Tucked away between the Rue Saint Reparate and the Rue Benoit Bunico is 27 rue de la Prefecture, easily “une bonne address” in vieux Nice. Now not the easiest place to find especially for me who needs a GPS strapped to my side because I get lost in my own bedroom. I would have been miserable had I missed my lunch reservation. That’s one of the few smart things I did in Nice. Word to the wise, if you think you can charm your way into a seat, think again! This truly is a delightful authentic cozy (alright short on space if you prefer) French Bistro. This is not what you might call “haute cuisine” by any stretch of the imagination. Rather is good authentic Nicoise food. And for that I am thankful. The service is both friendly and efficient. While I was there, you could have thrown a crouton in any direction and hit a tourist. That was the sad part but we all must make do these days.
The trouble with a really good restaurant where they know what they’re doing is that it shows in spades and once again I find myself agonizing over the menu options on a chalkboard full of many regional favorites —beef salad with anchovy dressing, butter risotto with truffles, grilled calamari, sliced leg of lamb, Magret de Canard, traditional pork casserole and boudin noir. You see what I mean? One almost needs Biblical wisdom in choosing from the menu. I was all out of wisdom by noon anyway, biblical or otherwise so I decided to start my adventure with a superb salad of squid and endives then for my main course I decided on the slow pot roasted pork shank in an incredible red wine reduction. This came with a pot of roasted local fresh vegetables from the market around the corner I had no doubt. I prepared myself for my adventure with a little amuse bouche of sardine terrine and freshly cut baguette pleasantly washed down with a lovely Rose de Provence.
Out the window with Nouvelle Cuisine for now and let in the fresh Mediterranean air! It was a feast of the Gods and no denying that! I would recommend this little bit of Heaven hands-down! Was I interested in a desert? Is the Pope Catholic? I opted for a delicious desert of fresh pineapple and mango with a ginger crumble mixed through it. Oh my, choosing well is indeed an art not a science. A little Martel cognac and a coffee concluded this strenuous mid-day activity. I could only imagine what the evening would hold for me. I made my way through the narrow streets to the Promenade des Anglais along a peaceful Mediterranean Sea and briskly walked home enjoying a lovely November afternoon. Only a few hours before dinner and I had to be ready!