Their names are David Fritsche and Silvan Kraemer and they come from St. Gallen and Einsideln (SZ). Seven and a half years ago, they set themselves a challenge: to delight Washingtonians with Swiss products. And it works. Their place has even become a “destination” for local customers, who appreciate – especially in winter, when the cold finally sets in – to warm up with a raclette or a fondue from home.
The area has found itself quite an attraction, in the wake of Covid. Silvan explains it best: “You remember… It was impossible to eat inside, everything was done as take away. And then after a while, there was this authorization to occupy 25% of the places. But then we had an idea, which ended up being validated: building small chalets to separate the tables. People like it. See this (editor’s note: Thursday) evening, all the places in the small chalets are reserved! But only three in the rest of the restaurant…”
While it’s quite hot, very humid at that, in the torrid autumn of the American capital, the two German-speaking people quietly set up the terrace and reshoot the film. After moving around a lot – David even visited the Grappe d’Or in Lausanne at the end of the last century – here they are in Washington, where quite a few local Swiss come to visit them, but where, above all, they knew convince the locals to treat them.
“After a while, we got tired of working for others,” says the Schwyz resident who left Switzerland in 2001 following a great job opportunity and who never looked in the rearview mirror afterward. There was no Swiss restaurant in the capital… And there are quite a few Swiss in the area, who come and go because the Swiss Embassy is here. But we also have a large local clientele who come from far away for cheese.”
The approximately 28 degrees this weekend did not cool down the courageous people that day. Located on H Street, a big kilometer east of the station, The Stable DC is also worth the trip for expatriates or passing tourists. They will be able to find their favorite raclette or fondue, of course. But there is also local wine – not much Vaudois, much too expensive to import! -, the regulation Rivella, and a few absinthe-based cocktails, with the fountain which goes well.
