Archive for December, 2008
December 4th, 2008 | 
Author: Boccaccio (tel:04 93 87 71 76, 7 rue Massena) serves up rip-roaring portions of carefully prepared fish, seafood and top-quality meat in an Art-Deco dining room. It’s not cheap (figure €25 to €40 a main course) but you won’t go away disappointed–or hungry.
I normally avoid restaurants on the touristy rue Massena as the cafes and restaurants here are reported to be more concerned with fleecing tourists than providing good value for money. But Boccaccio does an honest job.
The amuse bouche was an octopus salad with diced tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. It was nice to have something to actually eat for an amuse bouche as opposed to the ubiquitous froth-in-a-glass.
For a starter, I chose the “tapas” which was really various sushi-size cuts of fresh, lightly cooked fish on a bed of various vegetables–from onion confit to grilled peppers to seasoned leeks. It was copious and tasty. John happily dug into a huge mound of mussels and praires, steamed in light sauce. As you can tell, the theme was no-fuss Provencale.
The main courses were equally impressive. I chose the dorade; it was impeccably grilled and then filleted with a pot of basil and olive oil on the side. The quality of the fish was superb. It had obviously lived a happy and free life in the sea. John chose the milk-fed lamb and also found the quality of the meat and the preparation were excellent.
Dessert was also giant-sized. We split a concoction composed of a chocolate mousse sandwiched in a thin, crunchy pastry with candied orange zest scattered on top.
Verdict: Non-pretentious but highly satisfying cuisine. Not for the budget-conscious.
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And, I’m still hungry–or would be if I hadn’t filled up on bread. Nice’s trendiest and most celebrated restaurant, La Reserve (tel: 04 97 08 29 98; Palais de la Reserve), has an unbelievable location overlooking the sea facing west. (I can just imagine the sunsets).
Jouni Tormanen is the chef, justly praised for his finely executed delicacies. Although La Reserve opened last year offering two restaurants–La Reserve and Bistro La Reserve for the budget-minded–this winter there’s only one. La Crise?
Lunch service offered two options: the Bistro menu for €30 which included a main course and dessert and the La Reserve Menu for €65 proposing an entrée, main course and dessert. We opted for the Bistro menu.
No one could argue with the quality of the cuisine or the presentation. The amuse bouche was a double purée of chestnut and topinambour (Jerusalim artichoke) and then, for good measure there was another amuse bouche –an emulsion of leek and potato. If only there was four times the quantity! The main course was a boudin of fish in a sorrel sauce. Absolutely divine. I’ll take three, please. No not three pieces, three servings! It was really starter-sized. All the hearty, home-baked rolls were used to sop up the sauce.
Dessert was equally ravishing–two delicate, flaky crusts topped with fresh rasberries and blueberries enclosed a chestnut purée. Caramel ice cream on the side created a lovely, cool bath for the concoction.
Verdict: First-class cuisine, first-class view but stingy portions.
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