Amarres – Zaitounay Bay

Not being a fan of Couqley, I was very excited to visit Amarres to see if chef Alexis Couquelet will be able to convince me this time. Well, the experience was good but did not reach excellency. The interior of the place is nice with the layout of a French Bistro while the terrace is outstanding thanks to the great location of the restaurant.

The menu offers the classics of the French cuisine: onion soup, salade niçoise, tartare, côte de boeuf… with a highlight on fish and seafood with its moules, bar and saumon. The items on the menu are not many but you can definitely find something tempting in the variety.

During our visit, we ordered grilled chicken and tartare de saumon. The chicken was very tender and well cooked and the sauce was awesome. However, the menu claimed that the chicken was served with ratatouille (that I love) and I ended up with two cooked cherry tomatoes instead. The tartare de saumon was also delicious but it would have been be better with some accompaniment. The disappointment was the desserts: only four choices, so we ordered chocolat fondant and crème brûlée, they were both less than average. I seriously think that Amarres should review their desserts quality and variety wise.

The service at the restaurant was friendly and fast. The bill was high but Ok for a fine dining restaurant.

Overall, Amarres experience was good but lacked some details to be excellent. The terrace will definitely tempt me to come back again but not very soon.

Note: The restaurant’s name is pronounced the French way and means moorings (ropes, chains and other objects by which a ship or boat is tied)