Novotel Cafe - Nice

We stayed at this Novotel the night before a flight out of Nice. With few local options, we chose to eat dinner at the Cafe here. We should have looked harder for an alternative. My "Wellington style" rack of lamb was cooked through (though I ordered medium) but was warm on the outside, cool in the middle. It was plainly reheated. The vegetables that came with it were severely overcooked and reminded me of the side dish often included in frozen dinners. It was inedible. The lamb itself was OK, and the fresh greens served on the side were, well, fresh. My wife ordered the roast king prawns with paella style rice stew. The prawns were overcooked and dry. They sat on a bowl of seasoned rice that was sticky and bland, just one step above Rice-A-Roni. It was edible, but not enjoyable. It took us five minutes to catch the server's eye, so we could ask for the check. 10 minutes later, we got up from the table and asked her if we should pay at the front. She looked rightly embarrassed, and said I'll be right there. She brought the check shortly after. We paid and left receiving no acknowledgment as we left the cafe.

The first item I chose off the a la carte menu was out-of-stock. I ordered ravioli and asked for Parmesan and they forgot. I reminded them and I got diced French mountain cheese definitely NOT Parmesan ! Not very impressed.

I had walked enough for one day and took the easy option of the closest restaurant to my budget hotel. The bar service was good and friendly, the menu OK and the food also OK. There is a pleasant atmosphere in this very open area and it is very convenient for air travellers.

We checked into the Novotel hotel at about 1 PM and wanted some lunch. The Cafe served lunch until 2 PM and the waiter/maitre d' greeted us warmly when we arrived. I ordered the steak pomme frites because I hadn't had any during our stay in France and we were leaving the next day. I was not disappointed . The steak was cooked rare as I wanted it, and the frites were served wrapped in parchment made to look like newsprint, in a clever little mini-basket made to look like a deep fryer basket. Nice touch! The restaurant seemed a little short-staffed. We were in no hurry and enjoyed our lunch well enough that we came back at dinnertime. Things were busier then. A large group of senior citizens from a tour group were there, and only two waitstaff were in the restaurant. They were gracious and professional, but clearly could have used an extra hand. For that meal, I wanted only the soup, a mix of vegetables that was delicious. If you want good, basic food in a casual and friendly place, this is a fine choice.

We had lunch with some beer. The service was good. We also attended Nice International Film Festival for some time at this hotel.