Monday 16
July
We
couldn't leave Provence without having a proper bouillabaisse in Marseille, so we searched the
internet and found some good recommendations on Chowhound (though the favorite,
Chez Fonfon, is closed on Monday).
This led to a hair-raising drive through the city; there was lots of
construction around the vieux port, and Garmin kept sending us the wrong way on one-way
streets (but then, that's how most of the locals were driving). Eventually we got to the rather luxe
restaurant Le Rhul, and even found a parking place right on the precipitous
hill behind.
Le Rhul
is one of the restaurants that subscribe to a sort of covenant of bouillabaisse,
which they give out to anyone who seems interested. They are
not at all secretive about the ingredients, either; they don't need to be, as
many of the essential ones can't be obtained anywhere but Marseille.
We
ordered a Bandol rosé, and as well as the classic soup, a dish of a little
lobster, nicely halved, sprinkled with scallops (one with pink coral, one with
white) in a pink sauce with a leek timbale.
Both of
us got bibs, luckily, because despite the well-trained waiter boning the fish
for us, we would have to wrestle with our shellfish a good deal.
Also impressive was the marble mortar full of rouille.
It was a
long lunch, but a merry one; and no dinner was required, as we went to bed at 9
PM in order to get up early enough to make our 7 AM flight home.
So farewell, Provence; we hope to come back soon.
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