CommissionerLin
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Posts posted by CommissionerLin
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I am probably way behind in finding this on the European Gourmet site and it is probably well-known by frequenters of the South, but there is a guide in French and English of 800 places and 500 products written by Jacques Gantié called the Guide Gantié , 22€ that thery highly recommend.
Thanks John, I managed to Google Guide Gantie and there is an online version, www.guidegantie.com in English to boot!!
Thanks also for digging up the old threads. Most helpful although some are a little dated. The itinerary has been expanded to include Barcelona with a stopover in Roses if we can get reservations at El Bulli (fingers crossed). Do I ask for recommendations for restos in Barcelona or should I post in the forum on Spain?
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I would highly recomend lunch @ Paloma beach in St Jean - wonderful spot. Also there is a nice little but excellent restaurant in St Jean called La Provencal - great food and excellent view.
I have a question, however, what bad news have you heard about Louis XV? it has been a year, but it has been excellent each time we have been there.
La Voile d'Or hotel restaurant on a nice evening is a magical setting with old world charm.
Lastly - Reserve de Beaulieu - is one of the best restauants on the Cote - not to be missed.
Lastly I agree Les Agave in Beaulieu is a nice little spot.
Thanks mdbasile for the recommendations. Will definitely check out La Provencal and Paloma beach in St Jean. Will look into the others as well. Thanks.
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They do have some articles on-line, but not all. You can also buy the New Yorker in France, and I'm sure elsewhere, but it is a small fortune (about 8 euros in Paris). I have a subscription which they send me in France, so it's a fraction of what it costs in the news stand.
I'll check their site to see if it's online yet.
Thanks Phyllis, I have scoured the newsstands but unfortunately cannot find a copy...
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I was in this region over Christmas and New Year.
I ate at Jacques Chibois's restaurant, Bastide St Antoine, which was memorable. The truffle menu is exceptionally good, based around simple, fresh products with a distinctive provencal flavor.
On New Years eve we went to La Reserve de Bealieu, they put on a magnificent spread which was also fairly truffle centric. A popping candy desert will always remain with me. The dining room is grand and tres chic so if you go dress for the occasion.
If you go to Nice make sure you get a reservation at La Petite Maison, a nicoise institution, which serves one of the best truffles with scrambled eggs around. The whole roast chicken stuffed with foie gras is also sublime.
La Merende I can also recommend, southern french, peasanty food which has a strong tripe emphasis.
Thanks GastroChick, I have added La Reserve, La Petite Maison and La Marende to my shortlist. Would love to go to Bastide St Antoine but I fear the logistics of getting 8 pax from the marina in Cannes to Grasse may defeat us. I'll have to consult the rest of the group on this one.
Cheers.
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Thanks Menton, have noted Le Cabanon and African Queen. Thanks for the photo. Wow its shimmering curves are reminiscent of the pyramids as seen by Dali.
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Some meals are indeed more than the food. I was very wary of dining in Villefranche before our trip there two summers ago, especially after reading some reviews here. Since we were staying in Villefranche, we decided to try it one night. To my surprise, we enjoyed our dinner at La Mere Germaine so much that we returned several nights later, and enjoyed it even more. The setting was magical and the service was extremely attentive and gracious. The food was very good, if not spectacular- certainly very solid, especially the simple fish dishes. Of course we paid more than we would at a bistro on a side street, but then we were paying for more than the food.
Thanks Carlbad. Thats a very sound endorsement for La Mere Germain. We will definitely go there during our stopover in Villefranche. Cheers.
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In my limited experience the "never trust the food at a restaurant with a view" has been pretty accurate in and around the harbors of the Cote d'Azur
I think I'm marginally on topic with this tale originally told to me by Gerald Asher of wine writing fame. He was doing a stage at Sherry-Lehman in NY, prior to assuming the big job and Christmas week 1968 or so a woman of a certain age entered and asked for a specific Italian wine, the label of which she held out. She told of how she had settled into a chair at a table in a resto on the Isle of Capri overlooking the Bay, was approached by a handsome young Italian man, shared a dinner and this wonderful wine, as the sun set over the Bay. Could he get her a case? Of course Madame, said young Asher, but I cannot reproduce the sunset, the view or the young man.
Moral of the story: some meals consist of more than the food, even on coasts like that of the Azur.
What a fine story and the moral rings true time and again. I have read Gerald Asher - his "Vinyard Tales" has had me enthralled through repeated readings. I don't know the man personally except by reputation but I know his brother, an investment banker of great repute whom I hold in immense regard.
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For a fine meal, I would recommend La Bastide de St. Antoine in Grasse, I have had some of the best meals of my life in that place (not cheap). I liked it more than the Louis XV, found it to be more laid back. Especially if you can go there for lunch, it's much more affordable, and if you can secure a table in the garden, it's just a great experience.
Not sure if this will "fit" the entire crew you are going with, but a place worth visiting in my opinion is Le Musee de l'Art Culinaire which is in Villeneuve-Loubet, just west of Nice. It's Escoffier's childhood home, and it became a museum in 1966.
Thanks Arley, yes I have heard and read good things about LBdSA and very much want to go there. The thing that's making us think twice is the logistics on how to get 8 people from the marina to Grasse. Are public cabs freely available? Do we take the train? From the miniature maps I'm working with I can't work out whether Grasse is closer to Cannes or Nice. But I will certainly make an effort to visit the Musee de l'Art Cullinaire. Hadn't heard about it before. The "crew" are all foodies so I don't expect anyone to veto this suggestion. Thanks.
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Thanks Menton, I will look out for Port Grimaud and the curvy buildings near Cannes. From your description it sounds a bit like Gaudi's church in Barcelona
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Musee Picasso in Antibes.
Thanks Michelle. I had intended to visit but omitted to mention it in my haste to post. I have read al lot about his paintings perticularly the sombre Pesche de nuit a Antibes , La Joie de vivre and St Jean Cap Ferrat which I believe are on display at the museum.
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I'll second Menton on Beaulieu. When I went to the Cote a couple of years back I had several friends' eyes get wide when I told them that I "had" to stay in Beaulieu instead of Monaco -- surprisingly enough, they, too had stumbled across it amidst the more famous towns in the area. They all remembered it as a spectacular little place, and so did I. It's also a nice change from the "Big City" feel of Nice and Monaco. There's a friendly, if not astounding, restaurant right by the railroad station called Les Agaves. And Monaco, if you have reservations at Louis XV, is a 10-15 minute cab ride away (non-rush hour) and 15 minutes by commuter train in rush hour. Quai des Artistes, btw, should be avoided (except for drinks -- lovely harbor view).
Thanks Busboy. Guess I will have to check out Bailleau sur Mer and Les Agaves. Although we don't mind some "Big City" exposure as we'll have our fair share of rusticity in Ille de Lerins and Ile de Porquerolles. Is there a particular reason to avoid QdA? Poor service? Poor value for money?
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Sounds like a nice trip. You didn't indicate the length of time you are allowing in this cruise down the coast. YOu have a huge # of restaurants on your list. Mostly high end. There are also a multitude of middle-ground restos that are wonderful. Street food in Nice is also great.
Have you checked out a stop at the Port in Beaulieu-sur-Mer? I have heard from boat people that this is a much, much more "user-friendly" port than the one in Monaco. Easy access, and lower docking fees, too.
I'm not much of a fan of Monaco myself. Extremely congested, and many huge high-rises. I prefer the relative serenity of the France communities from Menton to Nice. Monaco, for me, is just overdone and pretentious. But we are all different.
There are literally dozens of touristic sites in this area, you won't have time to see them all, I'm sure. A favorite of mine is the Ephrussi Mansion in Cap Ferrat. YOu are also going at the best time of year for all the spring flowers.
Bon voyage!
Thanks Menton. The trip will be of 12 days duration, timed to avoid the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix when the chances of getting berths are as good as striking the national lottery or coming out ahead after a visit to the Casino de Monte Carlo. Yes, I have heard that Monaco can be very touristy and congested (particularly during the Grand Prix) but this is my first trip and I gotta check it out at least once. We're currently scheduled to berth in Port Hercule I think, but I will certainly look into berthing facilities at Bailleau sur Mer. In terms of restos in Monaco, we've been advised by all and sundry to avoid Louis XV in favour of Robuchon. Will check out the Ephrussi Mansion in Cap Ferrat which will be our next stop after Monaco.
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It does sound like it will be a wonderful journey! I will point you to some threads that will be of help. Maybe regulars to the restaurants in this region can chime in on any recent finds or updates.
From what it looks like you may need to do more homework on St. Tropez. Your assignment to bring back and report: Ile de Porquerolles which is rumored to have good eats but we don't have names, and Pamplonne Bay.
Thanks a lot Lucy for digging up those old threads. I've gone through them and theres loads of interesting nuggets even though some of the posts date back to 2004. I will certainly bring back a food/restaurant report to this forum, particularly on the St Tropez/Ile de Porquerolles/Pamplonne Bay end of the Cote. I've also promised to post a trip report on another yatching forum I subscribe to.
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A group of us (8 pax) are planning a maiden trip to the Cote d'Azur in late April and early May. We're on a boat and will be sailing from Monaco to St Tropez calling at the following ports/marinas - Monaco/Cap Ferrat/Cap d'Antibes/Ille de Lerins/Cannes/Ile de Porquerolles/St Tropez/Pamplonne Bay/St Tropez. We're planning to spend a night at each stop.
From reading previous posts and recommendations in this forum and consulting various guidebooks and websites, I have cobbled together an initial list of restaurants/cafes to consider; Monaco - Louis XV, Robuchon, Quai des Artistes, Jimmy'z, Sass Cafe; Cap Ferrat - La Reserve du Baillieu; Cap d'Antibes - Bacon, Les Vieux Murs, Hotel Belle Rives, Eden Roc; Nice - Tetou, Le Palm d'Or, La Marenda; Cannes - Villa des Lys, Mantel, Gaston-Gastounette; Ille de Porquerolles - Le relais de la Poste; St Tropez - Les Mouscardins, Spoon Byblos, La Pinede, Le Gorille; Pamplonne Bay - Voile Rouge, Club 55. Any suggestions on how to expand, trim, tweak or even replace the list would be gratefully received.
Not having been to the area before, I would be very happy to receive any further advice from this community in terms of restaurant suggestions as well as advice generally on "must dos". I've got the Musee Matisse, Musee Chagall and the Cours Saleya on the "must do" list. Any other recommendations?
Finally, we're hoping to play some golf on the Cote. St Maximes and the Royal Mougins come highly recommended. This may not be the right forum to bring this topic up but any other golf course recommendations would be welcome.
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The article also goes into depth about the history of absinthe and what eventually caused its ban in the early 1900s. A very good read.
Any chance of supplying a link to the article for non-US egulleters?
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RE: Fruit & Sex, I think this is a nomenclature thing from languages with feminine and masculine articles. I remember Mario Batali once saying on his TV show that, in Italy, Fennel bulbs of a certain shape were considered masculine and of another shape were feminine. Yes, the rounder ones were female.
Beyond the masculine or feminine determinants of the articles in certain languages, there are vegetables that are considered (based on their individual shapes or some other defining feature as you mention with fennel) masculine or feminine.
Eggplant is another example. The "sex" is determined based upon the bottom of the eggplant where the bud would have been before falling off. If the eggplant is more flat there it is one sex, more indented another. It is also believed that one sex is more full of seeds than the other, and the other more solid and meaty.
I really don't mind seeds in my eggplants, so I can not remember which is supposed to be which. Perhaps someone else will chime in on this. . .Really I don't know whether this is folklore or "real".
Either way, it makes the world a more interesting place. Edited to add this link: Sex and Eggplants
Thanks Pedro, thanks Karen. Checked out the site and hv done a bit more asking around. Its folklore and not rooted in Science. I am not familiar with Spanish but apparently Spanish and other latinate languages assign a feminine or masculine descriptor to nouns. Is this correct? If this is so then I begin to understand how sex and gender can be attributed to objects even fruit.
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There are some sixty varieties, and in each one there is a distinction between the mango (male), fibrous, smaller and tastier (usually used to make purees) and the manga (female) which, because it has a more pulpy texture, is easier to manipulate.
Great article which I enjoyed reading tremendously. Without meaning to detract anything from the article, I feel compelled to query the concept that there are male and female fruits, parts of flowers and plants yes, but fruits? Can someone more familiar with biology or botany shed light on this?
The misconception (if indeed it is one) may arise from a confusion over nomenclature - as far as I know the name of this fruit which is native to South Asia (Genus - Mangifera) originates from the Tamil word "mankay". The English derivative "mango" is in turn derived from the Portugese "manga". In Malay/Indonesian/Tagalog the word for mango is "mangga". As the article correctly points out, there is a huge variety of mangoes (more than 500 named varieties) and some types are more pulpy than others.
The Alphonso mango from India is an excellent example of the less pulpy variety and IMHO ranks far ahead of the "Tommy Atkins" variety found in most Western supermarkets.
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Thanks Kristian, there was a wealth of information in the links you indicated including boo-hoo
how cheap Pyrat XO is in the US compared to Asia where it retails in the region of US$165... 
Seems like there's an opportunity to arbitrage.....
There are several different Pyrat rums being sold and some are quite expensive in the US as well. You need to make sure you're looking at the same rums. Pyrat Pistol, XO or Cask 23.
Yup, just checked the bottle, Pyrat XO Planter's Reserve 750 ml retails for approx US$ 165 in Asia...if you can find it. Steep.
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I feel obliged to defend the much-maligned durian on behalf of its legion of fans in South East Asia and elsewhere who adore this piquant fruit who go to extreme lenghts to procure their favourite strains. Unlike cheese which is generally available all year round, durians are seasonal, fruiting once or twice a year and aficionadoes everywhere look forward to durian season with as much anticipation and delight as 8 year olds getting excited by the approach of Christmas...
Indeed. But you still can't take durians into the Bangkok subway, etc., etc.
True, if you're referring to the whole fruit, but the truly determined have been known to transport the flesh, minus its thorny husk, ensconsced in layers of clingwrap and sealed in an air-tight tupperware-type container lashed with reams of cellotape for good measure. Thats how durian wends its way cross-border to chinatown grocers and supermarkets everywhere so that the addicted can get their fix. Come to think of it thats one way of getting your epoisses into the metro without incurring the wrath of fellow commuters. Here's an example of how durian suppresion technology can be applied to other endeavours
There must be a growing appreciation for this fruit worldwide - I hear they have started growing it in Queensland, Australia.
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not sure about that, but in most Southeast Asian countries, you are banned from public transportation if you are carrying a fresh Durian...which reeks as badly as Epoisses (if not significantly worse)
I feel obliged to defend the much-maligned durian on behalf of its legion of fans in South East Asia and elsewhere who adore this piquant fruit who go to extreme lenghts to procure their favourite strains. Unlike cheese which is generally available all year round, durians are seasonal, fruiting once or twice a year and aficionadoes everywhere look forward to durian season with as much anticipation and delight as 8 year olds getting excited by the approach of Christmas...
Côte d'Azur Riviera
in France: Dining
Posted
Thanks for the suggestions - sounds exiting already. The boat has 2 tenders so we can also get there ourselves if we can't read the tel no. I don't suppose we need to make reservations at a beach club?