Challege: Vegan food in France, Part deux

After spending 5 days in Paris, John and I retreated to the South. We took a train to Nice. Getting on a train is quite the experience. Basically, trains are not assigned a platform/voie until 20 minutes before departure. So, every person getting on the train gathers around the monitors, the voie flashes up, and then everyone swarms towards the train like a pack of zombies from The Walking Dead. John and I had a print out of our tickets. However, the train number was smudged from the PDF, and we had no idea where to go. Once the train starts boarding, you have about 12 minutes to get on. We asked a security guy where to go. He scanned our code and told us which train car to get on. We were all the way at the end on the upper deck. Getting suitcases on was quite the treat. I packed some snacks for the train, and John bought me some chips and a granola bar. The train did not have any food for me to eat. I did get beer for us. It was also destiny that a guy with a cat sat across the aisle from us. This cat was so well behaved. It made Handel look like such a little baby. The cat didn't make a sound the entire train ride to Nice. When we were waiting to get off the train, I showed the guy a picture of Handel on my phone. He didn't speak any English and I don't speak French, but he opened up the carrier and let me pet his cat. Cat people are the best!

The French Riviera has a lot of Italian influences. This was a welcomed change from Paris. We found an Ethiopian restaurant in old town Nice. John and I love Ethiopian food. I am assuming that the cook was also the owner. She really didn't speak English. She came out several times to make sure everything was alright. She spoke through one of the waiters. She was a kind lady. She was so appreciative we were there and happy with the food. She explained to us that French people do not like trying new types of food. Her restaurants depends on people from the States, Canada, Australia, etc.

The food was a bit sweeter than the Ethiopian in Chicago. The injera was not as sour either. We got 5 different types of food. We had two different lentils, green beans, carrots and potatoes, and spinach. It was all very fresh. The restaurant is Le-Soleil-dasmara. They are not open on Sunday. The website is:
http://www.le-soleil-dasmara.com/

You can't go to France without having afternoon coffee. I loved stopping into different cafes and having espresso.

I didn't get a picture of this next place, but I think it is better that way. I was feeling really sick this night (probably dehydrated/sunburned), and John was nice enough to bring my food back to the hotel for me. I heard of a place called Le Speakeasy. It is Nice's only vegan restaurant. It is run by an Ex-Pat. It is a tiny restaurant with four tables. The owner cooks on a home stove in the back and changes the menu constantly. John ordered carrot juice for an appetizer and I ordered a potato pate. For dinner we had a homemade pie with sweet and russet potatoes. The crust was delicious and it had a cheesy flavor. It was so filling. It was great having what seemed like a home cooked meal. Here is the Trip Advisor page: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187234-d1054432-Reviews-Le_Spekeasy-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

I also didn't get pictures of this next restaurant. This restaurant is not vegetarian or vegan, but it has options. Everything is organic. It is called Cafe Marche. It is located in Old Nice among winding streets between buildings from the 1600s. The website is: http://www.cafe-marche.fr/

Our tour guide from a bike tour of Nice recommended it to us. I got a veggie sandwich with potato wedges. It was very fresh and delicious. It had a nice balsamic dressing with many greens.

While in Nice I wanted to try Socca, a chickpea crepe. We found a little corner cafe, also recommended by our tour guide, called Bella Socca. I ordered socca with chives and olives. It was warm and delicious.

While I vacation, I can tell when my body needs vegetables. It is hard to consume as many vegetables as I normally do while on vacation. John and I found a quick service restaurant in Nice called So Green. It is a salad bar where you choose the toppings and dressing. They also do fresh juice. It was a bit expensive, but a good way to get veggies. The Trip Advisor page is:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187234-d3226994-r159807932-So_green-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

John and I took a day trip to Antibes. We took the regional train there. We couldn't use the self serve ticket machines since our credit cards didn't have a chip in them. We were able to make it through the ticket line in time for the next train to Antibes. We explored a bit on Antibes before lunch time. I found a vegetarian/vegan restaurant on Trip Advisor and Happy Cow called Chez Helen. The website is: http://www.chezhelen.fr/

This was such a good find. It is tucked away in winding streets. The location was so quaint and charming. John and I ate at the only outside table. The waiter was so nice. He spoke great English and was very helpful. The menu clearly marks vegan options. I had a ratatouille served with brown rice. It came with a salad and bread. The meal was delicious. It tasted home-cooked. It was very filling. The flavors were warm and savory. It I ever go back to Antibes, I will definitely go back to Chez Helen.

I also did not get a picture of this last entry. We went to Northern African/Mediterranean restaurant called Alounak. It was tucked away right off the main shopping street that the trams runs along. We were the only costumers until the very end of our meal. I got the vegetarian special: one appetizer (all vegan options) and a choice between 3 entrees. I chose to get hummus as the appetizer. I ordered a tajine of mixed vegetables. It was warm and delicious. It was spiced very well. He added a bit of chili sauce for me as well. They are ranked very high on Trip Advisor. I would recommend checking out this restaurant.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187234-d1717497-Reviews-Alounak-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

Well....that brings me to the end of my vegan dining adventures in France. It was quite a challenge at times, but well worth the hunt. I recommend researching places ahead of time if you are visiting a new city. I was able to space out the restaurants and make time for them. I had some delicious food. I was so glad I found these places and was able to feel like I had good food experiences in France. Now, I can go back to cooking for myself! I can't wait!

Happy Cooking!