When it comes to ordering wines, watch your pocketbook. And don't be surprised - even with a bottle of Swiss wine priced at 60 francs a bottle - when the sommelier unscrews rather than uncorks. If price is an issue, opt for a carafe (usually noted as vin ouvert) of such simple whites as Fendant or the light red Dole, a blend of gamay and pinot noir. Best bets for other Swiss wines include the strong and fragrant Yvorne, the dry and almost salty Petite Arvine, red Dezaley, and quite powerful (though lacking finesse) Syrah.

Most restaurants offer specially priced menus at lunch, and many also offer menus with a choice of three to five courses. Portions tend to be ample.

Go casual, and learn to love cheese. Good raclette and fondue, platters of white asparagus, ham and the air-dried beef of Grisons are generally good bargains, considering the alternatives.

No.1: La Grappe d'Or, 3 rue de Cheneau- de-Bourg, 1003 Lausanne; tel: (21) 323-0760.

No.2: Au Vieux Valais, 1936 Verbier, tel: (26) 31-69-55.

No.3: Kronenhalle, R?mistrasse 4, 8001 Zurich, tel: (1) 251-66-69.

Chef Peter Baermann is a chef after my own heart and appetite. Salmon barely cooked, tuna lightly marinated, gambas as huge as baby lobsters. And he does things that demand the freshest of fresh. It helps that he has traveled to Asia and has let a bit - but not too much - of its influence rub off.

So settle into his pretty La Grappe d'Or, in Lausanne, and let him work his magic. He might begin with a refreshing, simple, carefully executed salade de gambas, cloudlike, moist, almost sweet crustaceans barely cooked and anointed with olive oil, topped with a generous shower of finely minced aromatic Thai basil. A colorful arugulas salad, tossed with finely minced radish and a grinding of black pepper, add to the creation of a welcoming, satisfying dish.

Like so many Swiss chefs, Baermann has an affinity for Italian fare, and his giant ravioli stuffed with a variety of minced fish is a delight. Bathed in a tangy sauce that blends both vinegar and cream, the dish offers a highly digestible, balanced midcourse.

Taking, no doubt, a cue from Fredy Girardet, he too ventures forth with a saumon mi-cuit, this version almost sweet, buttery in texture, set on a thin and creamy bed of potato puree and crowned with a rich truffle vinaigrette.

The rolling dessert cart lacks interest, save for a decent lemon tart and a tangy tarte au vin blanc. The wines are an outrage. One can only do a double take when ordering a bottle of 60- franc local wine, as the waiter unscrews, rather than uncorks. Screw-top wines may be the rage in Switzerland, but let's hope the habit doesn't stretch beyond national borders.

Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. Credit cards: American Express, Eurocard and Visa. Menus at 54 and 69 francs ($38 and $48), lunch only; and 99, 115, 135 and 155 francs. A la carte, about 100 francs, including service but not wine.

Everyone has his favorite Swiss hideaway, that simple family restaurant where fondue and raclette a volonte assuage big appetites without emptying the pocketbook. The recipe for a great fondue is simple, but not always followed: Rub a ceramic pot with garlic, add thin slices of Gruyere cheese, a gentle dose of dry and slightly acidic wine such as the Swiss Fendant, stir until the cheese melts, and add a touch of black pepper, a few drops of kirsch, or cherry eau-de- vie. That's the recipe at Au Vieux Valais, in the ski village of Verbier. Here, the decor is typically rustic, with bare wooden tables, a huge terrace looking out onto the valley and crisp service that suggests it's been a long, busy winter.

As much as I love fondue, I've a weakness for raclette, a dish that's the star of casual Swiss cuisine. Here, order it a volonte - all you can eat - where it will be prepared with the choice Bagnes, the fatty Swiss cow's-milk cheese from the Valais. The best seven-kilogram wheels are aged until they become strong and fruity - a good three to six months - ideal for a sumptuous and rustic raclette. The cheese is melted into a fragrant, creamy pool, and accompanied by a tiny wooden bucket filled with steamed potatoes in their skins. The refills keep coming until you force a halt, and the idea of downing portion after portion of this succulent, sizzling cheese as you overlook the sparkling valley below is one of Switzerland's - and life's - simple gastronomic pleasures.

Condiments are excellent, including the traditional pickled offerings, an essential vinegar- rich touch that helps cut all that fat. Try the picked baby onions, crunchy cornichons, and a fine "cole slaw" of mustard-laced white onions.

Closed Mondays off season and the months of May and June. Credit cards: American Express, Diner's Club, MasterCard, Visa. Fondue, 20 Swiss francs; raclette, 28 francs.

History, art and a hearty dose of Swiss- German cuisine is what you'll find at the hallowed Kronenhalle, where for years locals and travelers have flocked to the series of dining rooms in Zurich. The walls are still covered with the Braques, Chagalls, Mir?s and, of course, Picassos. Come with a group of friends and bring hearty appetites; dig into gargantuan servings of matjes herring, mixed with slices of tangy apples, sweet onions and a halo of rich, sour cream. Portions of meaty, delicately flavored bratwurst are enough to serve a family of four, accompanied by a well-prepared rosti, that crisp and golden pancake of shredded potatoes.

Open daily. Credit cards: American Express, Diner's Club, Eurocard, Visa. A la carte, 50 to 106 Swiss francs.

No.1: Restaurant Fredy Girardet, 1 Route d'Yverdon, 1023 Crissier (5 kilometers west), tel: (21) 634-0505.

No.2: Restaurant Pierroz, Hotel Rosalp, Route de Medran, 1936 Verbier, tel: (26) 31-63- 23.

No.3: Petermann's Kunststube, 160 Seestrasse, 8700 K?snacht, tel: (1) 910-0715.

How rare to find a chef who has reached the age of reason, maturity and experience without having lost his sense of enthusiasm and creativity. That's Fredy Girardet in a snapshot. One of the world's greatest chefs remains in top form after nearly 30 years at the stove. Seated in the subdued dining room of Girardet in the village of Crissier, near Lausanne, it only takes a few bites of his chaud-froid de foie gras au porto to realize that there's no sense of ennui here, not a hint of repetition, not a suggestion of exhaustion. Quite the contrary: Trim, fit, and a very youthful 57, the Swiss master manages to reinvent himself, year after year, proficient as ever.

While his current menu may read much like a classic French text, the tastes, textures, combinations and execution all exhibit a fierce sense of maturity married to a passion for perfection. He takes fresh langoustines, dots them with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, pairs them with tiny mounds of mixed greens and herbs, adds a touch of curry sauce, a few mouthfuls of minced apple, and creates a gastronomic symphony. Everything you want in a dish: lightness, flavor, delicacy of texture, sweetness, a hint of acidity, punctuated by a haunting, lingering note of spice. There are no fireworks on the palate, just a gentle, soothing sense of satisfaction.

He offers a classic royale de truffes noires a la creme d'asperges, an almost explosive poached custard soup that shocks you with its texture. The smoothness of the cream, the crunch of the truffle, the firm bite and creamy flavor of the fresh green asparagus gather to form a triumphant trio.

Service, wine selection and ambience measure up to Girardet's abilities at the stove, as a dozen or so varied, tiny breads appear almost out of nowhere, to accompany each dish. The staff members seem to love what they are doing, as they weave through the dining room with a studied proficiency, pouring Swiss wines into the glasses etched with the elegant "fg" monogram.

Girardet makes a solid statement with his saumon mi-cuit, rosy pink and meltingly tender fillets of lean, wild Scottish salmon baked in a very low oven for just 10 to 12 minutes. It's not raw, it's not fully cooked, and you feel as though you've never tasted salmon before. Again, the texture is astonishing, the flavor pure, the sprinkling of sea salt brings you almost to the water's edge. You instantly catch his respect for the ingredient and his ability to extract maximum flavor with minimal meddling.

Raising a single ingredient to new heights, Girardet takes a small duck, roasts it quickly to rid it of excessive fat, then continues the roasting as he bathes it in goose fat and lime juice, creating a sauce that's punctuated with acidity, a skin that's rich, crispy, an ideal contrast to the soft, velvety duck meat.

For dessert, the classic Girardet homage, a sublime passion-fruit souffle, a play of sweet and tart, a perfectly executed, sophisticated close to a meal that demonstrates a chef in impeccable form.

Closed Sunday, Monday, last week of July and first two weeks of August, and two weeks at Christmas. No credit cards. Menus at 165 and 185 Swiss francs ($115 and $130); a la carte, 190 Swiss francs, including service but not wine.

At first glance, one wonders what a "gastronomic" restaurant like Pierroz is doing in a place like Verbier. A Swiss ski resort about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Geneva, Verbier boasts the largest cable car in Switzerland, some fine ski runs and those shimmering mountain views. It also exults in one of Switzerland's top chefs - Roland Pierroz, who has overseen the family hotel-restaurant since 1969.

Bearish, outgoing, a bit of a mountain cowboy-chef proud of his Porsche, Pierroz is a regular gymnast at the stove. His sources are clear: His grandfather brought the family from Italy to Switzerland and here they stayed. And so we see threads of his Italian mother's heritage in the state-of-the art risotto, his studied use of miniature purple artichokes, a generous dose of black and green olives, a palette full of peppers of every color.

Yet his roots go more deeply into France, where he selects delicate baby lamb from the Pyrenees, tender frog's legs from the Dombes, sturdy duck from Nantes, unctuous olive oil from Maussanne les Alpilles. And then he twirls the globe a bit: He wraps chunks of frog's legs in egg roll paper, twists them, dips them in a deep fryer, then serves them as a duet atop a bed of Parmesan-strewn risotto. Crunch along with crunch, a rich play of flavors, his papillotes de grenouilles sur risotto are just about worth a ride up the mountainside all on their own.

He combines ultra-fresh langoustines with a spicy peperonade, takes a fillet of veal and turns it into a pot-au-feu served with a herb-flecked vinaigrette; debones plump pigeon and stuffs it with a blend of black and green olives; adds a touch of curry to his salmon sauce; spices up a simple serving of smoked salmon with a tangy lemon cream sauce.

Pierroz's enthusiasm clearly transfers from the kitchen to the staff and right to the table, with portions that are generous, dishes that have a natural and unfussy air, flavors that are clear, direct, satisfying. The assortment of village breads is honorable, his unusual honey tart (puff pastry topped with an astonishingly good honey cream) is worth a second trip up the mountain, and the wine list is thick, but expensive as are all Swiss wine lists. We loved the unusually sweet- tart Petite Arvine (a terrific match for the risotto) and though the local Syrah packed a certain wallop, I can't say it's worth the 80-franc price tag.

The restaurant's decor is cozy and chalet- like, with a clientele that ranges from skiers in blue jeans to nonskiers in faux-Chanel and fur. For more casual dining, there's Pierroz's bistro, La Pinte du Rosalp, with such simple fare as rabbit with polenta, sausages with lentils, and an assortment of grilled meats served with a gratin dauphinois.

Closed May, June, October, November. Credit cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa. Menus at 115, 145 and 165 Swiss francs; a la carte, 120 to 180 francs, including service but not wine.

Decked out like the perfect country inn - with neat rows of bright, potted flowers lined up at the front door - Petermann's Kunststube is one of Switzerland's prettier, more welcoming restaurants. Just a short drive from the center of Zurich, this elegant spot with pewter- gray walls, giant wood beams, orchids at each table and elegant silver candelabras, offers an even balance of the old and the new.

While Horst Petermann's cuisine is not that of a Girardet or a Pierroz, his creative energies, his insightful combinations show definite promise.

He offers a tempura of langoustines touched with vanilla butter and perfumed with fresh mint; potato gnocchi, crayfish and baby violet artichokes; shellfish pot-au-feu with leaves of coriander; a simple roast pigeon with a champagne risotto, and a roasted peach, fresh apricots and lemon verbena ice cream for a dish that sings of the sunshine of Provence.

A recent lunch began with a gentle risotto with a touch of saffron sauce, embellished with tips of fresh white asparagus, morels, generous portions of moist lobster meat, and tiny shrimp. As delicious as I found the lobster and shrimp, the dish would have been just as satisfying without them. And a bit more attention in the kitchen - the morels were marred by an overdose of salt - would have turned a good dish into a great one.

Petermann loves to play with zesty fruit flavors, and his grilled loup, or sea bass, bathed in an orange vinaigrette, surrounded with just about every ingredient from the vegetable garden, made for a springtime-perfect main course.

Service is discreet, professional and attentive without being overbearing. The wine list follows suit, with some welcoming Swiss whites, including a solid Petite Arvine from the Valais region. Closed Sunday, Monday, and three weeks from late August to early September. Credit cards: American Express, Diner's Club, MasterCard, Visa. Menus at 55, 65, 125, 160 and 185 Swiss francs; a la carte, about 150 Swiss francs, including service but not wine.