But do need at least one more. I am not opposed to michelin * places either but would prefer to avoid an overly formal or over the top trendy place.
And we prefer seafood but will eat some meat.
Lavomatique is interesting, perhaps a bit too self-conscious for its own good. The food and atmosphere are definitely something that you can find in Paris, with a little bit of Mediterranean swashbuckling thrown in (cooks in white t-shirts brightly lit like chorus girls behind the counter).
Don’t ever let them sit you at one of the tiny folding tables against the wall, ask for countertop seats when reserving. Countertop is for the oligarchs from Monte Carlo and the folding tables are for the hoi polloi.
The Armand Crespo restaurants mentioned are always a good value for money. I believe the Peixes Opera may be a better choice given your criteria, as the Bonaparte location is in a busy, trendy area and I heard it is better (I’ve only dined on Bonaparte). It was good but I perhaps enjoy his other concepts more.
Pur et V had a chef change a couple years ago, which explains your change in experience. Flaveur may suit, or Onice.
I really like Cantine de MeMe but please don’t spread the word . The menu is very limited for a person seeking fish. L’Achimie still remains a good value. The chef from Hostellerie Jerome now has Racines (Bruno Cirino). It is now a vegetable-centric tasting menu and the full experience is long (but relatively casual and low key). I’ve got some other meals planned coming up, like MarMar, I quite enjoyed Spark too but it is the most un-French alternative possible.
Thank you for your suggestions! I was looking at Peixes and could not figure out which location to go to! I have been always interested in going to Piexes but never had a chance!
I was looking at Racines, Flaveur, and Onice but was not that enticed by those.
Had a funny exchange with my wife - showed her Lavomatique menu - she said “no way she we would eat most of the menu”
Showed her Peixes - she said she would get one of everything! Told her Peixes does not take reservations - she sent me to packing…
She was not impressed with Flaveur or Onice.
She did recall that in 2022 we had a wonderful dinner at L’Eau de vie! Maybe we add it to our list.
Back to looking.
Also, can anyone recommend a tasty take out option? Or a chef that can come and cook for us. Maybe we stay home one night. We are staying in a gorgeous house but I do not feel like cooking myself.
There are two lovely restaurants on Rue Grimaldi off the Blvd Victor Hugo. Le Sejour has been owned by the same family for years. The children have now taken over from their parents who retired. Apopino, several doors down, is owned by a young couple. He cooks and she runs the front of the house.
For a big splurge, La Reserve du Nice has delicious food and a “killer” view overlooking the Bay. Also, Keisuke
Matshushima on Rue de France never disappoints.
Le Sejour is very good, and my friend said she really enjoyed Apopino as well. I was not as impressed by Chez Davia but it is classic Nicois cusine by a chef who similarly moved back from fine dining to take over the family restaurant. (The tarte citron was simple and terrific) There are three restaurants in a row there.
An alternative view restaurant to La Reserve or nearby le Plontoier (vest view, average food and way too many tourists/influencers), the Bains des Castel has a great position on the rocks and a seafood focused menu. I have not made it there. I am going to newish place Marmar tonight and will report back.
I went to the Cours Saleya location soon after it opened, it was recommended to me by Dominique Le Stanc from La Merenda. I liked it a lot. I had a delicious grilled saint-pierre (John Dory).
Well, in a way you’re helping me to fine-point my opinion of Lavomatique, which I hadn’t dared to do before. It is a formula restaurant, slightly gimmicky; there’s a lot of show-off, the food is not bad at all but I prefer simpler, more modest places. And especially not one that I could find in an identical state in Paris.
I like a sense of location in my restaurants, and as a child I was raised on traditional Nice cooking, which has disappeared. (Yes, La Merenda is great, but not exactly up to what this cuisine used to be. Can’t blame them, products have changed, tastes have changed.)
As for Lavomatique, I probably would go back (properly seated), but maybe not twice again.
I really like Castel-Plage. The food is quite satisfactory for a beach restaurant, they do try hard to deliver good quality and they’re very nice and welcoming. Last time I was in Nice was in February, and of course the restaurant was closed, but I’d gladly enjoy a beach day again at Castel, with lunch or dinner.
This is a curious notion that I struggle with and try to balance when traveling. Some of the best meals came from such places, for example a little place on the beach with grilled sardines on Costa Granadina, etc. This is more challenging in very heavily touristy areas such as Nice, figuring out a tourist trap from an authentic place can be hard. I guess this is why I am not this board.
Marmar was very good, just a tiny, low key place with a very limited menu (3 choices each course). I believe the principles are italian but the food is local with influences from other places (like pork sourced from spain). The starter was excellent, featuring artichoke and the main very good, with the fish cooked perfectly. The dessert was good but not great. The suggested wine pairings were excellent and not just to pass off an overpriced marque.
Carmenere – I did not realize you were originally from the region. I saw Dominque Le Stanc eating with his wife at Racines while he talked shop about the dishes with the chef Bruno Cirino.
There are a lot of newcomers from Paris, Scandinavia and Italy but I find all of them tend to respect the local produce and traditions, even if taking them in new directions (unless they are doing a different style of food).
There are a lot of tourist trips among the 2200 or so restaurants, especially on the main squares and pedestrian streets. But uniquely you will find interesting restaurants with good execution and service among the multitudes — and I’ve noticed that Darwin has culled some of the worst offenders, though too many still remain.
There are still restaurants that get certified “Cuisine Nissard”, which has a procedure to earn the right to bear the mark. Chez Davis is one of the, it is just the chef has turned up the execution and presentation.
The Bains de Castel are owned by the same owners of Castel Plage but I think the menu is a bit more elevated.
Of the snack counters near the Liberation market, Kiosque Tintin is the most famous, mainly for their pan bagnat.
. The menu is very limited for a person seeking fish. L’Achimie still remains a good value. The chef from Hostellerie Jerome now has Racines (Bruno Cirino). It is now a vegetable-centric tasting menu and the full experience is long (but relatively casual and low key). I’ve got some other meals planned coming up, like MarMar, I quite enjoyed Spark too but it is the most un-French alternative possible.
