Keeping Good Company
Keeping Good Company It’s all about spending time with the right people, whether it’s core family or like-minded louches. 48 DEPARTURES 49 Monaco | 50 Kenya | 51 The Privacy 10 | 52 Saba | 54 The Social 10 | 55 Reef Retreat
ANTHONY LANNERETONNE / © MONTE-CARLO SOCIÉTÉ DES BAINS DE MER THE WORD IS OUT. After a vibrant summer of festive gatherings, Monte- Carlo is resolutely headed towards a renewal of reliable pleasures where love-thy-neighbour conviviality is the name of the game. With the staggering choice of stellar international cuisine, plush bars, cosy teatime spots and cutting-edge cultural venues all within a scant two-square-kilometre radius, the principality is also exploring the finger-on-the-pulse cravings of a cosmopolite crowd, beginning with the new uber-refined Lebanese restaurant, Em Sherif at the Hôtel de Paris ( montecarlosbm. com) headed by Bocuse-trained chef Yasmina Hayek. Expect large tables of families and friends sharing a stunning array of dishes from cold and hot mezze, mouthwatering variations of hummus, crispy sautéed prawns and grilled meats to the signature siyyadiyeh – steamed sea bass stuffed with caramelised rice – topped off by refreshing rose and orange-blossom ice cream for dessert. Over at the Hôtel Hermitage, young professionals swap metaverse tips at the latest conceptual gastro haunt by starry chef Yannick Alléno’s Pavyllon (montecarlosbm.com) – a casual prix-fixe luxe-at-the-counter lunch (think cushy powder-blue bar stools) or on the garden terrace with a sweeping view of the Rock and yachtclogged harbour. Highlights include a poached egg with cold cream and caviar, delicate courgette flowers stuffed with sea bass, fennel-spiked farinata, blue-lobster spaghetti and a soufflé with caramel and mangos. After a hugely popular summer stint at the poolside Lagerfeld-designed Odyssey at the Hôtel Metropole Monte-Carlo, Michelin-starred chef Takeo Yamazaki moves back to his Zen-inspired wood and glass pavilion, Yoshi ( metropole.com), where he concocts exquisite neo-Japanese toshare platters, including omakase, a selection of sushi, sashimi and maki, marinated black cod, served with fine imported sake and shake, fresh salmon with gold leaf and caviar, followed by plant-based desserts like strawberries with shiso sorbet. What’s Cooking in Monte-Carlo? Summer may be over, but the party continues in the glitzy Monégasque metropolis. by Lanie Goodman The gym-toned sports-minded set flock to Elsa, at the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel (montecarlosbm.com), where newly arrived chef Mélanie Serre whips up a highly modern healthy menu using locally sourced 100% per cent organic produce – carrots with cumin drizzled with orange and ginger sauce, freshly caught wild grilled fish and original desserts including a rhubarb and roseinfused baba. A joyous after-dark party mood prevails both at the recently opened restaurant la Môme on the rooftop of Hotel Port Palace (portpalace.net) and at the Larvotto beach at the newly refurbished restaurant lounge, La Note Bleue (lanotebleue.mc), which host live DJs sets and top-notch bands. Come November, when the northern climes are blanketed with snow, the heat goes on at the Garnier Opera House where legendary musicians blast the angel-frescoed gilded walls with rock, blues and funk at the superb month-long Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival (montecarlosbm.com). Sweets delights at Em Sherif, Hôtel de Paris’ new Lebanese eatery KEEPING GOOD COMAPNY 49 DEPARTURES PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST GOVERNMENT ADVICE BEFORE BOOKING TRAVEL OR DEPARTING ON ANY TRIP
