01
Alain Lloca
Nice
|
Mediterranean
|
€50
GIVEN THAT IT’S PERCHED
overlooking
the legendary artist’s village of St
Paul de Vence, it shouldn’t come as
a surprise to find sculpture on the
front lawn of Alain Llorca’s Michelin-
starred restaurant, or modern pieces
in the dining room. Of course, the
real artistry here is in the food. Fresh,
delicious, modern Mediterranean,
it’s honest and rustic, making use
of the bountiful local produce, but
with up-to-date sensibilities. We
enjoyed courgette flower stuffed
with black-olive mousse, and seared
chicken on a lemon and barley
risotto. Our dessert of macerated
strawberries with lemon cream
came in a glass jar, with an intense
raspberry sorbet resting on a lid
made of buttery shortcrust pastry –
it was divine. Look out for the chap
who pushes the Champagne trolley.
Even if you don’t opt for fizz, his
outfit of full-length leather apron and
horn-rimmed glasses is almost as
enjoyable as the food
. 350
Route de
St Paul, La Colle sur Loup; tel: +33 (0)4
9332 0293,
alainllorca.com
Populi
Lisbon
|
Portuguese
|
From €35
part of a cluster
of sleek new bars and restaurants that line
the arcades of the Praça do Comércio – Lisbon’s vast riverfront
square – Populi’s ethos is ‘food with friends’, and its relaxed,
intimate, downstairs area, with a bar, armchair-like seats and
walls lined with wine, certainly creates a convivial atmosphere.
Chef Luís Rodrigues’s menu offers tempting
pestiscos
(
tapas),
and his take on Portuguese classics such as
bacalhau
(
salt cod)
and
porco preto
(
black pork). We shared the
peixinhos da horta
–
green beans in fluffy, light-as-air egg tempura – and spiced
codcakes with a sweet tomato chutney. Our waiter says we’ll be
missing out unless we also try the soup of the day – a pumpkin-
based concoction that’s dangerously moreish and buttery.
For mains, polvo (octopus) is a revelation: meaty, yet melt-
in-the-mouth tender, the sweet potato purée and slightly bitter
greens ideal partners. Tenderloin of beef is perfectly cooked,
with a tasty bowl of garlic and saffron-infused mash.
There are no questions over dessert. A silky vanilla crème
brûlée, served just warm, as it should be, disappears in seconds,
followed by a pear crumble cooked with Portugal’s famous
sweet Moscatel wine. Food with friends is all well and good, but
with dishes like this, you may prefer not to share.
85-86
Ala Nascente Terreiro do Paço; tel. +351 218 877 395, populi.pt
Soup of the day is a pumpkin-based
concoction that’s dangerously moreish
R E S T A U R A N T
R E V I E W S
01
Eat inside or out at
riverfront Populi
02
Steaks as tender as silk
03
Portuguese cheeses
02
WORDS
SUSANNAH PARKER, ROSIE BIRKETT
03
1 0 0
V I E W P O I N T S
