La Part des Anges - one for wine lovers and foodies
La Part des Anges - 18th July 2009
my favourite surroundings
Think of La Part des Anges first as a wine merchants, then as a wine bar serving light supper and finally as a restaurant. Very nice atmosphere here - very French but friendly and unstuffy. From outside you wouldn't realise any food was served here - there are just a few tables at the back and the restaurant is open only a couple of nights a week I think. Its main function is a wine merchants.
As a restaurant there is a limited menu and you buy the wine by the glass which means it's a great opportunity to try a different one with each course - from apéro to pudding. We have no real clue about wine and took the advice of the chap who served us - he seemed to be running the place alongside the chef who can be seen preparing meals through an open arch into the tiny kitchen. Courses were prepped, cooked and plated up in a tiny space with great speed and confidence.
Menu - sorry for the out of focus shot
If you like a particular wine, it is of course possible to buy a bottle or case of any of the wines you tried. During our meal, at the business end of the store, a group of people spent about two hours discussing, sampling and choosing champagne for a future event. All the wine is stored on the walls so don't lean back too far on your chair or the evening could become very expensive.
The room is high-ceilinged with vaulted walls with the menu chalked up on a board. There doesn't appear to be a fixed menu, just a selection of starters, mains and puddings. There isn't much choice, the emphasis is on the wine which is sold by the glass.
We noticed a couple of groups ordered the charcuterie starter, wine and nothing else - this seemed quite acceptable to the manager and is a good idea if you have had a big lunch and just want a light supper rather than a full meal. It might explain why cheese was part of the starters too - it's a good choice if you just want one course with your wine. The starters where appropriate are served and eaten straight off wooden platters. No standing on ceremony here and hang onto your cutlery for the next course.
Charcuterie - this is just one serving
The three of us shared one course of charcuterie - a large platter of ham, salami and prosciutto with great wodges of good bread - use your paper napkin if you don't want to eat off the marble-toppped table. We like strong red wine and were recommended the Côte du Rhone which we liked and continued to order throughout the next course. I had risotto with truffle oil and shavings - it was perfect. The other two both had veal cooked au point on a bed of vegetables.
quasi de Veau Rotis et legumes d'Alberga
risotto au beurre du Trufe et Trufes d'été
The charcuterie was excellent value at 10 euros, the photo shows one serving plus bread which we shared between the three of us. The other starters were around 11,50 euros, choose from a plate of cheeses, tomato with melon sorbet, octopus salad or gazpacho soup. Main courses were the veal and truffle risotto (see photos) at 14,50 and 17,50 euros respectively. there was also a ravioli dish and a mushroom and vegetable dish, both at 11,50 euros. Puddings were the fig/apple/sponge combination, homemade meringue/cream or fromage blanc with honey for 5,50 - 6 euros. Coffee is 1,60 euros a cup.
There were nine different wines available by the glass that evening which varied from 3 euro to 6,50 euros a glass. You will have to squint at the menu photo to make out the different types. There are a couple of aperitifs and a wide range of digestifs to follow your meal. No doubt, if you prefer a bottle of your own choosing e with your meal this would be no problem but we rather enjoyed trying something new on recommendation. It was the same with the food menu, a small unusual just 5 starters, 4 main courses and three puddings meant we all tried something different for a change.
All fabulous so far, the puddings were the least successful - I had fig/apple something with sponge and my daughter has brousse au miel which turned out to be fromage blanc with honey, it was ok. We had a 'zero pointé' Loire rosé wine with our pudding - wonderful, then coffee.
The bill came to around 100 euros. I liked the place a lot and I think it suits the casual approach of a starter of charcuterie, a glass or two of wine then clearing off although having said that, I could eat that risotto again and again...
If you have a particular interest in wine served with then you might really like this place particularly if you speak a little French. I got the impression the manager would talk wine with you as long like you like. The best bet is to amble along during the day, have a look inside, read the menu and if you like what you see, book a table. I am not sure of the nights that food is served - we went on Saturday night having popped in to reserve earlier in the day - it might be just Fridays and Saturdays. I don't know if food is served at lunchtime, sorry.
La Part des Anges is located in rue Gubernatis, handy for the Old Town and modern city centre:
La Part des Anges
17 rue Gubernatis
Nice 06000
tel: 04 93 62 69 80
fax: 04 93 54 76 04
map:
For other restaurant recommendations, please see my restaurant page on my website allaboutnice.com
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