Restaurant Le Tilleul, Saint Paul de Vence, France

Ordered at Restaurant Le Tilleul in the incredibly beautiful city of Saint Paul de Vence in France.

A long weekend in the South of France…. Who could resist a getaway to Cote d’Azur, even if it was only for a few days… coming from Los Angeles… after having just been in Europe a week prior.

No one could resist! At least in my book.

My priorities were simple over the 3 day trip: shopping, food, beach, culture. In no particular order. And on our last day we ended up in a place that had everything besides le plage: Saint Paul de Vence.

Incredibly beautiful cobblestone streets and narrow passageways packed with one of the best collections of art galleries in the world, Saint Paul de Vence felt magical. Nestled high in the hilltops, this old town was a major attraction in my book, but lacked the crowds that everywhere else experienced. An A+ destination, all we needed was a club sandwich to complete the magic of the moment.

Restaurant Le Tilleul had exactly what I was looking for: a club sandwich and espresso. Located in just a gorgeous, absolutely stunning setting, they listed a simple set of ingredients, and in true French fashion the menu boasted a “take it or leave it” attitude that lured me in.

How could one go wrong with chicken, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, and emmental cheese, nestled in a white-bread?

Apparently, one can go quite wrong when you simply mess up the ratios.

Overflowing with mayo and white bread, I could barely find the chicken hiding below the sliver of cheese. The tomatoes and lettuce, drowning in oil, egg yolk, and acidic emulsion, were star ingredients that I couldn’t enjoy. Some of the best tomatoes in the world, silenced by one of the most common and boring sauces in the world. Sacrebleu!

Alas, while I loved Saint Paul de Vence, and would be back, this club sandwich would never be on my must try list (although props to the uniquely awesome toothpick holding it together!). Between the incredible farmers market ingredients, smoked salmon, foie gras, caviar, saucisson, and other delicious, local food items, for the life of me I wish I could have gone into their kitchen and reinvented their club.

But that would have to wait, as the bus was leaving for dinner in Nice, and I was still hungry…

Location