There are some good regional Chinese restaurants there. Many Szechuan places, as was the trend following Fuschia Dunlop's book. A couple of good Hunanese places as well now.
Never done Chinese in London, as I rarely go out for Chinese (outside of China) since I'm so often disappointed. That said, if you know anywhere that does tea-smoked duck, do tell!
The other one was recommended by a ETH student. It's located in the old town, called Chop-Stick. Niederdorfstrasse, Zurich
This one is not as good as the first one, but it's cheaper.
I also heard that Gigi at Kruggasse 4, 8001 Zurich Bellevue is pretty good, but I haven't been there yet.
Absolutely amazing. Yum.
Further, by "Chinese", people in Europe and in the U.S. usually mean Cantonese, sometimes supplemented with the obligatory Beijing Duck and perhaps with some of the better known dishes from Shanghai or Sichuan. Often, "Chinese" restaurants outside of PR China also serve some sort of salad and ice cream to cater to the western palate and habits.
Be aware that you'll never find any of the authentic, but more "exotic" Chinese dishes anywhere in Switzerland though, for one or several of the following reasons: 1.) no fresh supply of the required ingredients, 2.) some ingredients or the way of preparation is not allowed in Switzerland, 3.) there's not enough demand for those dishes here.
That said, the only Chinese restaurant in Zurich I can wholeheartedly recommend is Meister Gao . Great cooking and very friendly staff (all of them Chinese expats), as authentic as it can get in Zurich (mostly Cantonese, but they also serve some dishes from other regions).
As the chef, Mr. Gao, apparently has the second highest national cooking certificate from PR China, it's no surprise, that whenever there's a visit of officials from PR China in Zurich, they eat at Meister Gao. It's also a favourite place among Chinese expats here (that's how I got to know it).
The somewhat surprising thing is, that this excellent restaurant is not mentioned in Tripadvisor or in any of the other dining guides in Zurich at all. This might have to do with the well hidden location close to Bucheggplatz, at a non-scenic, cut-off corner near some heavy traffic streets (the traffic won't bother you in the restaurant at all though and the restaurant itself is lovely and carefully decorated). It's not a location where one passes by often (like Bahnhofstrasse, Niederdorf, Langstrasse etc.), not even as a local like me, let alone as a tourist or businessman. And I would have never expected to find Zurich's best Chinese restaurant there.
One cautionary note: I've noticed that some of the prices on their web page are outdated, i.e. some of the dishes we had cost 1 CHF more than indicated on the web page. Prices are still very reasonable and competitive for Zurich standards though (you didn't expect prices in Zurich are authentic Chinese too, did you? )
I think I will pay MrGAO a visit, not least in view of the affordable prices
Living in downtown Zurich and being a Zurich native, I've tried all publicly known Chinese restaurants in and around Zurich, among them those already mentioned in this thread. I've eaten at "Beyond" different dishes twice and wasn't convinced neither the first nor the second and last time (and that's not because of the Sichuan-influenced cuisine, though some legitimately say it's harder to judge the freshness and quality of the ingredients due to the increased spiciness as compared to other Chinese cuisines). Sure, the food is edible, but the cooking there is sub-standard. Unfortunately, that also applies to the other places I've been in Zurich (except Meister Gao's), though some have scored considerably better than the "Beyond". Regarding busyness: The "Chinese" restaurants at Langstrasse are also fully packed all the time, this only means that the whole package (location, food, price, service, etc.) seems to be good enough for the masses - neither that it's "authentic" nor up to the expectations of Chinese expats. Did you ever wonder why McDonalds is always looking for prime locations in pedestrian areas? It's fast food for the masses, not connoisseurs.
I'd be more than happy about a bigger choice of authentic, high-quality Chinese restaurants in Zurich. Till then, I'll happily go to Meister Gao, who serves great food also for higher Chinese standards (though the variety of dishes per cuisine is much smaller than in China, of course).
P.S. I wonder why you groaned because of my well intended, informative post for the benefit of other Englishforum members - but as you did, I couldn't but also groan because of your post, of course
http://suan-long.ch/lemongrass/
it looks like they changed the branding/format though, so no guarantee.
As for McDonalds, no I don't wonder because I never go there - I do know it's because it's cheap and people are poor, though.
You are very welcome to groan for no reason, I groaned because you actually decided that your travelling experience and your love of cantonese cuisine led you to say that there are no good chinese restaurants in Zurich and to "diss" the opinion of everybody else who said that, eg Beyond, they had found a good restaurant.
I could groan at you again for assuming that everyone but yourself, who liked the food in Beyond, is part of the masses and you, the Zurich native who lives in downtown Zurich, are the connoisseur (I am quoting you, by the way).
Anyway, ho ho ho and happy holidays and happy new year, y'all.
Stumbled across Ya Ke Chinese Restaurant at Weststrasse 162, 8003 Zürich one night and was pleasantly surprised at the food! The dishes we ordered were actually authentic tasting, cooked by Chinese cooks and not Westernised. Reminded me a lot of the dishes I ate on mainland China (so Cantonese-style dishes are not served here - one day, I will find a place that does... ) and happily demolished each dish. I can't quite say the same for Suan Long... I find there is always something missing in each dish =( ...
Will definitely go back again.
Regarding Ya Ke: Their service is charming and they offer pretty authentic and honest Chinese dishes indeed, though more according to the "home style" kind of cooking. The dishes taste good and authentic, but lack some refinement and looks that distinguishes a top chef's cooking skills from those of a less educated chef.
So, if you want to one-up this and are into Cantonese cooking in particular, try the "Meister Gao" near Bucheggplatz.
Unfortunately, that's the end of the line of what you can get in Zurich. If you compare "Meister Gao" to top restaurants in China, there's still a big difference of course (regarding originality, presentation, and of course, the variety of ingredients that aren't even legally available in Switzerland).
Shall try the other restaurant you mentioned!
Meister Gao and Beyond get some good votes. I have only been at Beyond. Good food but uncomfortable benches and unfriendly staff.
Local food in China isn't about comfort, service or decor- it's about the food, and a loud, busy atmosphere- the whole rè nao effect. I'm still a fan of Beyond, though 10 chf for 4 xiolongbao still stickershocks me. I have them mentally filed as costing 7 kuai for 12!
(but avoiding the commute back to Shangers makes up for the price increase )
Adding to the list, why not try this Singapore Restaurant for dinner? They have karaoke too.