Eat and Drink Your Way Through Old Nice

As the days grow shorter and colder at my home in the mid-Atlantic, I fondly reminisce about my time in my tiny apartment in Old Nice just a few months ago. I miss feeling like a part of the neighborhood and  wandering through the tiny streets, discovering new shops, galleries and cafés along the way. If you are lucky enough to visit Nice yourself, be sure to make time to visit Vieux Nice, the old town, where you’ll find some of the tastiest food and wine in the world. And a lot of it is even good for you.

When someone refers to Niçoise cuisine, you probably think of Niçoise salad; however, that’s just one dish on a long list of this city’s specialties. While Nice is located in the heart of the lavish French Riviera, its cuisine evolved when the region was controlled by Italy, and the majority of its inhabitants were poor. Therefore, the primary ingredients are grown or caught in the area, and they are always fresh. Local olives and olive oils, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs de Provence and fish are easy to find at the daily market on the Cours Saleya.

Where to go

Beside the market, here is a list of some of the can’t-miss spots that will give you a true taste of Niçoise cuisine.

Alziari

Alziari Moulin à Huile, 14 rue St. Francis de Paule (near the Opera)

This shop is known for its olive oil, which has been produced for more than 150 years. In addition, you can find honey, spices and wine here.

Coté-Vin

This wine shop is next to Alziari, so be sure to stop in and buy a few ice bags, a thick plastic bag that doubles as portable wine chiller and is perfect for picnics and parties. It makes a great souvenir for friends who like wine, and it’s easy to pack.

Bistrot Antoine, 27 rue de la Préfecture, (0)4 93 85 29 57 (past the Palais de Justice)

This small restaurant is frequented by the locals, which usually means you can’t go wrong. The menu is definitely not geared toward vegetarians, but there are some fish dishes. Prices are reasonable, and it’s always crowded, so reservations are a must. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday.

Les Distilleries Idéales, 24 rue de la Préfecture

This is one of the best happy hour spots in Nice. Small tables outside are the ideal place to sip on a draft beer or a glass of local wine and watch the world go by. Inside, you’ll find large televisions airing sports in a pub-like atmosphere.

Caves Caprioglio, 23 rue de la Préfecture

If you’re looking for a great bargain, visit this wine shop. Bring in your own bottle, and have it filled with the house rosé or red for only €1.90. Speaking of rosé, this isn’t the rosé that’s considered undrinkable by connoisseurs. In fact, it’s a specialty of the region. If you like wine, be sure to try some while you’re here.  

Pizza Pili, rue du Collet and 24 Rue Benoît Bunico 

Nothing goes with cheap wine like cheap pizza, and Pizza Pili doesn’t disappoint. For €6.50, you can get a large pizza loaded with toppings. There are about a dozen varieties, including my favorite, the Provencal, which overflows with vegetables. Like other pizzerias in Italy and France, this dish has thin crust and creamy cheese, and I find it more delicious than the American version. If you plan to go to Pizza Pili, be sure to avoid the rush around 8:00, the traditional French dinner time. Also, there are only a few tables on the street, so it’s best to count on taking the pizza back to your hotel.

Fenocchio, Place Rosetti
Known as the best ice cream in Nice, Fenocchio boasts more than 100 flavors ranging from the everyday chocolate and vanilla to the exotic, including basil, cactus, oregano, beer and zucchini. Enjoy your treat and the view of St. Réparate cathedral, which dates back to the eleventh century, in this bustling but beautiful square.

Chez Juliette

Chez Juliette, 1 rue Rosetti, (0)4 93 92 68 47

The food at this tiny restaurant off Place Rosetti is only matched by its charm. I passed this place quite often since it was around the corner from my apartment, and it was always packed. When I stopped in to eat shortly after it opened one night, the outside dining area was already full, so I settled for a table inside, but I was not disappointed, thanks to the shabby chic décor and impeccable service. The menu included local favorites, including petit farcis, a dish made of vegetables stuffed with meat. Whether you’re with friends or on a date, Chez Juliette this is a delight in dining. Just be sure you arrive when it opens at 7 or make a reservation.

Local flavor

You can find several restaurants in Old Nice that serve local dishes. Here is what to look for:

Petits farcis: vegetables, such as red peppers, eggplant and zucchini stuffed with ground meat, parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Tarte aux blettes or tourte de blettes: tarte made with swiss chard, a vegetable similar to spinach and kale. You can order it either sucré or salée. Sucré means that it’s sweet, which makes a delicious dessert. Salée is salty, making it a delicious appetizer or main dish that is similar to spinach pie found on Greek menus.

Socca bread: made of chickpea flour and olive oil, it’s simple and filling.    

Pissaladière: an appetizer similar to pizza, it is topped with anchovies and caramelized onions.

Tapenade: puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Spread it on bread and serve as an hors d’oeuvre. A similar recipe is caviar d’aubergines, which is made of puréed eggplant and olive oil, but has no caviar. 

Bon appétit!

Live Like a Native on Vacation: Rent an Apartment

In a recent episode of Househunters International, a woman was hunting for a Paris flat that she and her husband could rent to tourists after using it for a long-term business stay. If you were wondering who would ever rent a property in another country and why, I will be glad to tell you.

View of pedestrian street and
Place Masséna from Ajoupa
apartment in Nice, France. 

I have rented four apartments in Paris when my stays lasted a week or more. For the same standard of living in hotels, I would have spent a lot more. My apartments offered amenities that a hotel did not, most notably a kitchen, which was a huge convenience at breakfast time or when I was too tired to eat out or just trying to save some money. It also gave me the opportunity to enjoy one of my favorite aspects of French life: wandering through the markets in search of fresh vegetables, cheese, baguettes and other goodies for meals. I didn’t even miss the maid service.

How to Find a Flat

You’re probably wondering where to find a list of apartments and how to avoid getting ripped off. I found my on the following websites:

• HomeAway is a reputable site recommended by several travel magazines. Renters can search the site based on all sorts or criteria, even whether the property has Internet access. If you register, you can create a list of favorites, and the site records which properties you have contacted. Best of all, the site provides protection against Internet fraud.
• HomeAway has some sister sites, including vrbo.com and Homelidays.com. While most of the properties are the same, it’s worth looking on them because you can sometimes find some additional ones.
• New York Habitat offers properties in New York, Paris, London and the South of France. Unlike HomeAway, which is not involved in agreements between renters and property owners, New York Habitat is a leasing service, so you will deal with an English-speaking agent who can provide a list of apartments based on your criteria or simply facilitate a rental agreement for an apartment you find on the website. This company also handles long-term rentals.

How to Choose the Perfect Property

A reliable website will provide an ample amount of information about the property as well as plenty of pictures. Following are some of the most important factors to consider when making your choice:

• Location: If you’re staying in a city, you don’t need to pay high rates to be in the tourist area. As long as you are close to public transportation, and it looks like a decent neighborhood, you should be fine. Beware that some listings show the center of town on the map rather than the property’s actual address. Be sure to verify the address and look it up on Google maps. You can also research the neighborhood on tripadvisor.com or other travel forums.
• Language spoken by the owner: If you are not using an agent, check the listing for languages spoken by the owner. Many of them speak English, but you could run into problems if you don’t speak the local language and the owner doesn't speak English. If the owner speaks English, the contract could still be in his native language. In that case, use Google or a free translation website to translate to English.
• Floor: Since many old buildings in Europe do not have elevators, I learned the hard way that you should always ask which floor the apartment is located on if the listing doesn't mention an elevator or indicates that it’s unsuitable for the elderly or infirm. Dragging a heavy suitcase to the fifth floor is one thing I will never do again. Also, what Europeans call the first floor, we call the second, so add one to the number you’re given.
• Floor area: Space is limited in other countries, especially in the cities, so it’s important to check photos and floor area to make sure you’ll have enough space.
• Beds: This is an important issue, especially if you are traveling with other people or a person who is not your significant other. If you’re looking at a studio, the bed may be a sofa bed. Again, check the photos closely.
• Noise level: If you’re staying in the city, it’s convenient to be close to a lot of commercial activity, but it could also make for some sleepless nights. Find out if the double glazed windows (double vitrage in French). It could make or break your trip. I always bring ear plugs just in case. 
• Air conditioning: While most American buildings are air-conditioned, this is not the case in other countries. Check the average temperatures for your destination and decide whether this amenity is necessary.
• Payment form: Most rentals require a deposit of 25 to 50 percent. Before signing a contract, make sure you can pay in the form requested, typically PayPal or a bank wire. Some apartments accept credit cards. Note that some banks don’t offer wire services. If they do, they usually charge a fee of $30 to $45 and a currency conversion fee of one to three percent of the amount wired. Owners may charge an additional fee for PayPal or credit cards.
• Security deposit. Most owners require a security deposit when you sign the lease. The amount will be mentioned in the listing. Be sure to find out how you will recover the deposit at the end of the trip. Typically the owner will give you cash when you leave. You’ll probably return to the United States after renting the apartment, and if you’re splitting the deposit among several people, it shouldn't be a big deal to spend the foreign currency on cab fare to the airport and last-minute souvenirs or to save it for a future trip. However, if you are footing the bill on your own, you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it to hang on to the cash or lose a bit of it when trading it for greenbacks.  Note that owners sometimes send a check to the renter a week after the rental, which is not convenient for foreigners.
• Additional fees: Is there a cleaning fee? Are utilities included? Are sheets and towels included?

A Few Tips on Contacting the Owner

• The best places go quickly, so find a place well in advance, especially if you are going during peak travel times, like summer, Christmas and local holidays.
• Contact several owners because some places may have been recently booked for your preferred time although the schedule says they’re available. Also, some owners don’t respond if they are busy, or if  they have booked the property.
• Don’t book with the first owner who responds if you’re not absolutely sure you want the property. It sometimes takes a few days for owners to respond. Allow at least a week for a response on a property you really want.

Another Option: Apart’hotels

If dealing with the foreign language, security deposit and payment to a stranger is too much for you, but you still want the apartment experience, try an apart’hotel, which is basically a hotel room with a kitchenette. Apart’hotels don’t offer the local charm of most privately owned apartments, but they usually accept credit card deposits, they don’t require a security deposit and there is usually someone on staff who speaks English. In addition, you can stay at most of them for a few days.

To find an apart’hotel, just do a Google search for apartment hotel in whatever city you want to visit.  If you are visiting Nice, I can recommend two:

• StudiosFloreal: located next to the tram by the main train station in the middle of the main shopping area of Jean Médecin. It’s a very lively area, but double-glazed windows block the noise. 
• Ajoupa Baie des Anglais: in an ideal location on a pedestrian street just off the beautiful Place Méssina. It’s very clean and reasonably priced, so book early because rooms go quickly.

Renting an apartment isn't for everyone. If you want to live like a native, though, it’s the best way to go. 

Where would you like to immerse yourself?