5 Bites Of Cannes, France
For more than 50 years, celebrities, filmmakers, and moviegoers have flocked to Cannes each May for sun, fun, and film. Even if you can't gain entrance to the invitation-only Cannes Film Festival, which runs until Sunday, you can still dine like, and perhaps catch a glimpse of, the glitterati at these eateries.
Since getting a table at Cannes' top restaurants can be tough, The Daily Meal offers multiple recommendations for lunch and dinner. Bon appétit!
Breakfast/Snack: LENÔTRE, part of a small, Paris-based chain, makes fabulous pastries, cakes, and chocolates, each an edible exquisite work of art. Those with a sweet tooth can choose from the handmade fruit tarts, delicate chocolate cakes, and other seasonal sweets for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack.
Lunch: Veteran chef Jean-Pierre Silva, who once had a two-star establishment in Burgundy, now serves a varied, straightforward menu at Ondine Plage. Salade Niçoise, escargots, sole meunière, grilled lobster, rack of lamb, crème brûlée, and the like are distinguished by the high quality of the ingredients and precision of their preparation. After your repast, change into your swimwear and lounge on a chaise on Ondine's beach.
Lunch: Anna and Olivier Bouzerand whip up savory Southern cuisine in a traditional, country home setting at Le Mesclun. Le Mesclun makes locally sourced produce a prominent part of its menu, with offerings like lobster stewed in champagne cream with young vegetables from the Forville Market. Save room for desserts like the orange soufflé pancakes with candied peel and caramelized juice or butter and vanilla and pistachio sweet risotto accompanied by raspberries in cooked balsamic vinegar.
Dinner: La Palme d'Or is the quintessential Cannes culinary experience. The two-Michelin-star restaurant in the Hotel Martinez was created by Christian Willer in 1985, and Willer personally handed the kitchen over in 2007 to Christian Sinicropi, who continues to create a contemporary menu that changes with the seasons and remains the talk of the town. Since La Palme d'Or is only open Wednesday through Saturday, reservations are essential.
Dinner: Sébastien Broda 's menu at Le Park 45 at the Grand Hotel is light and inventive — offering the perfect meal just before an evening of film screenings. The Michelin-starred chef uses an abundance of local produce in his Mediterranean recipes. The à la carte menu and set menus change every three weeks, and Broda's inspiration is derived from his trips to local markets to source ingredients.