Popular wine-bars on the Riviera
Especially at lunchtime, wine bars are going from strength to strength.
Wine bars are going from strength to strength. In a hurry or not, both men and women continue to book their tables, especially at lunchtime. For a moment of relaxation, to be enjoyed without moderation…
There’s nothing better for the morale than eating and drinking well. Proving the point, the region’s wine bars are all full at mid-day, and it’s advisable to reserve a table in those that stay open for dinner. Most wine bars simply chalk up the menu on a blackboard : every day, the dishes are posted for guests who sit down at bistro-style tables with no fuss or fancy. The priority here is authenticity - and the cellar ! Olivier Labarde of La Part des Anges proposes about 500 different labels, which he describes enthusiastically and in depth. Country-style open sandwiches and grand’ma’s recipes (such as cod “brandade” and stuffed cabbage) are among the favourites. At Vin sur Vin, you’ll also find “tartines” or you can order your glass of wine with a plate of cold meat or cheese. That’s the secret ! Choose your nectar first, then think what will go with it. “Our trade is wine,” says Anthony Robin, “sommelier” at Amour-Vinum. Here too, plates of cheese, cold meats and patés accompany the wide array of wines. At Le Comptoir du Sud, you’ll be spoilt for choice and given the chance of sampling original bottles. Daniel Bouley is not one to content himself with simple classics. Classicism is reserved for the cuisine, with the very essential Provençal beef-stew. Provence is equally present at L’Auberge des Arts “La Cave”, at the heart of the Old Town of Nice. Every Monday, well-known wine-buff Yves Botasso organizes wine-tasting evenings. No need to worry, you don’t have to be an experienced professional to appreciate the stuffed sardines, tripe “à la niçoise”, “stockfisch” or Swiss chard pie, all washed down with a Bordeaux (the collection is worth the detour).
Wine bars also have their fans in the Festival City. At La Cave Forville, 20,000 bottles preen before the customers. They’re all there : great vintages, classified labels, small vintners and wines from all over the world. As for the cuisine, your hosts have opted to stick to basics : cold meats and cheese. Originality comes in the form of top-notch vintages served by the glass - much appreciated by fans ! The wine bar atmosphere is exemplified by Le Comptoir des Vins. The expert here is Jérôme Bitton (formerly of L’Oasis) : he practises the fine art of “sommellerie” with 350 labels, including vintages also served by the glass. You’ll dine on market-fresh produce, especially seasonal items. And alternate between “rillettes”, smoked salmon, cold meats (“coppa”, raw ham…), “foie gras” from Alsace, and “tartiflette” or Diots aux Crozets (at least once in your life, you must taste these Savoy sausages in white wine, accompanied by sarrasine pasta with fresh cream and Beaufort cheese). You may already have come across Sébastien Fouet, former cellarman at Fauchon in Cannes. A few years ago, he decided to go solo, and launched Le Petit Fouet. Here, the champagne flows freely and fans of whiskey are treated to a fine collection of labels. In Valbonne, La Fontaine aux Vins has a dual identity. First, a boutique with cheese, olive-oils…, then a wine bar. In summer, anchovies, pepperoni in oil, “ratatouille” and a variety of open sandwiches find their way to the tables, to be replaced as soon as cooler weather arrives by more appropriate fare. Worth trying : the four terrines of quail, venison, boar and duck, and a wide range of regional wines, including a rosé from Porquerolles.
Address-book
Amour-Vinum, 27 rue Châteauneuf, Nice (04 93 44 06 44). Dish + a glass of wine : 8.50 to 10 €. Auberge des Arts « La Cave », 9 rue Pairolière, Nice (04 93 62 95 01). A la carte : 15 to 25 €. La Cave Forville, 3 place du Marché Forville, Cannes (04 93 39 45 09). Daily special and wine by the glass : 14 to 16 €. A la carte : about 60 €. La Fontaine aux Vins, 3 rue Grande, Valbonne (04 93 12 93 20). Daily special : 11 €. A la carte : 20 to 25 €. La Part des Anges, 17 rue Gubernatis, Nice (04 93 62 69 80). Dishes : 8.50 to 15 €. Wine by the glass : 2.40 to 5.50 €. Open for lunch, Friday and Saturday evenings by reservation. Closed Sundays. Le Comptoir des Vins, 13 boulevard de la République, Cannes (04 93 68 13 26). Menu : 23 €. A la carte : 26 to 35 €. Closed Sundays. Le Comptoir du Sud, 6 rue Gambetta, Nice (04 93 12 28 48). Formulas : 18, 22, 28 and 34 €. A la carte : 45 to 50 €. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Le Petit Fouet, Auberge de Mougins, 12 place du Village, Mougins (04 92 92 11 70). Menus : 15 € lunchtime only, 18 and 36 €. A la carte : 8 to 30 €. Vin sur Vin, 18 bis rue Biscarra, Nice (04 93 92 93 20). Daily special : 8 to 10 €. A la carte : 20 to 32 €.
By Cécile Olivéro - photos : Edith Andreotta
