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Cannes, France


DonRocks

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Okay, our illustrious New York City forum host Rachel is in Cannes for a week on business - the poor thing.

I'm trying to find her a good bouillabaisse, even though it's Marseille - not Cannes - which specializes in this dish.

I wrote magadalena (Thérèse, my Niçoise belle-mère in case anyone hasn't figured that one out by now), and she knows of Gaston et Gastounette by reputation only, never having actually been there. I looked at their website, and don't entirely like what I see - it's right on the port (expensive), and looks a bit touristy. Bouillabaisse is 68 Euros per person, with a minimum of two people, and I don't like that they have a "miso-based variant," in fact, I don't like that at all.

There's also Tetou which is in a neighboring town and takes cash only, but I don't know of anywhere in Cannes for Rachel to find <<le vrai article>>. Maybe Cannes, despite its proximity to Marseille, just isn't a great bouillabaisse town. (NB, one of the greatest dining experiences of my life was at Les Echevins in Marseille, but it looks like that restaurant has changed since I've been.)

My one memorable meal in Cannes was at La Palme d'Or in the Hotel Martinez, but other than the incredible views of <<la Croisette>> (take a look for yourself), this meal - which was under the previous chef Christian Willer - was memorable primarily for being the most disappointing Michelin 2-Star restaurant I've ever experienced in France. It was a perfectly fine dinner, with an incredible view of the bay and correct service, but in no way did this restaurant merit two stars (in France, the difference between one and two is, theoretically, huge). The new chef, Christian Sinicropi, has been there since 2001, so I have no knowledge of how the restaurant is doing now.

All this to say that I have nothing of worth to offer Rachel - does anyone have any suggestions? Despite everything I typed above, she's not in search of luxury, but truly loves food, and would happily go exploring, walking away from the sea, in search of hidden gems. I urge her to have a bouillabaisse with a bottle of Cassis Blanc if, and only if, she can find a good one; otherwise, to save her money for her next stop in Rome.

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The latest from magadelena: <<Est-ce que "poor thing" ira déguster une bonne bouillabaisse chez Astoux et Brun"? M'a été indiqué par quelqu'un qui habite à Cannes. Le rapport qualité-prix est valable. Où est le risque? "Il faut vivre dangereusement".>>

Astoux et Brun sounds like a winner to me.

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http://www.tiara-hot...asp?id_hotel=10 this is about 15 km south of Cannes and is an incredible hotel with a dining room with the chef of a nearby two Michelin star restaurant. Phenominal bourride-perhaps a menu and dishes as good as anywhere on the French Riviera. We walked all over this and swore that one day we would return. Lunch was a memory that I still fantasize about-and write about. The hotel is a four star with a view for a bucket list. And, E 198 a night a week off of high season (i.e. second week of September). The Intercontinental in Cannes if E 450+. This has a better view. I would make the serious argument that the restaurant is one of the great bargains on the face of the earth: http://www.tiara-hotels.com/h_grupo_page.asp?idioma=EN&id_page=169&id_hotel=10

I should also note the setting of this hotel is breathtaking.

An opinion about bouillibasse: http://chowhound.cho...m/topics/485636

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http://www.tiara-hot...asp?id_hotel=10 this is about 15 km south of Cannes

I should also note the setting of this hotel is breathtaking.

If this hotel was 15 km south of Cannes, then the setting would be breathtaking - and I mean that quite literally.

An opinion about bouillibasse: http://chowhound.cho...m/topics/485636

This is one of the best bouillabaisse posts I've ever read. The true bouillabaisse experience is as special as going to the Coliseum in Rome (which I suspect Rachel will be doing in the next few days), and until you've actually lived through it, you just can't comprehend its splendor. And I agree: for under $100 a person, it's money very, very well-spent.

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