I dined at le Marais with three colleagues while visiting Cannes on business. We walked from our…read morehotel, the JW Marriott, a lovely 10 minute stroll along the Blvd de la Croisette, then 5 minutes uphill to the Suquet historical area. Located on a narrow, lively street buzzing with small bars and cafés, which is very popular with locals (I assume this because everyone spoke French and it had a neighborhood vibe).
Our friendly, server greeted us warmly and spoke very good English. We elected to go with the 37€ prix fixe menu, which included a first course, entree and dessert - each selected from the full menu or daily special. Our wine - a robust, jammy Syrah with a velvet finish - was recommended by our server and came from the nearby Lérins winery on St Honorat Island, where it is made by Monks at the Abbey. It was superb!
My first course was one if the specials for the day, a crab ravioli in a delicious sauce that reminded me of a creamy creole sauce without the heat. The spices didn't overpower the delicate flavor of the crab. One of my colleagues started with the fresh lobster salad, which was half of a large, bright red, fresh lobster served alongside some fresh greens & tomatoes. If my raviolis weren't so great, I would have been jealous! Another colleague went with the mozzarella & tomato salad, a nice variation of a caprese salad, but more like a bruschetta minus the toast, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Off to a great start!
Entrees didn't disappoint either! Two of us had the rack of lamb and the others had the pasta with seafood. My rack of lamb consisted of 3 ribs of perfectly cooked, medium rare lamb, accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and a garlicky squash & tomato vegetable sauté that tasted good enough to make me consider becoming a vegetarian. I unashamedly consumed every fabulous morsel on my plate. I refrained from gnawing on the ribs in front of my colleagues, which required considerable restrain. The seafood pasta dish included fresh prawns, mussels & scallops sautéed in garlicky olive oil with herbs and fresh tomatoes. The seafood was fresh, generous and piled on top of a toothy fresh spaghetti pasta. Lone of my colleagues saw the longing in my eye and shared a fat, sweet prawn which was delicious. Round two was fantastic!
Lastly came our dessert selections. Two went with the oversized macaroons, which was served with a creamy topping and fresh fruits. They were consumed very quickly, which I took as an indication they were very tasty. Another colleague selected the chocolate layer cake, which was light, moist and came atop a smear of cream and puréed fruit. It looked delicious, but it was a cake. I went with the special tiramisu, served parfait style with fresh berries & cherries and I think some crunchy biscotti crumbs or a better-than-average lady finger. It was without a doubt the best tiramisu I've ever tasted (included those consumed in several trips to Italy!).
Our meal, including wine, service charge and tip came to 86€ per person. Definitely worth every penny! Should you find yourself in Cannes, if you are wondering whether or not to give le Marais a try, all I can say is OUI! QUI!!
