Easter Sunday marks the grand resurrection of beach restaurants in Cannes so I decided to check out Rado Plage, which is famous for being the oldest beach-restaurant in Cannes. I must admit that it was not the restaurant’s illustrious history that attracted me but the two-course fixed price menu for €20.50. Dining along the beach in Cannes can be a very expensive proposition! You’re lucky to get a salad or a small plate of pasta for that price. Sure, you can enjoy the sun and surf but what about filling up the tummy?

I’m happy to report that Rado Plage satisfied on all counts from price to taste to portion size. The two-course menu offered a choice of three starters and three main courses. Although the salmon tartare and seafood cocktail looked tempting, we opted for  the old standby, Salade Niçoise and were not disappointed. All the ingredients were fresh and the vinaigrette was well-balanced. It was nearly a meal in itself. The main course was even better. A good chunk of hake was sauteed in a Mediterranean sauce and accompanied by sauteed carrots, ratatouille, rice and an interesting flan. My companion enjoyed giant sauteed shrimp with the same side dishes. We were also well-pleased with the crisp house rosé. For an extra €5 we could have ordered the three-course menu but, frankly we were already full.

There may be finer dining along the Cannes bay and there are surely glitzier and trendier places, but we agreed that Rado Plage offers the best value for money of all the Cannes beach restaurants.