Design on the menu

They’re trendy, contemporary… and therefore a must ! These addresses have opted for a modern spin, in their decor as well as their dishes.

Streamlined design, top-notch materials, a minimalist approach… Cool restaurants are popping up here and there on the Riviera. A good example is Le Benkiraï at Saint-Tropez, in the countryside, at the gateway to Provence : an establishment bearing the Patrick Jouin signature, clad in “benkiraï”, a pale wood from Indonesia which the locals have gradually incorporated into their surroundings. The hotel’s restaurant reflects the same mood, with its terrace surveying the chic and graphic pool. Dining means royal Thai recipes concocted by Oth Sombath. In Cannes, a few metres from the Croisette, the 3.14 Hotel invites you on a lightning tour of all five continents with colours, music, flavours and fragrances as your only baggage. The restaurant, Le Cink, blends blue and violet with dishes based on organic ingredients. Not far away, in place and stead of the venerable Royal Gray, 38 The Restaurant now gives a youthful image of the Groupe Barrière by combining prestige and modernity. Leather and wengé are the order of the day, a variation on the themes of chocolate and cream in a farandole both warm and trendy, lit by a master of the art, Philippe Starck himself. Manning the ovens, Alain Roy proposes Mediterranean fare with a touch of modernity and lots of respect. Succeeding Roger Vergé was a challenge for Alain Llorca. Under his direction and that of Jacqueline Morabito, the Moulin de Mougins has been completely revamped : white is dominant, the chef and master of the house having opted for minimalism to serve as a backcloth for sculptures by César, Arman, Folon… Expect surprises at table, such as pizza in little cubes, but also more classic offerings such as sea-bass with green tomato, fennel and “panisses”. More surprises in Nice, for all those who go looking for the Keisuke sign. It doesn’t exist. The Japanese chef prefers discretion, and only two big pots (of modern design, of course) indicate the entrance to his restaurant. Inside, real purity, stone, metal and wood, an almost monastic ambiance, broken only by the cuisine of this super talented chef. Matsushima works like a water-colorist, harmonizing tastes and colours, having fun with textures and temperatures, and only using seasonal produce. Mauro Colagreco is ensconced in an architect designed villa surveying the Old Town of Menton and the Garavan yacht harbour. Mirazur is rather like a balcony overhanging the Mediterranean, basking in sunlight and boasting superb terraces planted with citrus trees. After your meal, this is the place to relax in a “nature lounge” atmosphere. In the Principality, two addresses give priority to contemporary taste. Sakura, for Japanese gastronomy, and Petrossian which, after Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, has now moved into Monaco. It provides its caviar of the same name with a setting in white gold (for the ceiling), mother-of-pearl, stainless steel and sheer luxury. For Sakura, total Zen, all refinement and subtle nuances. Its high-tech design is the ideal showcase for delicacies proposed by the internationally renowned chef, Akihiro Furuya.

Carnet

Sakura, a very contemporary address for Japanese gastronomy. Minimalist, with a tasteful play on transparency.

Sakura, a very contemporary address for Japanese gastronomy. Minimalist, with a tasteful play on transparency.

Designs on nature : Le Mirazur in Menton is highly rated both inside and out. Come summer, come winter, it is elegant and up-to-the-minute.

Designs on nature : Le Mirazur in Menton is highly rated both inside and out. Come summer, come winter, it is elegant and up-to-the-minute.

Le Cink, the restaurant at the Hotel 3.14, proposes organic food and highly contemporary decor for both its design, materials and use of colour.

Le Cink, the restaurant at the Hotel 3.14, proposes organic food and highly contemporary decor for both its design, materials and use of colour.

38 The Restaurant, 38 rue des Serbes, Cannes (04 92 99 79 60). Carte : à partir de 35 €. Benkiraï, 11 chemin du Pinet, Saint-Tropez (04 94 97 04 37). Carte : à partir de 60 €. Cink, 3.14 Hôtel, 5 rue François Einesy, Cannes (04 92 99 79 60). Carte : environ 47 €. Keisuke Matsushima, 22 ter rue de France, Nice (04 93 82 26 06). Menus : 35 € et 45 €. Le Moulin de Mougins, avenue Notre-Dame de Vie, Mougins (04 93 75 78 24). Carte : environ 90 €. Mirazur, 30 avenue Aristide Briand, Menton (04 92 41 86 86) Menus : 35 € (déjeuner), 70 € et 90 €. Carte : environ 80 €. Petrossian, 11 avenue Princesse Grace, Monaco (00 377 97 77 00 24). Sakura, Palais de la Scala, 1 avenue Henry-Dunant, Monaco (00 377 93 50 89 33). Menu sushi : de 18 à 26 € au déjeuner, de 22 à 36 € au dîner. Carte : environ 35 €.

By Cécile Olivéro.