious dishes ser ved up at the family restaurant. And his ef for ts are rewarded: the restaurant ’s game dishes enjoy an outstanding reputation. So what ’s his secret? Noldy ta lks about the im- por tance of the origins of the meat and the method of preparation, but says there is no rea l secret: he cooks the way his mother used to. The wild game dishes ser ved up at Ende der Welt are a f irm favourite among Engelberg- ers, other Swiss and German venison fans, and even v isitors f rom as far away as Scandinav ia. Those who aren’ t keen on game are sure to f ind something that tick les their fancy on the ex tensive menu, which includes other meat and cheese dishes with connec tions to the lo-

forget table winter experience can travel by horse-drawn sled across the snowy landscape. And for the wa lk back (depend- ing on the lateness of the hour) guests can carr y a f laming torch to light their way. Restaurant Ende der Welt ser ves up a rustic cu linar y experience f u ll of typica l Swiss mountain charm. And the hear ty food and generous por tions ensure that ever yone leaves with a f u ll and satisf ied belly. “No one who comes to v isit us goes back to Engelberg hungr y,” says Noldy with a smile, adding that he wou ld rather diners complain of hav ing eaten too much than of get ting too lit tle. One thing’s for sure: nothing is “g’schmirzelet ” (a Swiss expression for being meagre or stingy) here at the “end of the world ”.

Restaurant Ende der Welt Tel.: +41 (0)41 637 4787 www.ende-der-welt.ch Closed Mondays

Fot0: Charles Christen

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gastronomie | food+drink

gastronomie | food+drink