April 25, 2024 • 0

Dining at Ferme des Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds

On a cold spring day, with the ground covered in fresh snow, I arrived at La Ferme des Brandt. Constructed between 1612 and 1614, this historic farmhouse today houses a cozy restaurant well known for its wild game (La chasse) in the fall. Chef Cyril Tribut has been leading the kitchen at this restaurant since 2004. He bakes crusty loaves of wholesome bread, as well as hand-piped meringues, in a wood-fired oven.

The Association pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine des Montagnes neuchâteloises (ASPAM) acquired the Ferme des Brandt in 1998. In the wood-paneled dining room, you can see the old watchmaking bench, bathed in light from the set of four windows at the front of the house. Our server told us that the holes in the wood resulted from the watches hung there.

Comforting, Home-Style Cooking

La Ferme des Brandt specializes in handmade food with local ingredients. Its menu features hearty, slow-cooked dishes such as roast suckling pig cooked in beer with dauphinoise potatoes. I ordered the filets de sandre (zander or pike-perch) with red butter sauce, mashed potatoes and vegetables. The plate of grilled fish arrived surrounded by a colorful selection of vegetables of various textures, including cabbages, pureed celery root and sliced carrots. Overall, the dishes we tried all felt like homestyle comfort food that you want to eat again and again.

For dessert, I opted for the crisp, light-as-air meringues with rich double cream. Having been baked in a wood-fired oven, they were a rare treat. My dining companion opted for another regional specialty from Neuchatel, La fée verte (the green fairy) en parfait glacé. As traditionally done, this frozen custard was spiked with absinthe.

absinthe fountation — *An absinthe fountain on display at the former watchmaker’s desk at La Ferme des Brandt.*

For a completely unique dining experience in this early 17th century farmhouse on the outskirts of La Chaux-de-Fonds, I highly recommend a visit to La Ferme des Brandt.

How to get there:

Public transportation – From the main train station in La Chaux-de-Fonds, take bus 301 to the Arêtes stop. It takes approximately 7 minutes to walk to the restaurant from this bus stop.