acchiardo2

I wonder what made me enter that place… I was walking around the web of streets in the old town of Nice (Vieux Nice), and had no plans to eat lunch yet… I was just stopping by and taking photos. But I found myself asking for a table for one, a cosy place with gingham tablecloths. There was no minute to decide the aroma of the food literally just grabbed me in. What probably attracted me to the place was I heard no nattering of other languages other than French. I know by the look of the place , the feel and smell I found a gem. The tables inside are lined up in closed rows and walls are decorated with old copper pots and moulds as well as old lithographs of Nice. Nice or Nizza by the way was once a part of Italy, until 1860 when Victor -Emmanuel III with an agreement with Napoleon III handed Nizza to France.

lunch2

So back to food I rather not bore you with history…

I did not look at the menu, I ordered the plat du jour which was osso bucco. It came with a plate of tagliatelle. I also asked for verre de vin, a glass of rose wine. I could see the people around me were locals and it had a feeling that you have entered your favourite grandmother’s house. Acchiardo is unpretentious and homey, certainly not for people who have no adventurous souls.

chef2

While waiting for the food I managed to take photos of the interior and much to my delight sneaked to the kitchen as well. I was happily lost in my thoughts, when I noticed the two waiters have the same face of the woman tending the bar. They turned out to be brothers, Jean-François and Raphaël, The Acchiardo is a family run restaurant.

ossobucco2

The osso bucco was perfect, the flavour was well balanced and good portion too that I barely touched the tagliatelli. Just when I was asked if I want dessert , I saw the menu. It is much more a cross over of a provencal and Italian cuisine. I ended my solitary lunch with a tiramisu and a big smile on my face, for I have found indeed a jem for less, my lunch was only €19.80

alps2

A day after this lunch I was east bound to Greece with my flight via Geneve, I could see the coast lines of Cote d’ Azur which I have seem to memorize by now. Then my heart fluttered when I saw the peaks of the Alps, I may have traveled a lot but flying over the Alps is one of my favourite journeys.
old town 2

Da Acchiardo en Nizza Veilhla
38 Rue Droite Tel:
+ 33 49 385 5116

More photos of Nice here and here…