Treasures from the sea
Oysters, mussels, clams… to be relished from a big sea-food platter, without moderation !
Dieticians all agree that shell-fish are never out of bounds for those on a diet (especially if you avoid accompanying them by any grease). Savour them plain, with lemon-juice or vinegar and shallots, as many as you like. Some people say you should only eat shell-fish in months with an “r”. In the other months, oysters are more “milky” or “creamy”. So really, it’s just a matter of taste. The name comes from the Latin “ostrea” and oyster-beds began to develop in Europe in the last century. Connoisseurs are well aware that there’s a difference between “Fines de Claire” (numbered according to size, with the highest number indicating the smallest oyster), “Creuses” from Brittany, and “Spéciales”… Usually eaten raw, they can also be cooked (La Mère Germaine proposes them “au gratin” with champagne). An enticing alternative !
From Fréjus to Monaco, via Cannes, Golfe-Juan and Antibes, the Riviera offers some top-notch addresses. At A La Marée (four addresses all in the same spirit), variety and quality go hand-in-hand. From the Discovery version to the Prestige Platter, everyone can appreciate oysters in all their splendour. Astoux, well-known since 1920 and just a few yards from the legendary Croisette, proposes variations on the theme and is a must among dedicated fans. At least once in your life as a gourmet, treat yourself to the “Mammouth Marin” (crayfish, crab, oysters, clams, “almonds”, mussels, winkles, whelks, pink and grey shrimps), a memorable experience for the palate. Still in the Festival City, facing the old port, Pierrot 1er with its Art Deco interior perpetuates the tradition of these precious shell-fish (from Marennes, Bouzigues…). Then there’s Tétou at Golfe-Juan : the name alone evokes the treasures of the sea and the joy of seeing them brought to table. A little further west, at the heart of Cap d’Antibes, you’ll find César, otherwise known as the Keller beach restaurant... Then on to the capital of the Côte d’Azur. Flo is a reference here in Nice for its superb oyster bar : the composition of its platters of shell-fish is something of an art. The atmosphere is that of a chic “brasserie”. Very popular with the locals and seafood fans, the Café de Turin also has a wonderful oyster bar. Boccaccio offers a different ambiance, a setting staged in caravel style. Its “Plateau Royal” certainly deserves these appropriate surroundings. In Monaco, the Saint-Benoît overlooks the sea, and lunch or dinner on its terrace is a rare moment of privilege. Admiring the house platter of shell-fish with the Med in the background is one of life’s genuine charms. A pleasure you will have to postpone until the fall at the Café de Paris, as this famous "brasserie" in fact only serves shell-fish from October 1st to March 31st.
A la Marée, 10 bd Jean-Hibert, Cannes (04 92 98 05 50), 167 promenade des Flots Bleus, Saint-Laurent-du-Var (04 93 14 12 42), Port Santa Lucia, Saint-Raphaël (04 94 19 25 38), place des Galoubets, Fréjus (04 94 83 14 57). Open 7 days a week. From 15 € for a platter of seafood to 95 € for the Royal Prestige platter for 2 persons. Astoux, 43 rue Félix-Faure, Cannes (04 93 39 06 22). From 5.60 € for 6 oysters to 90 € for the Mammouth Marin. Bocaccio, 7 rue Masséna, Nice (04 93 87 71 76). Café de Turin, 5 place Garibaldi, Nice (04 93 62 29 52). Café de Paris, Place du Casino, Monaco (00 377 92 16 20 20). Platter with crab : 61 €, with lobster : 76 €. Flo, 2 rue Sacha Guitry, Nice (04 93 13 38 38). La Mère Germaine, 7 quai Amiral Courbet, Villefranche-sur-Mer (04 93 62 29 51). A la carte : approx. 48 €. Le Saint-Benoît, 10 ter avenue Costa, Monaco (00 377 93 25 02 34). Closed Sunday evening and Mondays. Seafood platters : from 25 to 80 €. Pierrot 1er, 51 rue Félix-Faure, Cannes (04 93 39 03 95). A la carte : approx. 50 €. Restaurant Le César, plage Keller, chemin Garoupe, Juan-les-Pins (04 93 61 28 23). Tétou, 8 avenue des Frères Roustan, Golfe-Juan (04 93 63 71 16).
