Cote d Azur

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Castellaras (Le)

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NiceGinna
NiceGinna
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5 out of 5
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A Wonderful Meal in the Countryside

  • March 19, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by NiceGinna from Evanston, Illinois
A Wonderful Meal in the Countryside

I wouldn't normally recommend having a car if you are spending a week or two in Nice or on the Cote d'Azur. But if you do have access to a car, this makes a terrific destination for a wonderful meal and a delightful town to visit, off the beaten track.

The fortified town of Fayence, not far from Grasse, is perched on a hilltop and is charming. Nearby is the restaurant Le Castellaras, owned by chef Alain Carro who is assisted by his daughter Hermance. Madame Carro is the hostess. It isn't inexpensive - the menu that we had today was 45 euros, plus drinks. But the portions were enormous. The next time I would order an entree (first course) and a dessert! Or just a main plate and dessert, at most.

We started with a coup de champagne and they brought out little hors d'oeuvres of smoked salmon and cheese. We were then served a bouche-amuse of smoked salmon with wonderful home-made breads. Next came our entrees (first course): I had a very generous portion of foie gras and a delicious salad of beets, green beans, tomatoes, lettuces, nuts; David had rouget (a local fish) with risotto which could easily have been a main course with 5 pieces of fish and a generous helpiing of the risotto.

For the main course David had the rognons and ris de veau (kidneys and sweetbreads) while I had the loup (sea bass) with beautiful green vegetables - peas, broccoli, pea pods, fennel, and brussel sprouts, with one piece of carrot for contrast. We had a 1/2 bottle of rose to accompany all.

The cheese course was interesting - David's was a glace (ice cream?) of brebis cheese while mine was a layered soft cheese with truffles. With this we shared a glass of red wine.

Then for dessert I had the moelleux au chocolate (a soft chocolate cake) with ice cream and David had a pancake wrapped around a Grand Marnier souffle that was outstanding. With coffee, more sweets were served.

This would be a particularly lovely place to come in the summer months, with its outdoor patio and gardens. But inside is very welcoming, with its pale green linens and exquisite place settings.

From journal Retiring to Nice Was a Dream; the Reality's Even Better

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