FRANCE - Best of Europe 2014 - page 523

Gelato lovers should save room for the tempting ice-cream stands in Vieux Nice. Fenocchio
is the city's favorite, with mouthwatering displays of 86 flavors ranging from tomato to lav-
ender to avocado—all of which are surprisingly good (daily March-Nov until 24:00, two
locations: 2 Place Rossetti and 6 Rue de la Poissonnerie). Gelato connoisseurs should head
for Crema di Gelato, where the selection may be a fraction of Fenocchio's, but the quality
is superior (5 Rue de la Préfecture, on Place du Palais).
Eating near Nice Etoile
(See “Nice Restaurants” map, here . )
If you're not up for eating in Vieux Nice, try one of these spots around the Nice Etoile shop-
ping mall.
On Rue Biscarra: An appealing lineup of bistros overflowing with outdoor tables
stretchesalongthebroadsidewalkontraffic-freeRueBiscarra(justeastofAvenueJeanMé-
decin behind Nice Etoile, all closed Sun). Come here to dine with area residents away from
the tourists. These two places are both good choices, with good interior and exterior seating:
L'Authentic has the most creative cuisine and comes with a memorable owner, burly Phil-
ippe (€23 two-course menus, €27 three-course menus, reasonable pasta dishes, tel. 04 93 62
48 88). Le 20 sur Vin is a neighborhood favorite with a cozy, wine-bar-meets-café ambien-
ce. It offers (bien sûr) good wines at fair prices, and basic bistro fare (tel. [phone]).
Bistrot les Viviers attracts those who require attentive service and authentic niçoise
cuisine with a big emphasis on fish. This classy splurge offers two intimate settings as dif-
ferent as night and day: a soft, formal restaurant, and a relaxed bistrot next door, both with
the same menu (€55 menu, €28-38 plats, bouillabaisse-€45, bourride-€27, fish soup starter-
€10). I'd reserve a table in the atmospheric bistrot, where some outdoor seating is available
(restaurantclosedSun, bistrot opendaily,5-minutewalkwestofAvenueJeanMédecinat22
Rue Alphonse Karr, tel. [phone]).
L'Ovale takes its name from the shape of a rugby ball. This welcoming, well-run bistro
has quality food at respectable prices, with an emphasis on the cuisine of southwestern
France. Dine inside on big plats for €10-13; consider their specialty, cassoulet (€17), or the
saladedemanchons (€13),withduckandwalnuts(excellent€18three-course menu, €13big
salads, daily, air-con, 29 Rue Pastorelli, tel. [phone]).
LeLunaRossa is molto Italian,withasmartsettinginsideandout.It'salso molto popu-
lar with locals. Come early or book ahead (€10 starters, €20-27 plats , just north of the park-
way at 3 Rue Chauvain, tel. [phone]).
La Maison de Marie is a surprisingly good-quality refuge off touristy Rue Masséna,
wheremostotherrestaurantsservemediocrefoodtotiredtravelers.Enterthroughadeep-red
arch to a bougainvillea-draped courtyard, and enjoy the fair prices and excellent cuisine that
drawneighborhood regulars andout-of-towners alike. The interior tables are asappealing as