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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