Cannes, the jewel of the French Riviera, is known for its perennial allure and the annual film festival, but it’s also a foodie’s paradise, boasting some of the best restaurants in the world.
Table 22 is one such gastro gem that deserves your attention. A destination in its own right, the restaurant is located in the most picturesque part of town, Suquet Hill, and is owned by Noël and Brenda Mantel. Chef Noël Mantel has worked in some of the greatest kitchens in the South of France – including Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Negresco in Nice, and La Résidence de la Pinède in St-Tropez.
Stylish and elegant ambience
The Michelin-recommended location has been billed a classic among restaurant critics for the last 22 years and with good reason – its blend of exquisitely rendered dishes, some of which have reached cult status and warm, knowledgeable staff make it the sort of place that brings visitors back time and time again.
With its chic monochrome decor and seductive French menu, the restaurant brings contemporary cuisine with the finest ingredients and lovely Provençal flavours combined with attentive service.
This is the kind of place that reminds you why you came to the South of France in the first place – to share a good bottle of wine and linger over home-cooked dishes. Once inside, you’ll be surprised by how spacious the venue is. In addition to the outside terrace, it has three rooms, with some of the walls lined with wine bottles.
Gift from the kitchen
Before we even ordered we were presented with amuse-bouche (pronounced ahmooz-boosh). This French term comes from the combined words amuser (to amuse), and bouche (mouth). In fine dining, amuse-bouche are small bites preceding the main course. They are not usually included on the final bill, so they are often presented to diners as a “gift from the kitchen.”
Our friendly waitress brings us a little warm croustade, cheese straws, fried chard ravioli, and truffle arancini. The latter were so delicious that we requested another round.
Truffle masterpiece
The restaurant has a number of signature dishes and a smart option to try them, either as an entrée or a main course. We decided to add lobster ravioli with tender leeks to our starters, followed by Italian parmesan risotto with summer truffle as our main course.
When it comes to glitzy ingredients often incorporated into dishes to add a touch of opulence, truffle shares the top spot with caviar. The risotto at Table 22 is the pinnacle of this Italian classic. It’s steamy, buttery, and cheesy – in other words, absolutely phenomenal! One of the best dishes we’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting, unforgettable. The catch of the day, served with Bouillabaisse juice, fennel, artichokes, and local zucchini, was also delightful.
Wine list to impress
As expected from any fine-dining restaurant, the wine list is striking and designed to complement the food, with bottles originating from across France – think Burgundy, Provence, Rhône, Languedoc… the list goes on. Whether you’re after prestige Bordeaux and classic vintages or interesting and quirky bottles from less well-known producers, Table 22’s selection gives you plenty of options.
The restaurant even has ultra-rare and expensive The Darsonville R.1996 champaign glasses, made by former oenologist James Darsonville. As we were told by the sommelier, the glassware is an important element to consider if you want to achieve an optimal Champagne drinking experience.
The Andre Heucq Heritage Blanc de Meunier, a champagne with a great light nose, gentle taste, but strong enough to reveal notes of butterscotch with a lingering aftertaste, was a perfect pairing for the risotto. The fish paired really well with Mademoiselle M VdF Alexandre Bain (Sauvignon Blanc).
Growing culinary legacy
Desserts offer lightened takes on French classics. We chose the chocolate éclair with Bourbon vanilla ice cream and the vanilla caramelized millefeuille, served with fresh apricot compote and sorbet. Both desserts were beautiful and full of flavour, but even with a glass of Domaine de Vinceline AOC Bellet ‘Constance,’ we couldn’t stop dreaming about the truffle risotto.
Good news: the Mantel family is expanding. Noel’s son Etienne is running the household’s second restaurant in town – Uva, near the covered Gambetta Market, and it also serves risotto among other irresistible dishes. Now we have even more reasons to come back to Cannes.
More information about Table 22 and Mantel can be found here.
Image credits: © Table 22, Travel with Style
