We head to Monaco for the evening entertainment – it is a very short drive from Nice, maybe 20minutes, maybe less. You can easily catch a taxi between the two, if you fancy a cheeky Casino hit. The Contiki group dress up for the night – anyone that hasn’t brought a formal evening outfit goes shopping in Nice to pick up some glamour. Casino, bling,
and glitz await the evening.
U'Cavagnetu
The added extra Monaco dinner is a definite consideration (Restaurant U’Cavagnetu, Address: 14 Rue Comte Felix Gastaldi, 00 377 97 98 20 40, Monaco). Being Christmas, we are sold a slightly more expensive Christmas meal that also includes cocktails to starts. The food is all around a step up (the finer side of the palate e.g. duck fois gras is served to us), and the restaurant is very cute and welcoming. Not too touristy either, it sets a great tone for a night at the casinos.
To start, some focaccia, the pesto and onion relish on top is house made and a very good start.
U'Cavagnetu - Foccacia
The starter plate is impressive.
U'Cavagnetu - Starter Plate
Clockwise from the top – potato bellini with crème fraiche, prawn wrapped in crispy noodles (not sure if from a packet, but is plump), smoked salmon on toast, salad, duck foie gras with chutney, and in the centre – crab salad. VERY good start.
U'Cavagnetu - Duck Foie
Lucky for me, several (and I mean the majority) of the tour are aversive to the foie
gras, so I gobble up their share!
U'Cavagnetu - Fish Saffron
I order the fish dish – salmon and saffron sauce, with a pastry top. I really wanted to taste the saffron sauce. As I have contended time and time again – why the price of Saffron? To me, it is a colour not a flavour, and this dish only reconfirms that. The sauce is creamy, and nice, but…the Saffron, to me, does not add anything. I don’t really understand what the saffron flavour is. Perhaps I need to do some taste-testing to teach myself. Further to this, I did not realise it was more smoked salmon. The dish is serve with vegetables at the bottom, and whilst is relatively nice – the smoked salmon overpowers the rest of the dish with the same flavours from the starter.
U'Cavagnetu - Chicken Sorrel
The better option is the amazing roast chicken with sorrel mushroom sauce. WOW does this pack flavour, crispy chicken skin, and I LOVE sorrel mushrooms.
U'Cavagnetu - Black Forrest
Dessert is a solid finish. The black forest cake is not too artificial and pretty tasty and moist.
Bombe Alaska
The bombe Alaska (glace au four) is lush, though served as a slice lacks that ‘wow’ factor when served whole (and flaming).
Chocolates!
To finish, some uber chocolates, rich and satisfying. By this point, that darnest egg brik I had in Nice earlier in the day is wrecking havoc with my tummy, and I am forced to stop eating (!!!).
We head up to the casino’s, the Monte Carlo charging a $10 euro entry fee is a bit
steep – the inside sure is like a fancy palace (gold embroidery everywhere, luxury prints, heavy curtains etc) but the tables are all VERY expensive to play. Don’t bother – head to the free casinos if you want to have a play and a good evening with some drinks. Bloated I head home. Other’s stay out and stay glamourous well into the evening.
Epic part 10 SOON.