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Published: June 20th 2013
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So a quick story first. While walking thru Place de Massena, I hear police sirens coming up behind me. First a police officer on a motorcycle. Then another behind him, go whizzing by. Then a police car speeds past,and just when you think the police parade is over, a van drives by, the sliding door open and there sits a police officer,facing outside, hard look on his face, bullet proof vest and an automatic rifle gripped in his hands. What is going down in Nice france to get the swat team out? Interesting
So today I travel to Eze. A small town in between Nice and Monaco, with a medieval centre perched high above on its cliffs. I grab a train from Nice ville and take the 15 min ride to Eze. Once there I wait 25 minutes to take the 83 bus up to the top. Its windy,zigzagging our way up, but the views are beautiful. Once there, as soon as you get off the bus, you can feel the stonger wind gusts. At the base is the town itself, but once you start walking up the hill , it starts to change. Stone on stone and
winding narrow roads, uneven steps and a breath taking view of the Mediterranean sea. Its 11:30 when I arrive and I have lunch reservations at the famed Chevre d'or restaurant. I decided to explore a bit and build up my appetite. The town is rich in history and preserved quite well considering the amount if people walking thru. Now all the spaces that I can imagine was once occupied by bakers, and butchers, and cobblers, are now filled with touristy stores selling jewlery and art. Its still quaint and full of charachter despite this. And at least their selling art or crafts, not hundreds of ceramic magnets that say Cote d'azur on them.
A hour was enough time for me to wander thru these streets, and it just about time for my reservation. Warning: do not read this next bit if you are hungry. It will only aggravate your condition
I arrive at Chevre d'or. A hotel built into the rocks with spectacular views of the sea. The man at the front desk tells me that the restaurant is not ready yet and would I like to sit and wait in the lounge. I say yes as a
man appears in black pants white shirt and a black vest to escort me across the way to the lounge area. Upon walking in there is a stained glass windowed door that opens automatically into a room with a bar, velvet chairs and chandeliers. He asks if I want to sit outside , I say yes and the outside is this patio with sweeping breathtaking view of the coast below. He opens up an umbrella for me and pulls out my chair. I feel like I am in a. Very luxurious place. A waiter comes by 2 minutes later and offers me an amuse bouche. A watermelon gazpacho and a taste of ricotta and tomato. Plus a selection of olives and nuts. The amuse bouche is fantastic, and now I feel hungry. I get to enjoy the view for five more minutes before the man comes to me to tell me my table is ready. How exciting. He takes me across the way again up the stairs into the restaurant. A woman guides me over to a table by the window set up for one. The only other people in here are a japanese couple sitting next to me. She
pulls out my chair and they hand me a menu. There are 5 different people standing around waiting to service you. So you don't get one particular waiter they all help out to give you the best and most prompt service. It was like this at Akelarre as well. A man comes over and speaks french to me about the menu. I have to say that I understood him quite well, mind you a few words here and there,but how exciting it is to see progress every time I come back. He explains the menu and I decide upon the chefs menu, which I think, is always the best choice.
First comes this little bunt cake of bread, with lemon and grey salt. Parmesan sable cookies and bread sticks. The bread was warm and fresh,but did have candied lemon in it. Not my favorite.
Following was baked tomato stuffed with meat and vegetables with a veal Jus. The wait staff would carry them out to the table in these large white plates with a ceramic lid on top. They would place it before the guest with their finger tips on the lid, look at each other and lift
up to reveal the dish at the exact same time. Very military service.
Another bread basket made its round, this time I picked a roll with butter and salt baked in. I mean how can you say no? I don't eat bread throughout the year , I save it for these moments where I can indulge in it. It was sooooo good. After eating half I knew I better stop because I was already full. Dam bread, I know better.
Next was a terrine of foie gras and duck with pastry, pickled vegetable and marscarpone cream. Really good, but i was pretty full after this. But a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
Main course is cod with zucchini flower stuffed with vegetables, squash puree and a side dish of potatoes and vegetables with cod and lemon and foam on top. At this point its like sport, trying to finish. I get all the fish done and feel,like raising my arms up in victory, but this place was way to classy for that. Each dish served had a waiter telling you exactly what the dish was. They all spoke to me in french, and even
one girl asked me if I wanted french or english, I said french. Whatever I didn't get I would eaves drop on them speaking english to the japanese couple.The service was impeccable, as it should be. The one waiter even wore a white glove on his hand.
Desert comes and its dark chocolate covered cake with mango and passionfruit. It was delicious and I am really done now and sit back in my chair contemplating how I will move after. Then I hear the waiter wheeling in a cart , full of bright colors and rows of tiny delicacies. It looks like he's coming my way and I almost look behind me at the wall as if to say, theres no way thats for me. He stopped at my table and it was full of petite fours, so pretty , one couldnt resist. Even though I was beyond full, this wasnt about hunger, it was about the fact that I had to taste it. I took the pistachio cake with berries and white chocolate, on recommendation of the waiter, and a chocolate coconut macaron, and some cherries. What a perfect ending! I left feeling overly satisfied with my visit
to Eze. I left the restaurant happy and with a food baby. I walked down the hill and caught the bus just in time to head back to the train station. Mission accomplished .
On a last note, I have stumbled across an amazing struture in Nice, that Im surprised I didnt hear more about It. Its called square head, and the inside there is actually offices. Its so cool as are the parks around it. Check out the photos. Cannes tomorrow!
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