I have been lucky enough to be going to Nice regularly over the last fifteen years. I love the place, it's a 'real' city unlike some of it's more illustrious neighbors.
I have enjoyed many great lunches and dinners over that time particularly at La Petite Maison, despite the rather prickly madame who owns the place. Peppered steak with greens beans and potato puree at Petite maison is quite spectacular(of Racine like proportions), as is their roast chicken stuffed with foie Gras, oh and their white chocolate mouse, heavy duty full on rather delicious rich french cuisine.
A couple of years back I began the search in Nice for a less 'flouncy', more down to earth restuarant where I could eat a more basic style of provencal/nicoise cooking. I remembered this little place I had stumbled past one drunken evening quite some time ago and decided to go back and investigate. All I could recall was it seemed french, it looked tiny and the menu was concise.
So off to the flower market I trotted, quite pleased I was able to recall the general vicinity of the restaurant. It was very early evening I remember, not long after seven. I pushed open the door and there it was, the tiniest restaurant I had ever stepped into. About thirty seats all crammed together, and even at this very young and tender evening service hour it was nigh on packed and buzzing. Luckily there was just enough space for my companion and myself.
The young man who greeted us and assisted the tricky manouvre into our seats was polite and cool. He re-appeared at the table quite sharpishly with a little black board and ran us through the menu. It was exactly what I was looking for(due to the fact Nice was once part of Italy there are heavy Italian influences in the local cuisine); to start there was stuffed sardines, ham, a little home made pizza, onion tart. For main courses a beef stew, tripe, sausages and lentils, homemade pasta with pistou, a gutsy french sausage made with offal, a pungent air dried fish preparation called stockfish. There were two wine choices.
I ordered pizza and the tripe to follow.
The wine arrived quickly, as if by magic, it was excellent and very local.
I then started to observe the set up and it became clear I was in somewhere quite special. At the back of the restaurant was the chef, calmness personified, cooking, tasting, watching his audience. He was, like his trusty front of house dressed in a cool, earthy denim overall........little things. The kitchen hardware was high quality, copper pans, a fantastic looking stove dominating his 'workshop'. The interior of the place oozed quality, really interesting pieces of art adorned the little walls, hessian draping from the ceiling. Bold provencal vase's on a couple of tables packed with beautiful flowers. The crockery was cute as too the bizarrely, kind of vintage 'disney-esq' water glasses, it was quirkly in a quality way. I was fascinated.
The little pizza arrived, a 'bready' pizza I must say but that kind of fitted the bill. It tasted excellent, what I noticed most of all was the intesity of the tomato and and brightness of the herbs on it. Next tripe, Nice style. This was so delicious, melting, giving and unctuous after very slow cooking. It had a slight piquancy. It was served with a 'panisse' as was my dining partners beef stew. I have since grown to adore 'panisse', it is a kind of fritter made from chickpea flour. At La Merenda it is used all the time. This particular dinner finished with a perfect disc of goats cheese smothered in beautiful olive oil, simplicity. Good nicoise olive oil is awe inspiring stuff.
Once the evening was over, engulfed with the charm of the place, I returned to my hotel room and started searching the internet for information about La Merenda and the story is a beautiful one. It revolves around Dominic Le Stanc, a two michelin starred chef who left behind the pomp and ceremony of the Chantecler at the Negresco and bought the little jewell about ten years ago. He had clearly had enough of souffles and reductions and wanted to cook paired down, real nicoise food.
I go back each and every time I visit Nice now and I have to say it offers the most charming eating experience each time. Dominic and his fantastic front of house assistance from his wife at lunch time, and the 'cool' chap in the evenings are always friendly and warm. I have been through the preverbial 'card' menu wise; sometimes something new pops in, I was there last week and they excitedly explained to me about these special raw small fish they had in, of course I had to order them, as a pre starter on toast, and it was magnificent. The beef stew is fantastic as is the andouilette but my favorite combination seems to have settled on either stuffed sardines or pizza to start followed by the tripe, sprinkled heavily with cheese. There is always a beautiful sweet tart to finish with if required.
I believe it is a truly unique restaurant due to its size and purity of the menu and food it offers. Don't get me wrong its not food that is going to blow you away, it is simple, home cooked, locally sourced regional fare produced with meticulous care and love. It is the sort of restaurant that should exist everywhere but doesn't. It is my (pipe)dream to be the chef/patron of such an establishment. London's closest comparable restaurant would be the magical Giaconda dining room.
I wanted to show you a copy of the card from La Merenda to finish with but alas I have lost it; it has a fun little painting reproduced on it then in french it says;
'La Merenda, lunch 12-3, dinner 7-10, no telephone, no reservations, closed on Saturday and Sunday.' It is closed for most of August.
You see La Merenda is run by Dominic and to suit Dominic, that's why it works. That's why it is always fresh, consistant and alive.
All I can say is long may it live, it's bloody marvellous.
La Merenda
4 Rue Raoul Bosio
Nice
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