Creating enticing gourmet dishes from scratch “is really a matter of trial and error,” says Sonia González, the charming hostess of Zermatt Restaurant on the outskirts of the capital city of San José.

“In cooking, you always want to invent a little,” she says with a smile. She should know. González has spent nearly two decades as the owner and head cook of Zermatt, creating authentic and delicious Swiss cuisine. It was she who invented the restaurant’s most popular dish, the Sea Bass with Salmon Sauce, a steamed filet of sea bass covered with a creamy salmon and white wine sauce.

Zermatt is a cozy-but-elegant dining establishment where attractive Swiss-cut wooden chairs surround the dozen or so cloth-covered tables, all decorated with fresh flowers. The restaurant, named after the famous Matterhorn ski resort, was much smaller when it was founded 17 years ago. The elegant dining areas were expanded a number of years ago to accommodate an ever-increasing number of satisfied guests.

Guests at Zermatt are made to feel completely at ease while they enjoy what may be the finest Swiss food in Costa Rica - a country often referred to as “The Switzerland of the Americas.”

Diners can begin their Zermatt experience with tasty starters like Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Fried Camembert Cheese, Onion Soup Gratinée, Shrimp Bisque or a creamy Swiss Râclette with ham, potatoes, onion and cucumbers.

Zermatt specializes in a variety of delicious Swiss fondues. The Fondue Bourguignone, prepared with chunks of tender veal cooked in oil, is accompanied by six different sauces, salad and potatoes. The House Fondue is made with Swiss Cheese and imported Kirsch. The Fondue du Pêcheur, or Fish Fondue, is made from a delicious blend of jumbo shrimp, lobster and fish chunks simmered in a fish and white wine broth.

González, who learned to cook while living in Switzerland, uses a combination of fresh local ingredients and imported foods, such as the French Camembert, Râclette and other Swiss cheeses, to make her culinary delights.

Fish and seafood entrees include delicacies as the Shrimp à la Niçoise, jumbo shrimp smothered in an olive oil sauce with olives and tomatoes, Belle Meunière Sea Bass, sautéed in butter with parsley and lemon, Almond Sea Bass, a filet sautéed with almond chunks, and the Princess Sea Bass, a hearty filet served with shrimp and Nantua sauce.

Chicken specialties include the Hindu Chicken, tender chicken chunks smothered in a curry sauce with brandy, wine, pineapple and peaches; Chicken Cordon Bleu, a chicken breast with ham and cheese covered with a savory mushroom and brandy sauce, and Orange Chicken, a filet covered with orange and cointreau sauce.

Meat entrées include the Marchant, two tender veal medallions covered in a Marsala wine sauce, Green Pepper Veal, two medallions with a green pepper and brandy sauce, and the Mixed Veal, two medallions with your choice of two sauces. All the seafood, chicken and meat entrées include rice or potatoes, vegetables and garlic bread.

González, a friendly, charming and youthful-looking woman in her early 50’s, learned to cook in Switzerland, where she lived for four years with her former husband. Her mother-in-law was a cook, and taught the art of Swiss cuisine to González. Many of the items on the menu are tried-and-true Swiss favorites, while others, such as the highly recommended Sea Bass in Salmon Sauce, are the result of her own creativity.

González changes her menu every couple of years, adding new specialties and removing others, but she’ll cook any of her specialties upon request. “I have clients who still ask for dishes that were on the very first menu, 17 years ago,” she said.

The bar offers a fine liquors (served in miniature bottles) and an exquisite selection of Chilean, French, German and Spanish wines. The house red wine is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cortenova and the house white wine is Pinot Bianco Delle Venezie. Other red wines include Saint-Emilion and Sichel Beaujolais from France and Concha y Toro from Chile. White wines include Beaujolais Blanc, from France, Santa Rita, from Chile, Marques de Cáceres, from Spain, and Zeller Schwarze Katz from Germany. Fine champagnes are also available.

Desserts include Chocolate Fondue, served with tropical fruits, Coconut Flan, Blackberry Mousse and Parfait Glacée, a savory homemade sherbet with a dash of liquor.

The kitchen at Zermatt is open Monday through Friday from noon to 2 p.m. for lunch and from 6:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. for dinner. On Saturdays, the restaurant is open for dinner only, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Mention this article for a free welcome cocktail.