Ville de Sienne


    When looking for quality restaurants in Nice, you'd do well to venture off the beaten track, rather than sticking to the often over-commercialised eateries of the promenade.

    This classical Italian restaurant, which opened in 1983, and has seen the likes of Ophélie Winter, Jacques Cousteau and Bono of U2 eat here in its time, oozes charm and authenticity from the moment you walk through the door- and into the kitchen. Well almost; the kitchen is situated by the door at the front of the restaurant overlooking the cosy, intimite red brick and exposed beams interior.

    Watching the chefs at work as they turn out mounds of fresh pasta is a treat, not to mention the abundance of rich aromas eminating from the stoves. All the well known Italian dishes are here: ravioli, lasagne, cannelloni etc, but to really appreciate the food, it's best to choose a dish which you wouldn't normally find in your local supermarket freezer department. The house speciality is rabbit cooked in a wood-fired oven, and it's easy to see why. The rabbit is basted in mustard and garlic, giving it a real kick, but this doesn't overplay the taste of the succulent meat, nor the rich herby sauce which surrounds it. The Saltimboca alla Romana (veal escalope wrapped in parma ham, in a white wine sauce, served with tagliatelle) and the ossobuco (again veal, but a leg cut, on the bone with a good tomato and mushroom sauce) are both excellent. Of course, if all this meat isn't to your taste, then there are many other dishes to tempt your taste buds: Gnocchi à la Gorgonzola is fresh and deceptively filling, and the strong but creamy smooth cheese sauce remains a classic in my book.

    The wine list is not as extensive, nor as "try me, try me!!" as the food menu, but still boasts four types of Chianti, pitchers of house wine and a decent Barolo. If you're in a celebratory mood however, the restaurant stocks Dom Perrignon, but if you find yourself a little out of pocket, try the cheaper bottle of house champagne, which is very good for making the odd toast or three.

    Ville de Sienne is open at lunchtimes (12 - 2pm except Sunday) and evenings (7-11pm, 7:30 - 11:30 Friday and Saturday) when it can get very busy, so booking in advance is always advisable.

    With meals between 100 and 200 Ffr including wine, and a pizzeria section opening soon (which promises to be as popular as the main restaurant), you'll be wanting to go back again and again- I know we will.

Ville de Sienne, 10 rue St. Vincent, Vieux Nice.
Tel: 04 93 80 12 45 - Fax: 04 93 80 32 95

BY : JOHN TORY AND PHILIP BLUNDELL