Food Glorious Food

I can’t move on to the next phase of our trip without giving at least a little space to the amazing food (and drink) we downed while in Nice and its environs. Pretty much everything was at least good – most was delicious.

First and foremost – the croissants. OH MY GOD. How French croissants are so much better than croissants anywhere else (including Algeria, which was owned by the French for a very long time) I will never know. But we took full advantage of our presence in out-of-this-world-croissant country.

In Monte Carlo, we opted for the overpriced tourist option – the cafe right outside of the casino. And, yes, it was wildly overpriced. BUT, unlike some of its overpriced tourist counterparts in other cities (I’m looking at you, Times Square), the food was YUMMY.

(The Casino is directly to the right)

I’ve discussed the drinks on the top of a mountain in a previous post, as I have our lunch in Cannes. Upon our return to Nice after Cannes, we were beat, so we opened a bottle of wine at the apartment. And then another. And then we decided we should probably stumble down the hill and find the closest restaurant that would feed us. And boy, did they! Yummmmmmy!

But we truly saved the best for last. La Merenda, a suggestion from a friend, is a tiny little restaurant that prides itself on having no phone, so you have to stop by in person to make reservations. Which we did. When we rolled in that evening, we joined about 18 other people, all elbow to elbow in the restaurant. The food was down home French cooking and all our options were chalked up on a blackboard that the waiter passed around the tables. We had friend zucchini flowers, and salad with cheese and figs, followed by sausage and lentils and beef stew. Plus their house wine (which in France is pretty much always amazing in my experience). Totally stuffed, the long walk home in the crisp, fall air, was a welcome end to the evening – and to our time along the Cote d’Azur!