Restaurant Name: Chez Pistol
2008 update - this restaurant has closed; merged into next door's Cafe de Turin
This restaurant,
Chez Pistol, is small, unpretentious and does great seafood. It is somewhat in the shadow of its neighbour the well-established and famous seafood restaurant,
Le Grand Cafe de Turin.
It is literally in the shadow too, as it is under a stone arcade (be wonderfully cooling in the summer heat) along the south side of Place Garibaldi - a formal yet attractive square which links the Old Town with the modern city. It is soon to be pedestrianised and become part of Nice's new tramway so building work may well disrupt the area periodically.
We have not yet been to
Le Grand Cafe de Turin and we are building up for a large platter of seafood crustacea there one day but as we only had an hour before we had to leave for the airport this Easter Monday, we opted to have lunch at the no-queue and less impressive-looking neighbour -
Chez Pistol. Inspite of liking this restaurant very much, I still don't think much of the name.
The inside of the restaurant is old and wood-panelled but we ate outside as the usual temporary plastic walls and outside heaters were in place to thwart any inclement conditions.
Interestingly, listening in to the rather loud lady (a Brit) at the next table, she was informing her friend that this restaurant was far superior to
Le Grand Cafe de Turin next door and that the staff here were much friendlier. I shall reserve judgement until I have been to both. I shall certainty be coming here again and I'm glad I got over my prejudice against the horrid name. The service was excellent.
We are so used to walking along this arcade as it is part of our well-trod path to the Old Town and Bus Station that it was a real treat to actually stop and have lunch here.
Favorite Dish: The grilled sardines. I think the photograph sums the restaurant up very nicely even though I think 'food' photographs can be a bit off-putting. I couldn't fault this simple plate of grilled sardines. It was fresh and tasted of the sea. Served with bread, salad and wodges of lemon, it was excellent and it took a bit of eating too. Good value for 10 euros by the time I had finished. The husband and daughter had moules marinieres - mussels in garlic juice, 8, 50 euros each plus a couple of bowls of chips, 3 euros each. The daughter loved it; the husband thought the juice a bit watery - all the more to mop up with bread I'd have thought.
To give you an idea of some prices; A pitchet (half a bottle) of house red is 8 euros. The
Plateau Pistol (an impressive selection of shellfish) is 89 euros for two people sharing and the
Plateau Royal Pistol (even more impressive) for three to four people is 179 euros. Great for a special occasion. All sorts of seafood and shellfish is on offer - oysters, urchins, clams, langoustines, lobster etc as both starters and mains, from a few euros for a couple of pieces up to top prices for the platters. Special fish soup,
Bouillabaisse is 24 euros. The menu was comprehensive but concentrated on its specialities - shell-fish. It included a couple of pasta and meat dishes but I think it would be pointless to come here and not have the seafood.
Here's an example of how to save money. I had one bottle of Badoit mineral water - 3,50 euros. I should have stuck to the free carafe of water. One bowl of chips was more than enough for 2 sharing - save another 3 euros, not much but it would have bought the bill down to under 40 euros for 3 people.
Look out for 'Rouilly' the fluffy white restaurant dog - a great favourite of the daughter, we always have to look out for him every time we walk by and we are seldom disappointed. What a great life that dog must have!
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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: about average
Phone: 04 93 92 56 21
Address: Place Garibaldi, 06000 Nice
Directions: From the city centre, head up boulevard Jean Jaures to Place Garibaldi. From the Old Town, head up rue Pairoliere to Place Garibaldi and from the Port, head up rue Cassini to Place Garibaldi. A few minutes walk. Also bus routes 1, 2, 7, 9, 10 and 14.
Website: http://www.allaboutnice.com/restaurants_in_Nice
Other Contact: closed Tuesdays, no cheques
on Apr 26, 2004
