Background

SO, considering this is only my 3rd post to the blog, you may or may not have noticed that I've got a Travel tab in which I will talk about various adventures I've been on. I really want to create posts strictly from my experiences first hand. I have a feeling I'll be a stream of consciousness style writer simply because I won't allow punctuation to limit me and my dreams. *rolls eyes and fake laughs at self for bad introduction joke*

I'm obsessed with great food and fancy splendor. I truly enjoy 1) researching Top 10/20 Lists and reviewing tons of blogs and opinion pieces about a range of sorts and 2) sharing them with like minded others. With that said, in planning a trip to Monte Carlo aka Monaco aka Monaco-Ville aka Beausoleil, I literally just Googled "Best Restaurants in Monaco". Appropriately and obviously, I discovered a lot of French everything. Being a proud American from the South, I had no issues with French cuisine…I'm objective quite frankly being a "foodie" and all. Omg what is a foodie really? It seems like everyone is one these days, so damnit I'm one too!

HOWEVER…. I'm still growing and maturing my French palate so I don’t just bow down without earned respect to French food the way I feel most critics and laymen do. Something about "Oh, it's French" is just so pretentious without even knowing if the dish is seasoned properly or not. You can't just automatically love this whole cuisine just because it comes from France (even though it indeed may be opulent).

A Lesson in Michelin

I knew about Michelin Stars…as I'm forever chasing those to add to my resumé. I've only had one Star in the States, at some marginally overrated NYC Steakhouse I believe; I don't think I was quite privy to Michelin caliber dining back then so let's say I've had none.

Quick Lesson #1: In my research I discovered that France has over 616 Michelin starred restaurants, riddled with several 1-3 Star Michelin spots(1-3 stars, 3 being the highest). I've seen descriptions of One Star meaning "worth a stop", 2 Stars meaning "worth a detour" and lastly the highly regarded 3 Star "worth a special trip". I have got to get some Michelin 3 Star restaurants under my belt.

1. Japan (Tokyo #1, Kyoto #2, Osaka #4)

2. France (Paris #3)

3. New York, USA (NYC #5)

Quick Lesson #2: Monaco aka Principality of Monaco is the name of the country. You can go to google to find the history lesson that makes it a real country and describes the constitutional monarchy with its royal family (blah blah blah) somewhere else…. But we are all about quick bits of info around these parts. Monte Carlo isn't a capital and not really a city, but like a neighborhood/area/quarter/region within Monaco. Monte Carlo is known as the central business and recreation hub, and is most definitely the playground of the wealthy.

Birthday Dinner

Now that I got all that rambling out of the way, I think we can dive into Le Vistamar, located in the luxurious Hôtel Hermitage.

It was my 30th birthday so after taking a few shots at a nearby outdoor haunt next to Prada (Flash Bar I think? The shots were amazing) I barely made my impromptu reservation that I made just hours before (poor planning on my part I know). I was told reservations were booked for weeks and that if I came late enough (a little before 10P) I would have the possibility of getting seated since I was a solo guest.

Thank god Monaco is really small. Conveniently small that you can get anywhere by foot within 10-15 mins. Well actually, more like 20-25 minutes if you're wearing heels or some other type of uncomfortable shoe [that you'd never wear but because it exudes wealth you wear it to try to fit in] lmao. I used the WIFI at the bar to map my route, screenshot the map and got to tequila speed walking to dinner.

Clutch screenshot void of roaming charges...

Welp, I made it and it was worth it.

I'm a big fan of seabass so it was a no brainer to get a fave dish and see how it'd be prepared in Monte Carlo. Better yet, it was a no brainer to try one of my favorites at a 1 Michelin Star restaurant ran by the iconic Chef Benoit Witz. With a restaurant named Le Vista Mar (that means Sea something right) it was safe to gather this was a seafood centric spot so I put my typical red meat affinity aside for a classic seafood entrée.

"Elegant yet authentic, The Vistamar offers a perfect harmony of sophistication and simplicity."- This is the print describing the gourmet on the restaurant's website and I couldn’t pick a better description.

This was by far one of the most simple dishes I've ever had, felt like I tasted every thing that seabass went through, as well as the chef preparing it. That may not sound appetizing, but what I mean is that I truly tasted the natural flavors of this tender, light fish. I did have to add a little more salt here and there, but I chalk that up to the sodium content my body is accustomed to in the States. I do hate having to ask for salt though, its so offensive….but I'm the one paying for the meal so I should be able to season what I want sans guilt.

I realized with other travels that the food in France isn't typically heavily seasoned so that wasn't a deal breaker by any means. The lemon did it's thing and brought the meal together as far as the acidic touch I needed with the vegetables.

The seabass had the crispy skin texture that I crave with a grilled/broiled fish so that was a welcomed plus in lieu of the bland vegetables. I didn't bother with the hors d'oeuvres pictured although I did have a dinner chip or eight…those were seasoned lovely. The bar area was crowded and featured your typical bar with high top tables, but also cushy chair areas to have a seated meal diner level. I ended up being sat at a table in the bar area but still had the full dinner menu at my disposal so that was a win.

The website mentions informal attire (whatever that means) but the attire was most definitely upscale and a jacket is needed (especially for men) so you don't look like "that guy". I went to the Casino right after dinner so I made sure I was dressed to impress as more formal dress is required.

All in all, I have had better food, but this was more about the sheer experience of luxurious dining and basking in a worldly sophisticated atmosphere. If there is something called affluence, let's just say this is a notch or two above that. And when I say basking, I solely mean to just study and watch with intent…carefully observing mannerisms, conversations, languages, attire….everything. Any person fascinated with socioeconomic nuances and class dynamics of the sort would have a field day just people watching. I concluded the meal with a nice glass of Rosé that put the winning touch to the evening even though I was still a little hungry after the light dinner fare. I believe I spent about 125 Euros so this isn't a place to come if you're trying to really budget, but that probably shouldn't be your mindset when in Monaco and chasing Michelin stars.

To let yourself…