Restaurant L’Oasis

Emmanuel Tresmontant-2010-06-29

During the winter La Napoule has the reputation for being the Mimosa capital and in the summer it is known for its beautiful golf course, its marina, its small beaches of golden sand and its extraordinary 14^th century fortified castle which during the ‘roaring twenties’ was the property of a very eccentric American sculptor by the name of Henry Clew (1876-1937).

 

From the photos of Robert Doisneau to the novels of Francis Scott Fitzgerald, La Napoule has been able to preserve a certain art de vivre based on its light hearted and carefree attitude, as attested by L’Oasis which, 50 years after its creation by the great chef Louis Outhier, remains one of the best restaurants on the Côte d’Azur.

 

L’Oasis does indeed possess several special assets. Firstly there is its verdant patio in the middle of which there is a cascading waterfall that truly is an oasis during heat waves.

It is also frequented for its unique trio of chefs comprising the Raimbault brothers: Stéphane, Antoine and François. In a team it is always necessary to have a leader and this role falls to Stéphane who is both the adventurer (he lived 9 years in Japan) and the perfectionist of the family (he picked up his second star at the tender age of 24.) *

 

The Raimbault brothers' cooking is a hymn to the Mediterranean, with its scents, its tastes and its colours. The fish are caught locally and are bought the very same morning at the marché de Forville in Cannes. Everything is spiced up by a touch of Asia such as the dishes which have given the restaurant its reputation, like the flaked crab with guacamole in a lobster salad and the purslane with curry oil.

Stéphane Raimbault also admits a special love for Kobe black beef whose fatty meat has to be sliced very thinly before being grilled in teppaniyaki and served with imperial soy sauce.

 

Another reason for going for a lunch or dinner at l’Oasis is the sommelier Pascal Paulze who is quite simply one of the most brilliant sommeliers in France. During the 20 years that he has exercised his talent here, Pascal has taken the time to create an exceptional wine list which incites admiration. It is an authentic wine list that is a treat to read and the prices give everyone the opportunity to indulge!

 

This summer Stéphane Raimbault has decided to put forward a wonderfully fresh dish: “Summer Niçoise style Lobster Salad” - a dish that looks superb and is easy to make. And the secret ingredient?  Anchovy juice, which gives the salad just that bit more soul. Bon appétit!

 

L’Oasis