BEST bouillabaise - Cassis or Marseiile?

Hi everyone

I am going to spend 1 day in Marseille and 2 days in Cassis next weekend. It is my first time in South of France and I would really like to try a good bouillabaise. After reading the posts on best places to try it, I am trying to decide between eating it at one of the following places:

- Le Bonaparte in Cassis, OR

- in Chez Michel/Chez Fonfon in Marseille.

Can anyone recommend which one is better and/or cheaper?

I know bouillabaise is not cheap, but if i can get same quality for less money in Cassis – I’d rather go for the cheaper one!

Please note I am very much on the budget, and this will be my only extravagance, so I’d like to try a ‘proper’ one in a nice place…

Also – what are the prices in Cassis in cafes for things like:

- coffee

- salad

- a main meal

- jug of wine?

Thank you all in advance!

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Are you travelling alone? If so, you may find it hard to find a resto that will do bouillabaisse for the single diner, it%26#39;s usually per two or more. The cheapest place to have a coffee in Cassis is the bar du Port, it%26#39;s on the harbour and it%26#39;s the one with all the old guys reading the local newspaper in it. You%26#39;ll also find by the way that you can only get a pichet at lunch time in a lot of places. Evenings you have to buy a posh bottle.

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Thanks for that. Yes, i am travelling alone, and am now getting worried - would i really not be able to try bouillabaise, if they don%26#39;t want to cook it just for one?..

And how much is a bottle of wine in a cafe/restaurant in Cassis (approxomately) in that case?

thanks again

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I loved Chez Fonfon situated in a snug harbor.

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Hi Holidaylover,

Here%26#39;s some great news : both Chez Fonfon %26amp; Le Bonaparte serve bouillabaisse for 1 person.

Reservations are strongly advised (Le Bonaparte requires 1 day notice) :

Chez Fonfon - Tel. +00 33 4 91 52 14 38

Le Bonaparte - Tel. +00 33 4 42 01 80 84

Are you going this week-end or next we?

Le Bonaparte is usually closed on Mondays, however it will be open on Mon 1/6 as it is a bank holiday.

Chez Fonfon is fully booked on Sat night and closed on Sunday.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your bouillabaisse!

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I%26#39;m interested to hear that, it%26#39;s a long time since I had %26#39;boildown%26#39; so will bear it in mind . . . you wouldn%26#39;t know of anywhere in Antibes that serves it to one person would you?

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Apparently this one does :

www.restaurantdebacon.com/pge/uk/menu.html

Also, since last year %26#39;Le César%26#39; (Plage Keller, La Garoupe) has been serving a %26#39;Bouillabaisse dégustation%26#39; for 1 person (to which they can add crayfish if you wish) :

www.plagekeller.com/eng/contact.htm

Bon appétit!

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I would only have the bouillabaisse in Marseille where they are restaurants who serve the true version. They have designated labels given like to wines that they are from where they claim.

As soon as you put something extra in the dish it is no longer the true B.

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Cigalechanta,

Indeed, a text called the %26#39;Charte de la Bouillabaisse Marseillaise%26#39; exists that is aimed at preserving the authenticity and reputation of this traditional dish, however it is not as formal as the AOC label for wines etc. It sets out guidelines and was created by a couple of restaurants in 1980 and other restaurants eventually adhered to it.

The fundamental rules are that a genuine bouillabaisse must comprise at least 4 of the indispensable fish listed in the Charte and that the fish must be cut up in front of the guests.

Apart from these requirements, other ingredients are left to the chef%26#39;s appreciation and savoir-faire and may also vary according to season.

Shellfish is optional (mainly used after 1961) but the Charte clearly states that it may be added.

Let%26#39;s not forget that bouillabaisse was originally a meal invented by local fishermen who used to boil in sea water any fish that could not be sold and during the XIX century, this recipe was improved by the addition of more noble ingredients. In this respect, they too could have argued that the version served in local restaurants was not the real thing...

Like you, I prefer my bouillabaisse without shellfish (or at least with %26#39;cigale de mer%26#39; rather than crawfish) and I think that this Charte was a very positive move, but consumption patterns evolve and restaurants have to adapt.

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What an informative reply theluna.Thanks.I did not know that bouillabaisse depended on such culinary authenticity.I had more than I could eat (in a portion for one) at Chez Davia,Nice and a very disappointing version in a restaurant recommended by my hotelier in Aix en Provence.What I thought a nice touch was that one of Madame%26#39;s sons in Chez Davia anticipated correctly that I would not cope with fish heads and tails and offered to fillet the fish for me.Only one I could identify was red mullet.

I did have a day in Cassis when staying in Aix.I thought all the food and drink prices were extortionate,wine especially.Nice place though.