Piano Bar in Nice

I recently had tapas and a cocktail at a piano bar in Nice, as I enjoy trying out new places.  

Being a Friday evening, the jazz band began tuning up and started their first (early) set to add music to the lovely ambiance of the place.  My only complaint is the champagne was served in a tulip glass that seemed small (or maybe I just wanted more!) but the cocktails were generous servings, as well as the food.

All in all, Le Kosma is a very nice, cozy place to relax, enjoy a cocktail and tapas while listening to some great music.  La vie est belle!

 

Beau Rivage in Nice

The Promenade des Anglais was hosting an expo with various stands featuring boating, artisanal products, and one selling handbags made out of sailboat cloth.  Although the summer temperature was high, locals and tourists alike strolled and browsed the stands under the heat of the midday sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What else to do on an extremely hot summer day in Nice but eat, drink, and be merry!  Heading for a seaside restaurant that provided shade and a nice sea view and breeze, we chose Beau Rivage, known for its iconically Nice blue chair artistic entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rosé wine was refreshing and the lunch was delicious –  a leisurely good time with friends, and yes, were very merry!

 

gambas

La Barque Bleue at Nice Port

I recently dined with some friends, who had chosen a restaurant at the port of Nice.  I expected specialities centered around fish and seafood, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the restaurant is Italian-owned and offers Italian specialities as well.

We had a great corner table near the back of the restaurant, which provided a quiet atmosphere to chat and linger over the antipasti and their luscious red house wine before the main course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we had to complete our meal with the typical Italian dessert of tiramisu – MIAM!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hotel Spendide – Art & Food

While waiting to have lunch at the rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Spendide, I noticed the mosaic artwork in the lobby and was surprised to see they offer an art deco mosaic “guided tour.”

As we ascended to the 8th floor restaurant, L’essenciel, I was anticipating rooftop views, but still, it took my breath away.  As we drank “une coupe de champagne” and snacked on crackers, a huge “goeland” (sea gull) swooped down to have a snack, as well, then posted him/herself on a nearby post to watch us.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As for lunch, we had a lovely view while dining among a large group of friends and new acquaintances. The three course meal, with aperos, wine, and sparkling water, was 56 Euros per person.

Riviera Restaurants: L’Ecole de Nice

“Travellers love Nice for its reliable sunshine, handsome 19th Century architecture, lively street life, great museums and palm tree-lined beach. Unsurprisingly, the city has also become popular with young chefs looking to open their own restaurants. The new table everyone’s talking about is L’Ecole de Nice, opened last year by Michelin-starred, Japanese-born chef Keisuke Matsushima. What draws the crowds is the arty, stylish decor – the walls are hung with works by the likes of Arman, César and Pignon-Ernest – and the excellent, market-driven cooking of young Japanese chef Yoshinobu Seki, who trained with Matsushima.

The menu changes regularly, but runs to witty, delicious riffs on Niçois classics with an intriguing Japanese sensibility. I was impressed by Seki’s impeccable rendering of one of the city’s great gastronomic classics, les petits farcis (stuffed baby vegetables), along with his succulent flank steak with an onion sauce that was inspired by pissaladière, the open Niçois tart of sautéed onions, anchovies and black olives, served avec polenta fries; and a clever reworking of tourte aux blettes (Swiss chard pie) as a dessert, served with vanilla ice cream. The rosemary- flavoured runny chocolate cake is outstanding, too.”

L’Ecole de Nice. 16 Rue la Buffa, 06000 Nice. +33 4 93 81 39 30. Closed Sundays. Average à la carte €25.

Source: France Today – Alexander Lobrano

Personal Note:  I have not yet tried this restaurant – sounds classically French!

Fashion & Food – Sarao Restaurant

While waiting on the Promenade des Anglais for a friend to have a quick lunch at Sarao, I pondered about how the French Riviera has a stereotypical image: chic and fashionable people strolling along the seafront, others drinking champagne on yachts, and sunbathers frolicking in the sand (or rocks). I people watched, as one does while waiting but not exactly as the fashion police (RIP Joan Rivers), and noticed a variety of fashion statements.

September is a great time to visit Nice, both temperature-wise and noise pollution level-wise. Even so, trying to chat was difficult with the reduced level of traffic whizzing by the restaurant terrace. The apero & tapas menu was only for the evening, but I did try the “aperol spritz” – a refreshing mixture of Prosecco and Perrier – reported by the server to be very popular in Italy. Buon Appetito!

What’s your fashion style?

 

 

Fashion:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Restaurant:

Le Frog – A Typically French Restaurant in Old Nice

Of course, along with snails, tete de veau, and foie gras, frog legs are right up there when one thinks of French food particularities – or should I say, specialities.

Backlit in green (bien sur!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to admit that I had never tasted frog legs and so, was somewhat apprehensive, yet excited, when this restaurant was chosen for a friends dinner get together.  I also figured that there would be other items on the menu.

From our table, we had a lovely view of the local church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Provençale Rosé wine called “Nuit Blanche” (white night)

OK, so I didn’t order the frog legs – just in case – but I did sample a taste (how could I not?).  No- it didn’t taste like chicken!  The taste was not strong and game-y as I expected, but was surprisingly a little sweet and quite tasty.

Pissaladiere & Salade Nicoise

Beef & gnocchi

Swiss chard pie dessert

& Voila!

Menu Frog entree/appetizer mon

The Menu Frog main course consisted of asian noodles topped with frog legs (like these) and other wok type veggies with frog menu dessert of crème brulée (no photos taken).

It was a leaping-good time and fun evening with new discoveries in food, friends, and comraderie!

 

Family-run Italian Restaurant in Nice

One thing I love about cities, is that you can find something surprising around every corner and on every side street. I had planned on having lunch with a friend at a Vietnamese restaurant in Nice, but it was closed for some reason.  So, due to this twist of events, we ended up walking down rue Dalpozzo and came across “La Milanesina,” a family run, Italian Restaurant (2, rue Dalpozzo).  The lovely, interior decoration and friendly ambiance immediately pulled me in.

It soon became quite obvious that this place was family run, as the chef is the mother of the waiter, speaking Italian together.  I ordered one of the “plat du jour”: a ham & cheese omelette, but asked to have it without the ham.  What shocked me next was the waiter asked if I wanted something in its place – huh?  In all my years in France, when I have ordered something without an ingredient in a French restaurant, no one has offered a substitution.  I asked what he had in mind, to which he then asked the chef, and responded “courgettes” (zucchini) – delicious.  The service was polite, friendly, and accommodating — yes, you read correctly —  accommodating to the client!

I personally thanked the chef and asked how long they had been open (2 years); she understood, but did not speak a lot of French.  Their appreciation for our patronage was indeed heartfelt and conveyed – in the end, I was happy the other restaurant had been closed.

window lights

Nice’s Cuisine – Cuisine Nissarde

Nice’s cuisine

Nice is well known as a tourist attraction, but also for its lifestyle and food. The cuisine is traditional and Mediterranean, with plenty of vegetables, flavours and aromas…

The “Cuisine Nissarde” label is awarded to restaurants that work to promote Nice’s cuisine by undertaking to follow the recipes, use quality products and raw ingredients, provide customers with a warm welcome and information and comply with the health and safety regulations.

VISITE GUIDÉE SUR LA CUISINE NIÇOISE

5 Promenade des Anglais
06000 – NICE
Tel. : +33(0) 892 707 407
info@otcnice.com

Walking tour through the history of typical local products.

All the history of Nice’s gastronomy on a walking tour : candied fruit, olive oil, socca, fruit, vegetable and fish markets, a stroll through the narrow shopping streets of the Old City.
Duration: around 2 hours, arrival Place Garibaldi – Thursday, departure at 9:30am from Nice Convention and Visitors Bureau – 5 Promenade des Anglais.
Accompanied tours with a qualified guide in French/English. Reservation necessary at the Nice Convention and Visitors Bureau or on nicetourism.com.
Price adult : 17 € – Children -16 years : 7€ – Children -6 years : no charge.
On option after the visit, at 11:45 am : “Tickle your tastebuds” lunch tasting at la Socca d’Or : 15 € – childrens menu 10 €. Menu : socca, pissaladière, peppers in olive oil and anchovies, the real salade niçoise and home-baked bread, “torta de blea”,”bugnes” during the Carnival period, coffee, tea, soft drinks, wine.

http://www.nicetourisme.com

Source: Nice Convention and Visitors Bureau

Fragola Restaurant in Old Nice

The fish market in Place St. François:

“Comprising a few rows of trestle tables set out around the square’s central fountain, this busy, noisy fish market is best visited early on in the day, when the catch is fresh in from the trawlers. Then, you’ll find a glistening tableau of sea life spread out over jewel-like beds of ice. Come later and the ice has melted, all but a few morsels have been sold and the gulls are gathering on the surrounding rooftops.” (Credit: TimeOut Nice)

Just beside this square at #5 is the lovely restaurant, Fragola, where I recently enjoyed a lobster dinner – a fitting meal considering its location, n’est-ce pas?

I asked for a some melted butter, since I like to dip my bites of lobster into it (à la Américaine), but was served the lobster with apparently some butter drizzled on top of it by the chef.  I had to equate my request to the concept of escargots/snails soaking in their garlic butter to get the point across of needing a dish of melted butter. It was finally served, although there may have been some puzzled head shaking by the server and/or the chef at this bizarre request!

It was deliciously delectable, as we were seated by the window in a delightful, charming setting – the best table in the restaurant in my opinion.  I couldn’t take a photo of the exterior, as there was scaffolding in place – Definitely a place to return to!

Lobster

Entrance door