All tagged lunch
Word of mouth is my favorite way of finding out about a new spot—a personal recommendation beats any guidebook. When said words come from la bouche of Marseille’s oldest, and best, coffee roaster, André Luciani, you know that a fine cup of café is bound to be had. And Monsieur Madame pours it in one of the most delightful settings.
The legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer says, “A great restaurant is one that makes you feel like you’re not sure whether you went out or you came home. If it can do both of those things at the same time, you’re hooked.” At Mademoiselle Fifi, the just-opened spot nestled in the new Puces de Fifi, you feel like you’re dining at your friend’s home…which also happens to be an antique shop.
In the multicultural melting pot that is Marseille, a Japanese joint feels right at home. When it serves takoyaki, the fried octopus balls that make foodies squeal, and taiyaki, a fish-shaped, waffle-like dessert, Tako-San feels like it was made for this seafaring city.
Like my former stomping ground, Seattle, Marseille has a surprising lack of decent fish restaurants for a city centered on the fishing industry. There are tourist traps that dish overpriced bouillabaisse and bistros that serve fish drowning in fanciful sauces. Yet, when fish is freshly plucked from the sea, it simply needs a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a dash of salt and pepper. Luckily, there is Boîte á Sardine.
In French, le café refers to both the drink and the place where you sip it. While the French excel at latter--it is as intrinsic to the country as bread with every meal-- the beverage itself is surprisingly awful for the gastronomically inclined Gauls. Luckily, the third wave of coffee and its small batch, indie goodness has hit France. In Marseille, that wave has crashed with Coogee.
