Hotel Ellington****, Nice

Anybody living in Nice knows that there is this well known American Coffee chain in Nice Etoile that sells their coffee at really high prices compared to their ususall price range. Well I have a way for you to enjoy great coffee with lovely flavors!
This CG is at the Hotel Ellington on Boulevard Dubouchage. I chose a Speculoos Latte and it is so delicious!
What you see here is a REAL latte which is really hard to find in Nice with 3 types of home-made cookies! The Palmiers are my absolute favorite and I would do anything to get my hands on those every day! Thank god I work out or I would be bigger than Texas!

Now to the thing you are all wondering about, the price. 5€ is all i've got to say. 5€ is the price of a small coffee basically at Nice Etoile and here you get the latte and the cookies! What more could you want?!

I hope you guys visit this place, not just for the awesome coffee but also for their happy hour every day from 18:00 to 20:00 where the drinks are up to 50% off!

Contact info: http://www.ellington-nice.com/en/

Have a very merry christmas guys and a happy new year!!

Häagen-Dazs, Nice

So, major fail! Negresco only serves their CG during the week, annoying much! So backup plan was Pinkoffee... closed. So we decided on something that would definitely be open seeing as I was getting a tad hungry :P 

We decided on Häagen-Dazs because it was close by and open. My poison was the crepe en desire. Its a Crepe topped with chocolate, pralines & caramel ice-cream, Banana chocolate brownie, small chunks of brownie fudge sauce, fresh banana and whipped cream. As far as my expectations, they were high but weren't met sadly enough.. I wasn't a huge fan of the fudge nor the banana chocolate brownie ice-cream. Service was also less than stellar. It wasn't that she wasn't polite but it was really obvious that being a waitress was not what she was feeling like being at the moment. 

soooo all in all, I want those calories gone again to make room for ones that I like!

Hopefully I'll be able to show you the CG of Negresco soon!

Di Yar, Nice

Last week we went to this great Lebanese place in old Nice and I ordered a fresh mint tea gourmand after dinner. The tea was really good, not that hard when it's just fresh mint and hot water ^^. now to the good stuff. If you are not a fan of honey sweet and rosewater then this is not for you! I am a fan of honey sweet but not of rosewater... BUT I know tastes differ so I won't say it wasn't good! I loved the way it was made and it was authentic Lebanese food, just not really my taste. I would recommend  this to anyone who likes rosewater in their food. You might be thinking that it's not that much, but it is if you've had a main before, seeing as the Lebanese don't believe in small portions (which is amazing)!
This cute little CG was 5€ so not expensive.

Tomorrow i'll be trying the CG at Negresco and my expectations are high! So stay tuned!

L'F, Nice

After having the best CG ever it was apparently Karma that I get the worst one after that. 

This CG does not deserve the name CG! With one ball of bad ice-cream and a panna cotta topped with strawberry syrup from a bottle you do not create a good GC. The coffee was fine but that was also all about that. 

So as I said, the ice-cream was bad, not even that was done right. the little cigar thing was of course from a box. Then the panna cotta was fine but they topped it with that strawberry syrup that you get in those squeeze bottles to put on pancakes, and this quite frankly is a NO GO! 

My advice? Avoid at all costs because it is a waste of the 5€ you spend on it! (The crepe was bad as well!) 

http://www.lfcafe.fr

Les Epicuriens, Nice

Guys, do I have a treat for you! So I was sitting in the office contemplating what I should have for lunch when my boss suggested we go out to lunch for her birthday. I, of course, was all for it! Especially when I heard where we were going. So Les Epicureans is a Restaurant that is also in the Michelin guide. it's hidden away at the place Wilson in Nice and if you don't know where to look it's not easy to discover. 

We got there and were given our Menus. I chose the Trés belle Côte de veau which is a veal cutlet weighing a good 650 grams! no small piece of meat! That was accompanied by polenta enhanced by olives and confit tomatoes. The food, O MY LORD I don't think I have ever had such lovely soft veal, and that in combination with the sauce was just amazing!

Needless to say, I had try the CG here, and I don't regret it one bit! As you can see on the picture this is one huge plate of dessert. Just look at the espresso coffee in the middle for scale! 

So from Left to right we go...

Left is speculoos drenched in something very fine I couldn't identify (sorry guys! trust me, it was good though!) topped with a praliné chocolate mousse that in turn was topped with whipped cream and as decoration some very delicious chocolate flakes. Then we have an apple and pair crumble with very christmassy spices and very crunchy crumble. in the bottom middle we have a little slice of apple pie but instead of shortcrust it was made with puff pastry. all the way to the right we have cooked pears in red whine and spices which were very rich in flavour (If you are not in the christmas spirit yet, you will be after eating those) 

And last but most definitely not least, the panna cotta with mango coulis. The Panna cotta was so deliciously creamy with the silky smooth mango coulis on top and then to top that off there was even a caramel decoration on top! Don't judge, but I ate half of that caramel piece as well :P (I went to the gym to burn it off!)

Now I know what you guys are thinking, that must have been one expensive lunch! And yes it was... but not over the top in my opinion. The CG was actually cheap for the quantity and quality served. At 10€ you really can't complain! But this is not the type of establishment where you walk in and just order the dessert. So the Veal was 30€ but also well worth it in my opinion. If you are looking to splurge on a great meal or just want to impress someone, then this is the place to go! They also do different set menus which makes it cheaper, but they don't include the CG, just the dessert of the day. 

You can find them on Facebook and on trip advisor. Their site is still under construction.

https://www.facebook.com/RestaurantLesEpicuriensNice

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187234-d1048411-Reviews-Les_Epicuriens-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

Le Coin quotidien, Nice

Today Anne (My fellow intern) and I went out for some lunch at this great Lebanese place in old Nice. Now the restaurant Di Ya has some awesome Lebanese  food, but I wanted to go to Emilies for some cheese cake. Emelies  however had no more seating available, so Anne and I walked through the old town to find something else. That is when we stumbled across Le Coin Quotidien formerly the pain Quotidien. 

This awesome place hadn't even been on my list of places I want to go, but I saw this HUGE meringue in the window so I really wanted to check it out. We went inside and we immediately had this feeling of being in our grandmas kitchen. We were seated at a table with other quests which is kind of their concept. Everybody is seated at big tables which gives this great familiar atmosphere. the waiter was really nice and we were able to order immediately. 

I got a hot chocolate with marshmallow. Their hot chocolate is made with actual chocolate chips and is quite nice! Anne ordered earl grey tea which they serve in one of this tea web things that you put into your cup.  Anne's tea didn't actually had any tea leaves in it which we found was quite funny. Sh*t happens right? The waiter was quick to get the tea so no harm no foul. Then I got the dessert du jour which was this little raspberry tartlet with vanilla whipped cream. It tasted as good as it looks! it's got the freshness from the raspberries and the awesome sweetness from the whipped cream. 

I was disappointed that there wasn't any crème Pâtissiere under the raspberries which I am used to but I get why they didn't do that. It was perfect just the way it was! great balance of sweet sour and freshness. Don't get something like hot chocolate to drink when you get a dessert like that though because it gets way too sweet.

 This place also does brunch on Saturday and sunday which looked absolutely amazing! And seeing as the place was full I would think very good as well. 

Le Coin Quotidien 1, rue St-François de Paule 06300 Nice Tel : 04 93 62 94 32

Boulangerie Saint Francois, Nice

This week I decided to make my own CG at Boulangerie Saint Francois in Vieux Nice. I have wanted to try this place since my best friend told me that it was one of the best boulangeries in Nice. I asked if they do CG but as you may be able to guess, they don't. So that is why I decided to make my own. 

I chose 3 reduits, which are small versions of a normal sized pastry like a strawberry tartlet.  I payed 1€ per reduit and 2,50€ for the cappuccino so  I payed 5,50€ in total which is quite a cheap CG. 

I chose a reduit of shortcrust pastry with ganache, mille-feuille and strawberry tart. The chocolate ganache one, might have had a bit too much of dutch processed cocoa powder on it because it was kind of all I tasted before I got the taste of the shortcrust so not really one I would recommend. the mille-feuille and strawberry tart were very very good. the mille-feuille had a good amount of icing, which I find is the best party of the mille-feuille and is often overlooked in favour of the cream that fills it this little thing. 

The cappuccino was quite strong for my taste but not all that bad. The service was however quite a let down.. She, for some reason, was not in a smiling mood I guess. Only when we brought the trays back in instead of leaving them outside was she able to give us a small hint of a smile with a very stiff thank you. . It didn't really fill up but it was very tasty!

http://annuaire.118712.fr/Alpes-maritimes-06/Nice-06300/Boulangerie-saint-francois-0493918517_7E0070F00005R10200T10190G

Ds Délices: Brunch

So this week I won't be posting about CG seeing as I chose this amazing brunch instead! I am really happy that I did! I already posted about the CG at this place but this Brunch really beats it! This entire spread only costs 14,50€ and that is including one hot drink and some juice. If you prefer to have your savoury before your sweet, make sure you tell them. If you don't you most likely will get the sweet stuff first ;) Now to all of the things you get. 2 pancakes, fresh fruit, maple syrup, quark with Oreo crumble and last but not least the 2 english muffins! and the egg yolk is still runny ;)

So if you are looking for a good brunch in Nice, this is definitely a place to go! But be sure to reserve a table because it is almost always fully booked!

Bistrot-pâtisseries L'assiette

This little Bistro opened up a little while ago just around the corner of my workplace. I have wanted to try this bistro because it is also a patisserie which we all know I love! As my main meal I had a caesar salad which was amazing. The chicken was nice and moist and nice on its own. The croutons could maybe have been seasoned a bit but all in all it was very delicious.
Now to my favourite part! for 5,50€ you get this delicious CG, for 2€ extra you can get a cappuccino or other type of coffee.
I find 2€ a bit steep for just a bit of extra milk... The cappuccino was really good though, one of the best I have had in Nice.
In total I got three little treats. In the top right is a raspberry mousse, absolutely delicious! It had been in the fridge for more than a day which I noticed because the top layer was quite firm compared to the rest, but as a new restaurant I understand that you sometimes have sell things from the day before. The chocolate mousse is the same case, firm on top but absolute deliciousness. The almonds give it a nice little bit of crunch!
Then there is the raspberry cupcake with a buttercream. The buttercream was well made, not graney at all and not too sweat which is often the case! The cupcake had a little raspberry in the middle which I thought was a lovely little touch. Not just pretty but also tasty ;)

I recommend this CG even if it had a few things that made it just a bit less then perfect. The fast and really friendly service more than made up for this.


L'assiette
16 Rue Foncet Nice
Angle Rue Pastorelli

Tel: 04.93.91.30.65

Galerie Lafayette

Ristretto, Panna cotta with strawberry puree, macaron and a with fruit cream filled choux pastry. You can get all of this for the price of 6,30€ at galerie lafayette in Nice. now to be honest, I was really not  that impressed with a couple of things here. There was no way I was aloud to change my ristretto for a latté and the service was not friendly whatsoever! No smile, no bon appetite no nothing... really not the standard I expected of Galerie lafayette. The desserts were however good and that is really what I judge here. So I would recommend the desserts, but if you want the full package you would be better off eating somewhere else!



Website:
http://www.galerieslafayette.com

Ds Délices, Nice

The cheapest Gourmand i've had until now! for 5,50€ you get all of this deliciousness and for only 1€ extra you can get a Latte. Now from right to left:  Macaron, Spekuloos cookie, chocolate chip muffin, Canele, crepe with Nutella and last but not least strawberry's with whipped cream! definitely filling but not too sweet as one may think. Now I do have to be honest and say that I'm not sure if the macarons and muffins are homemade but who cares if they are delicious!

Facebook site:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ds-délices/103347479767455

Pastry Plaisir, Nice

Now this is no Café Gourmand, this is high tea in Nice, reinvented to suite a more french culture. The cook of this cute little place studied in London and therefore should know how to make a scone, which he does! The scones here are delicious! this high tea is worth the 20€ you pay for it! now we did need to wait a little while to get the high tea but ones you get it you know why :)
Be prepared to be questioned on what you think of the high tea because the owners have just started out and would really like to know what they can do to improve the meal.
So thats it on this unconventional high tea from Pastry Plaisir in Nice :)

Website:
http://www.pastryplaisirs.com

Les Garcons, Nice

I know I know, thats no Coffee! In most places you can just replace your Café Gourmand for a Thé Gourmand without any extra charge. So this time I was in a tee mood and so I got this little gem! This was my Dessert which was part of my three course meal at Les Garcons. So this dessert consists of: a chocolate macaron, panna cotta with strawberry coulis, Kinder chocolate mousse and tiramisu. this one I can definitely recommend! The tiramisu had a little bit too much alcohol but thats my taste and can differ from person to person ;) A delicious treat that is worth the 2€ supplement charge on top of the menu, which is btw only 24,90€ for 3 courses!
So enjoy! :)

Website:
http://www.restaurant-lesgarcons.fr

l'instant T Nice

This Café Gourmand was not a very successful one... I asked for a Latte and got an espresso with a shot of milk. The little cake to the right was some type of apple cake where I suspect they forgot the sugar and left it in the oven too long because it was really dry. The only sweet part about that little cake was the little piece of apple. The best part was the chocolate mousse with the whipped cream...
This Café Gourmand comes at the price of 5,90€ but is not one I would suggest getting...

This Brasserie does not have a website but you can find info on: http://en.resto.fr/restaurant/nice/06000-nice/69247-linstant-t/

Emelies Cookies

This Café gourmand actually surpassed my expectations and made my first Gourmand treat in Nice a memorable one!
For 5,90€ you get an espresso, a smaller piece of cheesecake, cookie and a brownie/muffin. I couldn't even finish it all that's how much it was! for an extra charge of 2€ you can change the espresso for a Latte.
You can find this particular Café Gourmand at Emilie's Cookies in Nice and in Monaco. I tried this one at the one in Nice Ville so it might be a bit different in the other Emilie's cookies because they don't always do the same in each establishment. Now be aware, this one is very addicting ;)

In short, this is definitely one worth trying!!

Website:
http://www.emiliescookies.com