Just spent a lovely night in Nice, wandering around the place Garibaldi and devouring delicious seafood.
The city center of Nice is undergoing a revolution. Once shunned as a dangerous and dilapidated area, Mayor Christian Estrosi has put into place a series of urban improvements that is changing the face of downtown Nice. Not a simple makeover, more like a total facelift, the city has rerouted traffic and replaced it with a chic grey tramway that speeds silently through the heart of the city. Old eyesores such as monstrous parking garages and bus stations are being demolished to clear the wayfor a “coulée vert” or green belt.
In the middle of this you find the historic Place Garibaldi, which is where we landed on a gorgeous, hot summer night. Recently renovated from top to bottom, the famed Apollo statue (without fig leaf) and fountain have returned in all of his former glory.
The Café du Turin is located on the southwest corner of the newly renovated Place Garibaldi. Famous for its seafood we were concerned that this would be more of a tourist trap than anything else, after trying many restaurants in the area that were all closed on a Monday night.
We couldn’t have been in for more of a surprise!! Once you wait by the bar (no numbers, no names as emphatically enforced by our hosts) it doesn’t take long to drink a little pitcher of white wine before you are whisked to a waiting table on their two terraces.
Johsua ordered a full on seafood plattter, while I had some oysters and shrimp. What a treat on a hot night, ice cold and fresh seafood really hit the spot!!
While the service had lots of, ahem, character, we still had an amazing night and look forward to spending more time on this glorious square.