Mirazur Menton

Menton 🇫🇷 Postcard from the beautiful Côte D’azur 🌊

Blessed to have experienced the former world n1 along the coast of southern France this weekend.

@restaurantmirazur, led by the innovator and genius @maurocolagreco, is an ode to nature and the elements (we were lucky to explore the restaurant’s famous garden pre dinner!).

We were blown away by the stunning location, the lush surroundings and the magic combination of ingredients.

The September menu highlighted the incredible ways that leaves can take center stage in a dish - which was an amazing opportunity for us to try leaves and plants we’d never tasted before.

What a special night!

#frenchfood #mirazur #southoffrance #cotedazurfrance #relaisetchâteaux #finedining Less

The main reason I was in Menton was for 3* @restaurantmirazur by @maurocolagreco - crowned the World’s Best Restaurant in 2019 by @theworlds50best! Perched on a hill with panoramic views of Menton and the Mediterranean Sea, the ambiance and hospitality here are simply unparalleled. We were excited to be back at Mirazur after our first visit 3 years ago.

The cuisine follows the biodynamic calendar and offers 4 variations of the tasting menu depending on the day of your visit - Roots, Leaves, Flowers or Fruits. It is inspired by the nature surrounding the restaurant from the sea, mountain, and its very own gardens - the restaurant has been growing its own vegetables since 2008.

A tour of the Rosmarino garden is available upon request and it was fascinating to learn not only the cultivation techniques, but also the historical significance of the area. Just a short distance away is Balzi Rossi - one of the most important Paleolithic sites in Europe. The garden team is currently researching the cultivation from this era and perhaps this will make its way to the menu one day.

Also in the works at the garden is a boutique hotel with 11 suites for guests of the restaurant - imagine having dinner, staying overnight, and having breakfast in the gardens the next morning. Not resting on its laurels, the experience at Mirazur continues to evolve and I look forward to seeing how it will transform in the future!

The Flowers Universe menu:

Borage
Razor Clam

Cosmos
Catch of the Day

Osmanthus
Lobster

Liliaceae
Potato

Zucchini Flower

Saffron
Catch of the Day

Amaranth
Pigeon

Orange Blossom

Hibiscus Beetroot
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3*, Mirazur
Menton, France
#supermelFrance Less

(This story has a happy ending)
Dinner last Christmas at ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀 Mirazur in Menton. I’ve had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with this restaurant over the years, having visited probably 7 or 8 times. Back before they got onto the World’s 50 Best list when you could ring up and get a table for dinner the same day. Good times and great food. Then I soured on it a bit after they got the W50B number one spot and the third Michelin star. I had a couple of not so great experiences where it seemed clear that they were packing in the diners and making the most of the wave of publicity that 50 Best number one spot gives you. And to be fair to them, why wouldn’t they? It’s a business after all. But I certainly felt that the food suffered for it and the service definitely did. On my last visit the place was packed to the rafters with diners on three floors and a menu that I felt had been watered down just in order to allow the kitchen to keep up with these increased numbers. The service was just plain bad and I left feeling pretty disappointed.
I’m glad to say that things have changed drastically for the better. They have reduced covers through a beautifully done kitchen renovation where the ground floor is now fully taken over by the new kitchen. The lower floor is now a very nice looking private dining room for up to 14 guests complete with your own wine room and vinyl record player and also used as a small R & D kitchen. The main dining room is now a relaxed, peaceful space with the world class service that you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. While aspects of the menu that I had may not have been completely to my taste, with a strong focus on root vegetables running through the entirety of it (it’s that time of year 🤷🏻‍♂️), including the desserts and a main course that instead of a protein turned out to be a celeriac tart, I do recognise that it was all expertly cooked and more than worthy of the three stars it currently holds. It was one of those menus that I recognised to be technically perfect but unfortunately, for me anyway, lacked that deliciousness that we all crave in a meal. Again, personal taste, I’m sure the rest of the room enjoyed it. Less

(This story has a happy ending)
Dinner last Christmas at ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀 Mirazur in Menton. I’ve had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with this restaurant over the years, having visited probably 7 or 8 times. Back before they got onto the World’s 50 Best list when you could ring up and get a table for dinner the same day. Good times and great food. Then I soured on it a bit after they got the W50B number one spot and the third Michelin star. I had a couple of not so great experiences where it seemed clear that they were packing in the diners and making the most of the wave of publicity that 50 Best number one spot gives you. And to be fair to them, why wouldn’t they? It’s a business after all. But I certainly felt that the food suffered for it and the service definitely did. On my last visit the place was packed to the rafters with diners on three floors and a menu that I felt had been watered down just in order to allow the kitchen to keep up with these increased numbers. The service was just plain bad and I left feeling pretty disappointed.
I’m glad to say that things have changed drastically for the better. They have reduced covers through a beautifully done kitchen renovation where the ground floor is now fully taken over by the new kitchen. The lower floor is now a very nice looking private dining room for up to 14 guests complete with your own wine room and vinyl record player and also used as a small R & D kitchen. The main dining room is now a relaxed, peaceful space with the world class service that you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. While aspects of the menu that I had may not have been completely to my taste, with a strong focus on root vegetables running through the entirety of it (it’s that time of year 🤷🏻‍♂️), including the desserts and a main course that instead of a protein turned out to be a celeriac tart, I do recognise that it was all expertly cooked and more than worthy of the three stars it currently holds. It was one of those menus that I recognised to be technically perfect but unfortunately, for me anyway, lacked that deliciousness that we all crave in a meal. Again, personal taste, I’m sure the rest of the room enjoyed it. Less

Sweet potato & coffee
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Dinner at ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀 Mirazur in Menton. They have reduced covers through a beautifully done kitchen renovation where the ground floor is now fully taken over by a new kitchen. The lower floor is now a very nice looking private dining room for up to 14 guests complete with your own wine room and vinyl record player and also used as a small R & D kitchen. The main dining room is now a relaxed, peaceful space with the world class service that you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. While aspects of the menu that I had may not have been completely to my taste, with a strong focus on root vegetables running through the entirety of it, including the desserts and a main course that instead of a protein turned out to be a celeriac tart, I do recognise that it was all expertly cooked and more than worthy of the three stars it currently holds. It was one of those menus that I recognised to be technically perfect but unfortunately, for me anyway, lacked that deliciousness that we all crave in a meal. Again, personal taste, I’m sure the rest of the room enjoyed it far more.
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Michelin Guide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀
La Liste - 19
W50B - Best of the best hall of fame
Best Chef Awards - 31(2023 list)
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#achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodie #foodporn #foodpic #achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodtours #foodies #foodporn #foodpic #foodpics #finedining #michelindining #eats #instafoodie #michelinstar #bestofspaintour #worlds50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #eater #michelinguide Less

Beetroot, caviar, cream
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Mussels, yellow beetroot
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Langoustine tail, tartar, celeriac & white truffle
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Dinner at ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀 Mirazur in Menton. They have reduced covers through a beautifully done kitchen renovation where the ground floor is now fully taken over by a new kitchen. The lower floor is now a very nice looking private dining room for up to 14 guests complete with your own wine room and vinyl record player and also used as a small R & D kitchen. The main dining room is now a relaxed, peaceful space with the world class service that you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. While aspects of the menu that I had may not have been completely to my taste, with a strong focus on root vegetables running through the entirety of it, including the desserts and a main course that instead of a protein turned out to be a celeriac tart, I do recognise that it was all expertly cooked and more than worthy of the three stars it currently holds. It was one of those menus that I recognised to be technically perfect but unfortunately, for me anyway, lacked that deliciousness that we all crave in a meal. Again, personal taste, I’m sure the rest of the room enjoyed it far more.
.
Michelin Guide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀
La Liste - 19
W50B - Best of the best hall of fame
Best Chef Awards - 31(2023 list)
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#achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodie #foodporn #foodpic #achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodtours #foodies #foodporn #foodpic #foodpics #finedining #michelindining #eats #instafoodie #michelinstar #bestofspaintour #worlds50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #eater #michelinguide Less

Very difficult to put such experience into words. I tried on my last post, but it’s still far from what it felt like. Half of the whole thing (or more than half, for some 🙋🏻‍♀️) is the part that wines play. Dealbreakers, can elevate the menu, flavours and feelings to a whole new level. And this was a clear exemple of that. Two amazingly powerful wines in their delicacy and finesse, from the two regions I love the most: champagne and Burgundy. All due to @tomasmfdc, who does his job very fucking well. Obrigada ❤️ Wine people are the best people.
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#mirazur #restaurantmirazur #maurocolagreco #mentonfrance #cotedazur #winelovers #finewines #champagne #bourgogne #burgundywine #francisboulard #arnaudente #closdetart #marcdebourgogne #finedining #mustgo #michelinguide @michelinguide @michelinfrance #50bestrestaurants #50best @theworlds50best @relaischateaux #relaischateaux Less

🌱🌿 Leaves menu from @restaurantmirazur. One of those moments that will linger forever, and a very tricky one to put into (just) words. A trip to @lesjardinsdumirazur is mandatory to help understand the amount of work of the many people behind all vegetables, leaves and flowers way before these even enter the restaurant, literally from their gardens to table. Even the story of the butter and its producer is heartwarming.
The dedication, prep hours, creativity, teamwork that allow for the possibility to alternate daily between four different menus, based on the moon cycle: roots, leaves, flowers and fruits. The enormously amazing yet balanced and subtle combinations of flavours within delicate creations that flow dish after dish. One of the best in the world, for sure; a personal top 3 and very unlikely to be dethroned.
Cherry on top - a group of lovely people dedicating their days to what is a one of a kind experience, also ready to drink some cool things on their days off 🔥❤️ @tomasmfdc @benjamin.iraola @camilacanturios @miltonfragozo @albeertscobos. What a ride.
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#mirazur #restaurantmirazur #maurocolagreco #villedementon #mentonfrance #cotedazur #gardentotable #farmtotable #vegetablegardening #permaculture #biodynamic #finedining #mustgo #michelinguide @michelinguide @michelinfrance #50bestrestaurants #50best @theworlds50best @relaischateaux #relaischateaux Less

Sweets to finish the meal
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My next stop on the tour was a quick hop over the channel to France for another visit to World’s 50 Best Restaurants current #1 and 3⭐️ Michelin Mirazur in Menton. I have eaten here a few times but this was my first visit since it was awarded the W50B top spot.
I have to say that in my opinion, and this is very much just my opinion, I think that the popularity garnered since being awarded the W50B top spot has damaged the diner’s experience. They seem to be really packing the customers in. I have never seen it as busy as I did this past visit. I know of course that if you have a never ending queue of customers then it makes sense to capitalise on that and increase covers and put your prices up. But for me, the experience was noticeably worse off and I left a little disappointed. There is a full review on my FB if you are interested in a more detailed description.
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Michelin Guide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
OAD - 39
W50Best - 1
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#achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodie #foodies #foodporn #foodpic #foodpics #finedining #michelindining #eats #instafoodie #michelinstar #oad #worlds50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #eater #michelinguide #foodlepro #influencer #oadtop100 @theworlds50best #eater @michelinguide #mirazur Less

@restaurantmirazur yesterday topped the @theworlds50best 2019 list. What do you think? Does it deserve it’s place at the top? And now with the 50 Best rules changing, it will be consigned to the ‘Best of the Best Hall of Fame’ together with restaurants like Noma and Osteria Francescana who have gained No 1 multiple times. Is that not like banning Roger Federer from competing again having won his first Grand Slam?
I have had many good meals at Mirazur and personally would have liked to see if they could maintain this position. .
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Michelin Guide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
OAD list - 49
W50Best- 1
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#achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodie #foodies #foodporn #foodpic #foodpics #finedining #michelindining #eats #instafoodie #michelinstar #oad #worlds50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #eater #iphonexsmax #michelinguide #foodlepro #influencer #mirazur #threemichelinstars Less

One of the two new three stars in France, it is set above the Mediterranean sea close to the Italian border with a stunning view.

The food, even though the Chef comes from Argentina, is modern, classic French, reflecting his work at places like Arpège and Ducasse in Paris.

The menu is tilted heavily towards vegetables from their own gardens (3!), combined with fruits to add acidity and sometimes luxurious ingredients like caviar. The only meat course, the pigeon was perfectly cooked with a beautiful texture.

I have eaten Mr. Colagreco's food only in collaboration dinners and pop-ups in London so it is hard for me to judge if he had lifted his game so he was awarded the third star. However, what I got this evening, did not make me regret the journey I took to come here. Less

Great pop up dinner by Mauro Collagreco and his team at the NH Hotel in Madrid
At this pop up dinner occasion a menu called the “Roots” was served with 3 welcome tapas, 13 courses, amuse bouche and wine pairing. Each course appeared with elegant plating composition, exciting textures and perfect timing with the selected wines.
Probably the technology of the Mirazur dishes were a bit too complicated for the kitchen facility of NH Eurobuilding. But despite of the challenging circumstances we have sampled fantastic dishes. The Mirazur in Menton is an incredible chef driven restaurant with excellent cuisine and an extraordinary culinary experience.
Lovely service all along, with an enthusiastic team who even on the last day of service were performing 10 out of 10. We are looking forward to our next trip to the french riviera. Less