The Michelin Red Guide 2009

[robert brown]

I don't remember anyone other than Senderens pulling back when these guys were making it hand over fist, though I'm sure there were others I don't know about, my having other cultural matters to deal with. We're in an environment where some chefs like Adria, Bras, and Gagnaire will probably not miss a beat, but others who are probably dangling by their thumbs. If you have sons or daughters to take over such as do Haeberlin, Bras, Pierre Troisgros,etc. you can hang in there with less of a physical toll. As for the younger guys, they just open up less-demanding shoestring restaurants while us veteran diners have only our memories of culinary debauchery.

Edited March 7, 2009 by robert brown (log)

[MichaelCE]

Yes Alain Llorca has moved to Juan-les-pin Hotel Belle Rives - nice spot -- should be a nice addition to the coastal restaurant scene.

Le Table du Cap is a sad story - great spot in Cap Ferrat with veryy inventive cuisine - Laurent Poulet is a nice guy - just couldn't make it long enough.

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I think we expect the Moulin de Mougins to find another two-star chef. The business they get from congresses in Cannes is immense. They will support a two-star, but that kind of clientèle makes it hard to maintain standards.

Laurent Poulet's website says he will announce a new address in April. I hope to be among his first customers when he reopens. That spot in St-Jean is a restaurant graveyard.

[MichaelCE]

Yes Alain Llorca has moved to Juan-les-pin Hotel Belle Rives - nice spot -- should be a nice addition to the coastal restaurant scene.

Le Table du Cap is a sad story - great spot in Cap Ferrat with veryy inventive cuisine - Laurent Poulet is a nice guy - just couldn't make it long enough.

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Today I read that Sébastien Chambru, MOF 2007, a young Burgundian chef from the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues in Geneva is taking on the mission of putting the Moulin de Mougins back on track. Stéphane Arnal, who has filled in since the Llorcas left will go to Les Vieux Murs in Antibes.

[mdbasile]

Laurent Poulet's website says he will announce a new address in April. I hope to be among his first customers when he reopens. That spot in St-Jean is a restaurant graveyard.

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Yea - just saw that - wonder where it will be. Too bad about that spot in St Jean - it is a fabulous location - not sure why it is a problem. A new middle of the road italian restaurant just opened there Luna Rossa - it may be a better "bet" given the current fiscal climate. The meal we had there in Feb was quite good and the place was packed.

Edited March 8, 2009 by mdbasile (log)

[robert brown]

I always felt that the Provencal location was unappealing. The terrace is too close to a well-trafficked road (pedestrians and cars/motorbikes) with an obstructed view and the exterior and interior are without warmth, charm, whatever. I've always hated the place since the chef there circa 2001 (despite his 16/20 Gault-Millau rating) used every trick in the book to rip us off (worse than at L'Astrance),and every chef who has been there since has run an unexciting, over-priced tourist restaurant. There is no such establishment as a good Italian restaurant in or around Nice, which is why I make the mild effort to go across the border to eat in a real one.

[fortedei]

I always felt that the Provencal location was unappealing. The terrace is too close to a well-trafficked road (pedestrians and cars/motorbikes) with an obstructed view and the exterior and interior are without warmth, charm, whatever. I've always hated the place since the chef there circa 2001 (despite his 16/20 Gault-Millau rating) used every trick in the book to rip us off (worse than at L'Astrance),and every chef who has been there since has run an unexciting, over-priced tourist restaurant. There is no such establishment as a good Italian restaurant in or around Nice, which is why I make the mild effort to go across the border to eat in a real one.

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Ah, that border... so ephemeral today. However, what a difference it makes when eating Italian food. So good on the eastern side, so poor on the western. Am sure there is an anthropology thesis lurking out there somewhere, to be read by very few

[mdbasile]

I always felt that the Provencal location was unappealing. The terrace is too close to a well-trafficked road (pedestrians and cars/motorbikes) with an obstructed view and the exterior and interior are without warmth, charm, whatever. I've always hated the place since the chef there circa 2001 (despite his 16/20 Gault-Millau rating) used every trick in the book to rip us off (worse than at L'Astrance),and every chef who has been there since has run an unexciting, over-priced tourist restaurant. There is no such establishment as a good Italian restaurant in or around Nice, which is why I make the mild effort to go across the border to eat in a real one.

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Fair enough! Though, a table by the window is never bad with a view to Beaulieu.... Poulet actually served some very inventive cuisine, and for us, it is a fairly short walk down the hill - so maybe that is my soft spot. Cap Ferrat restaurants, in general, are overpriced for what they serve.

So true what you say about good Italian food in and around Nice - my wife's comments about this new place were something like -- "hey this is like real Italian food...." so maybe we'll get lucky.... FYI the whole baby octopus is really quite good. The owners, I believe, are from Milan and have another restaurant somewhere in Italy.

[ulterior epicure]

It is possible that this has been posted elsewhere. But I figure this was an appropriate place for the following to land:

To celebrate, the 100th anniversary of the Michelin Guide Rouge, starred chefs have been invited to sponsor artists to submit designs for the cover of the 100th anniversary edition. You can see all 100 cover designs, and vote for your three favorite HERE.

Why am I not shocked to find Monsieur Bocuse's image on his sponsored cover?

Being the boring traditionalist - clearly not having the flare, flamboyance,and imagination that the Europeans do - I voted for covers 19, 21, and 98.

[robert brown]

Here's new information about Laurent Poulet:

http://www.fra.cityvox.fr/restaurants_nice...889/Profil-Lieu

[mdbasile]

Anyone have any new info -- the website seems to be"down" now....