The Les Fenêtres brasserie at the Intercontinental Hotel, Hotel Dieu in Marseille is a fantastic restaurant. Situated at the front of the hotel in a large roof terrace area above the reception area, this restaurant boasts stunning views over Marseille.
The décor is traditional in brasserie style, the intimate atmosphere lends itself perfectly to both restaurant and private dining. Catering for up to 80 guests, the restaurant very well designed with a great feeling of space created by their clever and stylish use of glass and mirrors.
“It’s worth popping in if only to experience the stunning views…”
The food is a delicious fusion of both local and international cuisine. Starters range from a revisited Caesar salad with a Parmesan shortbread to Bouille-abaisse milkshake with fish soup. I opted for the Figatelli (a Corsican sausage) ravioli with cebette onions. The dish was superb, with the soft, rich ravioli expertly complimented by the light, crunchy onions.
The main courses also did not disappoint, with a good range of fish, including lobster, meat and a vegetarian risotto. For my main course, I went with the grilled beef rib steak with marrow, a light béarnaise sauce and chickpea chips – a gourmet steak and chips! And it certainly was a special upgrade from the norm.
It was difficult to choose a dessert, as the selection was mouth-watering even just to read. Desserts included a dark chocolate and salted caramel tart; sugared cream cheese, raspberry and fresh almond gazpacho and an olive oil and lemon macaroon. I ended up opting for the Marseille-Cassis cream gateau and was certainly not disappointed. It was the perfect indulgent end to the meal.
The wine list also did not disappoint, and the whole meal was washed down (a little too well!) with a beautiful, full-bodied, herby bottle of Domaine du Paternal Cassis wine.
The service and food at Les Fenêtres comes highly recommended as a special place to dine whilst in Marseille. It’s worth popping in if only to experience the stunning views and beautiful atmosphere.