Cannes re-visited
A rendez-vous for the stars of international renown, Cannes is also a town on a human scale, easy to live in and enjoy. An unusual paradox that it has mastered to perfection.
From cheerful bistros for stand-up snacks to temples of high gastronomy, Cannes boasts a wide array of must addresses. The first coffee of the morning deserves a setting on a par with the event : the smooth running of the entire day depends on it… In two different styles, Café Lenôtre and Volupté are the places to go. At Volupté, which has just had a facelift, the ambiance is cosy, rather like a cocoon (contemporary, nevertheless). Regulars all adore its cakes, crumbles etc. At tea-time, it’s hard to find a seat, and same goes for the Café Lenôtre. If at lunchtime you prefer bistro style, head for Simplicité. Christophe Mantel, of the restaurant of the same name, here proposes local dishes with subtle nuances : caviar of aubergine, stuffed vegetables, “pistou” soup, “brandade” of cod… Classic fare in an inviting setting. More inclined towards Parisian “brasseries” ? Fouquet’s Cannes is the place for you. An exact replica of its namesake in the capital, this resto decorated by Jacques Garcia proposes traditional French cuisine. Those who can’t live without a wok, delicacies in little glasses and do-it-yourself salads in trendy, minimalist settings are fans of Sof (Spirit of Food…). 40 year-olds get together at Sens ; here, the cuisine plays on modernism and mixtures, and the upstairs room sees itself as colourful and up-beat. But Cannes is first and foremost La Croisette, that strip of glamour along the seafront, dotted with palm-trees and palatial hotels. The Martinez, for example, is home to the Relais Martinez, the hotel’s “second” resto. As soon as the sun comes out, you can lunch on the teak terrace in the midst of the olive-trees. The chef concocts Italo-Provençal recipes, fresh cod flavoured with orange-blossom and braised aubergines, fillet of sea-bass “à la plancha”. For an Italian-style meal, locals will tell you there’s only one address : Rigoletto. Franco Ansalone has moved with his wife and children into a delightful house at the entrance to the town, where all four see that their guests rediscover the cuisine of the famous boot of Italy. Pasta, of course, but prepared by Franco, accompanying calf’s liver Venetian-style or gambas pan-fried in olive-oil. With the first rays of the sun, why not head for the beach ? A reference in Cannes, L’Ondine has been under new management for the past couple of years with Léo Ducroix making way for Jean-Pierre Silva. The parasols and sun-loungers are still yellow, and the food of commendable quality. The chef pays due respect to sea-bass, royal bream, crayfish and lobster, while “assiettes composées” offer variety and wine fans benefit from an enticing cellar. More “design”, ZPlage, the beach of the Martinez, has always been full since it opened. A life of luxury by the sea, with food focusing on “Healthiness and Well-being”. Plus, something new on this spring’s menu, “Cuisine au wok”. At the cocktail hour, there are several solutions : Instan’T Café (which also serves savory pies and salad for lunch) with art adorning the walls, or the bar at the 3.14 Hotel, an ideal lounge to kick off your evening. Which promises to be long ! If you’ve decided to move as little as possible, settle down at Le Cink, the hotel’s restaurant, and let the charm of cuisine signed Mario d’Orio work its spell. Zen, organic and therefore natural as well as tasty, the challenge taken up by the 3.14 seems to have been won hands down.. World cuisine and contemporary decor (chocolate and cream, leather and wengé, lighting designed by Starck) characterize 38 The Restaurant at the Gray d’Albion, refashioned 21st-century style. Alain Roy interprets Mediterranean dishes based on tomatoes, fish and sea-sonal vegetables : semi-cooked tuna with soy sauce, veal cutlets and “barigoule” of violet artichokes… Recommended for business and “après-shopping” lunches. As for Lucie Panossian, she and her husband are still fascinating guides to Armenian cuisine. You’ll naturally find “mezze”, “beleks” (cheese in flaky pastry), caviar of aubergine, “keshkegs” (beef with natural wheat), “paklava” (flaky pasty with cinnamon and hazelnut) and “croquants” with sesame seeds. But then there are the commentaries and explanations of the mistress of the house, always ready to share her knowledge. Then what would Cannes be without its gastronomic restaurants and star-rated chefs ? Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s ! The Palme d’Or, directed for over two decades by Christian Willer, is now in the hands of Christian Sinicropi. Willer’s disciple and successor focuses on local produce and, while he is indeed heir apparent to the chef from Alsace, he nevertheless asserts his own personality. His cuisine is naturally signed Sinicropi. Protected from the madding crowds, almost in Le Suquet, Mantel has turned his restaurant into a rendez-vous for gourmets wanting to dine incognito. You can therefore savour in blessed peace and quiet his sea-bass with crisp skin or knuckle of veal braised and glazed in the oven. In charge of the wine cellar, a real professional, Demetrio Argibay, who also acts as master of ceremonies.
Carnet
Café Lenôtre, 63 rue d’Antibes (04 97 06 67 65). A partir de 10,40 €. Cink, 3.14 Hôtel, 5 rue Einesy (04 92 99 72 00). 38 The Restaurant, 38 rue des Serbes (04 92 99 79 60). A partir de 30 €. Fouquet’s Cannes, 10 boulevard de La Croisette (04 92 98 77 05). Formule : 27 €. Menus : de 27 à 40 €. Carte : environ 60 €. Il Riogoletto, 60 boulevard d’Alsace (04 93 43 32 19). Menus : 15 et 49 €. Carte : environ 50 €. La Palme d’Or, 73 boulevard de La Croisette (04 92 98 74 14). Menus « Croisette & Gourmandise » : 61 €, « Azur & Provence » : à partir de 79 € ; « Palme d’Or » : 155 €. Carte : à partir de 105 €. Le Relais Martinez, 73 boulevard de La Croisette (04 92 98 74 12). A partir de 30 €. Le Restaurant Arménien, 82 boulevard de La Croisette (04 93 94 00 58). Menu-carte : 42 €. L’Instan’T Café, 4 rue de Bône (04 93 99 77 18). Thé + pâtisserie : 10 €. Apéritif : de 5 à 12 €. Mantel, 22 rue Saint-Antoine (04 93 39 13 10). Menus : 23, 34 et 58 €. Carte : à partir de 60 €. Plage L’Ondine, 15 boulevard de La Croisette (04 93 94 23 15). Carte : de 15 à 45 €. Sens, 20 rue Victor-Cousin (04 92 98 02 33). Menus : de 29 à 125 €. Carte : à partir de 45 €. Simplicité, 5 rue Jean-Daumas (04 93 68 27 40). Menus déjeuner : 15 et 20 €. Carte : à partir de 25 €. Sof, 4 place Gambetta (04 93 38 38 10). Menu Verrines : de 11 à 15 €. Menu Woks : 10,80 €. Volupté, 32 rue Hoche (04 93 39 60 32). Thé et pâtisseries : 5 €. ZPlage, 73 La Croisette (04 92 98 74 22). Carte : 70 €.
Par Cécile Olivéro
