Da Bouttau Auberge Provencale restaurant review

We were shown through towards the rear of the restaurant where the walls were decorated with a selection of eclectic works of art and the tables decorated with candles and furnished with olive tapenade and crouton snacks with a side of balsamic vinegar and salt from the Camargue. We happily tucked into the pre-dinner snacks as we browsed the wine and food menus.

With a good mix of fresh seafood, Provencal meaty classics and the south of France favourite of Bouillabaisse, there was certainly plenty of choice for us. We all opted for a main and dessert, accompanied by a nice bottle of Provencal rosé wine. One of my companions choose the duck magret, whilst the other opted for the carnaloni risotto with panfried prawns. When I asked about a vegetarian option I was told that the risotto also came as a vegetarian dish, with ratatouille (another south of France staple) and I was more than happy with this choice.

When the meals arrived the risotto came as a bit of a shock as neither of us were expecting the bright green colour... Having said that, it was absolutely delicious and although I couldn't tell you what was in it and what exactly was making it bright green, it was really creamy, fresh and went very well with the ratatouille that was hidden in the middle under a pile of peppery rocket and parmesan. The version with the pan-fried prawns was just as well received. The prawns had been served with tails still on but nothing else, meaning that my companion didn't have to shell them himself.

The duck magret was a classic, tasty magret de canard with polenta and ratatouille. Not the gnocchi as advertised but my friend was happy with the change. He felt that is was a good combination - the polenta being nice and light whereas chips or potatoes can often feel too heavy when accompanying duck.

Clean plates all round!

We finished off the bottle of Domaine Hermitage Saint Pons rosé wine as we waited for our desserts to arrive. The lemon tart I ordered looked a little like a slice of mille-feuille - thick and tart lemon cream sandwiched between two slices of shortbread and topped with marshmallow soft French meringue. A real sugar overload but the tartness of the citron made it seem like less of a sugar rush.

The other two desserts were a selection of palate cleansing sorbets and a rather rich and indulgent chocolate fondant with fruit coulis and vanilla ice cream. The chocolate fondant, or moelleux as it is known in French, oozed out of its sponge casing onto the plate and was swiftly mopped up with the vanilla ice cream in what looked like a very sticky sweet pudding.

With more clean plates and some very full bellies we gave the coffee a miss and opted for the bill and the walk home, past the old port to enjoy the fresh spring evening and walk off some of our meal. Even though the Da Bouttau restaurant looks rather small from the outside, this is a really good option for groups as there is plenty of inside space. The atmosphere feels very relaxed and the friendly waiting staff make sure that you are well looked after.

Don't forget to check out our other restaurants across the city of Cannes for inspiration and remember to book in advance to avoid disappointment.