I happened upon L'Effet Clochette this afternoon as I wandered around the Vieux Port of Marseille…read more I decided to try some restaurants that were up a flight of stairs which lead to the Le Panier neighborhood. All of those restaurants closed at 3:00 p.m. so I continued my search and found L'Effet Clochette which stays open until 5:00 p.m.! The restaurant was staffed by a friendly older couple. There was plenty on the menu that looked appealing and I settled for the Aioli, a traditional dish in Marseille. The plate came out filled with boiled carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, and a fresh tomato. Also on the plate were mussels, two large portions of cod fish, one large shrimp in it's shell, two medium sized bulots (sea snails) and a hard boiled egg. This dish would not be complete without the "aioli" which was a homemade garlic dipping sauce. The aioli sauce was thick in consistency and as expected, had a strong garlic flavor. I enjoyed eating everything on the plate. I started with the cauliflower and sweet carrots which were cut lengthwise. The vegetables were cooked al dente. The seafood was fresh. At one point I was afraid that I might not eat everything. The portion was filling and the dish was very healthy. An added benefit of this open air bistro is that you can escape from the mobs of tourists that are on the street below in the Vieux Port and get a true sense of a Marseille neighborhood. If you're looking for traditional savon de Marseille and also nouveau savon de Marseille, there are three soap shops in close proximity to the restaurant. I look forward to trying more items on the menu on future visits.

A really pretty place for lunch on sunny spring or summer day…read more Good food, great service and yummy ice cream with flavors like rosemary, thyme and lavender! A lovely place for lunch in Marseille.