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Provence is definitely so "in" these days that during
the summer months the cities and villages of the region have become inundated
with tourists. So in, in fact, is the area that between the end of June and the
beginning of September the linguae francae of the region is as likely to be Spanish,
English, Italian, German or Hebrew as it is French. Call me a snob if you will,
but I have learned to avoid the region during the summer-months, preferring to
save my own efforts for late fall, early spring and even the heart of winter.
Believe me, Provence is at its loveliest when it belongs to the French. I realize,
of course that most people find themselves on vacation during the months of summer
and if that is the case, Provence will prove no more or less tourist-inundated
than any other region.
Whatever, following are a list of some of my favorite restaurants from Marseilles
to Aix and from Nimes to Avignon. Do be aware that many of these places close
during "les vaccances" …the first two weeks of July.
I have avoided listing the two and three star restaurants of the area. For that
you don't need me, and will find all you want in either the Michelin or the Gault-Millau
guides. If it's the out-of-the way and the absolutely charming that beckons, however,
you won't go wrong at any of the following places. (Unless otherwise noted, prices
at these places are moderate)
Marseilles
L'Oursinade: Centre Bourse, 1 rue Neuve Saint Martin (1st quarter). Tel 91
39 20 14. To me this has always been one of the city's best restaurants. Try the
veloute of fish with puree of sea urchin, red mullet salad, fish with avocado.
Don't miss the caramel mousse with pineapple for dessert.
Caruso: 158 quai du Port (2nd quarter). Tel 91 90 94 04. Great pasta
with seafood, great fish dishes and superb osso bucco.
Au Jambom de Parme: 67 rue de la Palud (6th quarter). Tel 91 54 37 98. Best
place in Marseilles for Italian food. Lobster salad, tagliateli au pistou.
Passedat: Corniche Kennedy, anse Maldorme (7th quarter). Tel 91 59 25 92.
More expensive than most, but worth the difference. Zucchini with sea bream, eggplant
preserved in sherry vinegar, excellent lamb dishes. Be sure to sit at a table
overlooking the garden.
Au Pescadou: 19 pl. Castellane (6th quarter). Tel 91 78 36 01. Perhaps the
best seafood in all of Provence. All of the oyster dishes are worth trying. Try
the lotte with fresh young vegetables, coquille saint Jacques with morel mushrooms,
capon a la Provencal and, of course, the bouillabaisse.
Arles
Lou Marques: in the Hotel Jules Cesar, Blvd des Lices. Tel 90 93 43 20.
Elegant dining, with delightful Provencal cuisine... try the fish soups, the rack
of lamb du pays d'Arles, the leg of young lamb and the bouillabaisse. Don't miss
the desserts. (May be closed, last time I was here this was yet another chef who
was considering suicide).
As a hotel consider the Jules Cesar in which the above restaurant is located.
Same phone number. The hotel is a former 17th century convent. Huge rooms, absolutely
charming.
L'Olivier: 1 bis r. Reattu or, even better Bistro de l'Olivier. Tel
90 49 64 88. For formal dinners, the first place, for less formal but even better
meals the bistro where you will find great Provencal and Parisian specialties.
Les Vaccares: Place du Forum (entrance from rue Favorin). Tel 90 96 06 17.
Charming place with charming food. Try the river perch with saffron, red mullet
with anchovy butter, leg of lamb provencale.
Aix-en-Provence
Bosque d'Antonelle: 16 rue Felibre Gaut. Tel 42 38 32 08 Nothing fancy
but really fine regional food at remarkably reasonable prices.
Cote Coeur,: 19 cours Mirabeau. Tel 42 26 32 39. Simple, fresh and excellent
cuisine in a charming establishment. Try the artichokes in olive oil and coriander,
the lamb dishes, any of the oyster dishes and for dessert the black chocolate
mousse.
Les Freres Lani: 22 rue Victor-Leydet. Tel 42 27 76 16. Specialties worth
trying are the glazed veal with mushrooms, and the curried duck.
In the town of Beaureceuil- 10 km. east of Aix be sure to try Relais Sainte-
Victoire. Tel 42 66 94 98. Lovely setting in the hills, and a lovely view.
Try the smoked salmon with eggs, fillet of beef with tapenade butter, and for
dessert the fresh fruit mousse.
In the village of Canet - 8 kmS.W of Aix. Tel 42 58 68 05. Auberge Provencale.
True provencal cooking at its best. Tapenade with foie gras, roast fish with
pistachios, excellent pork dishes, superb desserts.
Nimes
L'Enclos de la Fontaine. In the Hotel Imperator. Quai de la Fontaine. Tel
66 21 90 30. Lovely place, nice garden. Good Provencal dishes such as brandade
Nicoise, emince of sweetbreads and veal kidneys, feuillete of shrimp and asparagus
in orange sauce. Try the excellent assortment of cheeses.
In the town of Garons - 9 km. south of Nimes Alexandre: 2 rue Xavier-Tronc.
Tel 66 70 08 99. Mousse of brandade de morue; feuillete of asparagus; tournedos
Mistral, coquille St Jacques with fresh berry sauce.
Nice
Chantecler: in the Negresco Hotel, 37 Promenade des Anglais. Tel: 93 88
39 51. Try especially the duck with cold vegetables and celery salt; the red mullet
and leeks in vinaigrette sauce; the sea bass with fresh peas; or the pigeon and
lobster casserole with fresh wild mushrooms. For dessert do not skip the wild
strawberries that are served with melted orange butter. Veryexpensive. Note: The
Negresco, by the way, is one of the hotels I love most dearly in the world. It
may no longer be as "in" as it once was but who can resist staying in
a 140 year old establishment that has at one time served as the hotel for nearly
every crowned head of Europe. (As a side benefit, you can imagine that you are
sleeping on the same pillow on which Grace Kelly or Brigitte Bardot once slept).
Chez Don Camillo: 5 rue des Ponchettes (at the eastern end of Cours Saleya).
Tel: 93 85 67 95. This quiet, gracious and somewhat formal restaurant offers somewhat
experimental but never shocking and always pleasing Italian dishes. The fettuccini
with black truffles, saltimboca and osso buco with rosemary are all memorable.
Some say that Don Camillo makes the best tiramisu in theworld.
Le Gourmet Lorrain: 7 Avenue Santa Fior. Tel 92 88 26 20. Unpretentious
decor but really lovely food in a most pleasant setting. Try especially the asparagus
tips and mussels in vinaigrette sauce; the scallops poached in Chablis wine; and
the chicken with mustard seeds. Be sure to ask to see the fabulous wine cellar
and to sample the wines offered in carafe.
La Meranda: 4 rue Terrace. No telephone. A super simple place with remarkably
good food. Try his pasta with garlicky pistou sauce, his corn fritters with zucchini
flowers; and any of the fish or seafood dishes offered when you visit. Reservations
not accepted.
La Taverne du Chateau: 42 rue Droite. Again, simple but very, very good. The
gnocchi here are marvelous; the pissaladiere (historically the original pizza)
are all tempting; and the seafood dishes are all fresh, piquant and worth trying.
Prices surprisingly reasonable.
L'Ane Rouge: 7 quai des Deux-Emmanuel. Tel 93 89 49 63. Facing the harbor
this is a place for fish and seafood. The stuffed clams, the oysters in champagne,
the fettuccini with shrimps, and the turbot (which is served with a different
sauce every day) areall highly recommended.
Special Note!!!
Whatever you do or wherever you travel, try with all your might to visit Alain
Ducasse's restaurant. Ducasse, thankfully, is not there but the woman chef who
heads up the place does a superb job!!!:
La Bastide de Moustiers in the village of Moustieres-Ste. Marie in Provence.
Ducasse is the chef at the Louis XV in Monte Carlo at 16 other restaurants these
days. He opened this restaurant "for fun" In a 17th century house, with
charming rooms for the night, this is a place not to be missed. Expensive but
worth every franc. Phone 92-74-62-40 or Fax 92-74-62-40.
Avignon
Brunel: 46 rue d la Balance. Tel 90 85 24 83. Simple but elegant. Try the
mussel salad, calamari with basil, seafood with melon, oxtail with shallots.
Hiely-Lucullus: 5 rue de la Republique. Tel 90 86 17 07. A bit more expensive
than most on the list, but worth it. Lovely Provencal setting and many excellent
dishes, including the cake of asparagus with tarragon cream, feuillete of vegetables
with lobster cream, young rabbit stuffed with its liver served in poivrade sauce;
duck with preserved onions; great cheeses and fantastic desserts. (NOTE: There
was a fire here several months ago and I am not sure the restaurant has re-opened)
La Fourchette II. 17 rue Racine. Tel 90 85 20 93. Try the omelet with mint,
tuna with sorrel, white cheese with herbs and the exceptionally good sorbets.
© Daniel Rogov
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