Le Mole by Gerald Passedat, Marseille

We wanted to catch another sunset from our balcony before heading out for dinner, and so we did. Isn't it beautiful? The rocky islands, the criss-cross patterns on the sky created by the busy jetliners crossing the Mediterranean Sea. In Japan they called it wabi-sabi....beauty in imperfection and asymmetry.

Then we headed off in our pick-up limo to the restaurant, also helmed by the property owner Monsieur Passedat at another place in downtown Marseille.

WOW!!! MUCEM is a beautiful museum next to the Port. Le Mole restaurant is located on the top floor. We could already see it, brightly litted with an elevator dedicated just for the restaurant.

for security reason, we had to beep the intercom at the entrance of the neon light elevator before the glass doors were opened.

the concept here is minimalist, bare and futuristic too. The Artemide Mercury were decked around the ceiling of Le Mole. A few years ago, we almost bought this design but bcoz the concept of our home weren't similar, we changed to other designs from Artemide. But it's a really funky and clever design. Each set of Mercury has a "droplet" of bulb that shines back to the "Mercury" to reflect lights down. 

there's even a KiosQue selling simple and light food like sandwiches and salads. What a good idea for a picnic by the harbour. But Le KiosQue is only open during the day.

Couldn't resist all the bread here, crusty, with beautiful aroma fr the wheat. The only place that we can find such similar bread in KL is from DC Restaurant and Yeast. Oh ok, will try to blog bout these 2 places soon. I have many postings lining up behind. -_-

Appetizer of grilled sea prawns with confit of its oil, on top of root vegetables mash which was extremely velvety. It's so fine!!! and this place was supposed to be a casual dining restaurant. I could imagine it would be so beautiful dining here during the day, with the view of the sea, and occasional sunlights penetrated through this "Cube" of architecture designed by Rudy Ricciotti.

*pic taken from the web*
 The other facade MUCEM. Very intricate eh? The bridge links it to the old medieval fort.

it's really very organic and I lurve how the lights played shadows with this structure of fiber reinforced concrete.

Even at nite it's this stunning.
And we were dining inside this Avatar liked cube :)))))

We had a lovely flora white wines from Bandol, which is located between Marseille and Cassis. Though nearer to the Mediterranean, it is famously known as wine from Provence. But seriously, after our trip to this region of France, we enjoyed Provence wines more than we should...hahahaha yes it's so easy to drink, you could have it for breakfast/lunch/aperitif with your grill fish or sandwiches :)))) It's just so light and aromatics. 

and bcoz I mentioned salad...I gotta have a small portion to pair with my wine :)))) So u see it's all about the drinks...the food are accompaniment sometimes hehehehehe

JS had raw slices of fish with crunchy pickled greens. Simple and as usual, he's a calories counter.

Beautifully pan seared sea bass with seasonal mushrooms served with a very umami jus. Don't be deceived by the food here.....the taste was definitely not simple. Pretty complex for such a fatty fish. yummmness~~~~~

and I wanted Pork Roulette with even crispier skin :)))) Ahhh so simple and good portioning. There are certain evenings, when we can't eat that much. Age is catching up hahahahaha. I guess we are very picky with our food these days.

Wherever we go, there must be some certain portion of vege on request. This one came with the main course. Vegetables blanched in fish stock and mirepoix. Mirepoix is the flavour base in french cooking, consisted of mainly onions, celery and carrots. It's made into stocks for almost everything.

By the way there's a rooftop garden where Chef planted herbs and vegetables here in MUCEM.

Finally we shared a dessert

spot the resemblance? hehehehehe we then looked out the window and spotted the very same design. :))))

After our petit four JS was contemplating if we should walk home or not?
-_-" 
walk????
actually I don't really mind but bcoz the restaurant has got such good service, they've already prepared our transport for us to be chauffeured back to the villa, also own and run by the very same owner Monsieur Gerald Passedat. 

Marseille Cathedral was just outside, looking even more stunning at night :)))

I'm so glad we came here despite all the stories of Marseille not being safe. Frankly everywhere around the world, there's bound to be danger, including Switzerland. I have so many friends got pick-pocketed there. Not to mention Paris and London and Barcelona are dangerous too. So really, everywhere is dangerous, u just gotta watch out and take care of yourself, your belongings and stay alert at all time.

For more information on Le Mole:
Le Mole by Gerald Passedat
1, Esplanade,
MUCEM, Marseille,
France.
http://www.passedat.fr/

Le Petit Nice Passedat *3 Michelin Stars*, Marseille

We saw a stunning sunset over the Mediterranean sea before some beautiful villa perched on a rock covered it. Oh well then we just moved over to the left to continue on this feast for our eyes and soul. :))))))))))

Monkey and JS checked into a Relais & Chateau property in Marseille, it's so so beautiful and I'll never get enuff of the view, the sound and the smell of the sea. :)))) But what attracted us to stay at Le Petit Nice Passedat is its restaurant!!!! hohohohohohohohoho

at the veranda outside our bedroom. It commands a stunning view and bcoz of this, I didn't wanna go anywhere except stay here in our suite or just lounge on the sun deck all day. The sun is just so lovely and u dun feel its intensity. Just the beautiful cool temperature and sea breeze, finally when the sun hits your skin, it felt so so comfortable, like a heater radiating at the most perfect temperature just slightly on top of ur skin. We stayed here for 5 days and I've gotten such a beautiful tan.

After our beautiful sunset, we went to the restaurant which was just directly below our room. Le Petit Nice Passedat is own and run by Mr. Gerald Passedat himself, the Executive Chef cum owner of this property, both the hotel and restaurant. On the Chateau & Relais website, he's described as the Grand Chef.

Chef Gerald Passedat

He's very good looking :))) typical french look :))). We saw him on one of those evenings after our post-dinner walks. He greeted us upon our entrance and we were so speechless to even snap a pic of him. Instead many many pics with his dog almost everyday. JS adores his dog that Pug.

Born in 1960, Passedat took over the business from his father. His father also took over from the grandfather. I guess it's a french thing hehehehe. The grandfather bought the current seaside villa in 1917 and Passedat's daddy got the very first Michelin Star in 1977. Wow!!!!

and recently in 2010, Gerald Passedat received his Chevalier Legion of Honor. It is the highest decoration and honor any french man/woman can receive. Double Wow!!!! u have to contribute at least 25 years of professional activities or 20 years of public service. Oh this is so unlike in Malaysia whereby u contribute money to get your decorations. :P


We have a table by the glass window overlooking the sea. There's also a terrace seating out there, but temperature here drops drastically at nite so that isn't a good idea.

amuse bouche of deep fried elongated pastries like our chinese pohpiah. But these were definitely so much finer. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth in bcoz they looked so crispy and light!!!

and oh my oh my wat a pleasant surprise!!! innit it was airy with small pieces of sea bass and tarragon. Oh yessss fish!!!! how did he do that???

another amuse bouche was this so beautifully chopped to the squares mixture of seafood and citrus and tomatoes and herbs. Dressed in a beautiful sauce made in house. Passedat is an avid underwater diver....as in really deep water. Hence he's very much influenced by the sea and all of his creation tells a story.

The bread specially baked for Le Petit Nice Passedat from a local boulangerie. The bread was airy and light, the crust was malty with a beautiful nose and bites with a crunch. We had so much and had to refrain from having an extra piece, but the staffs here kept on feeding us with more bread.

"would you like more bread sir?"
JS: "NOOOOO pls take it away from me!!! it's TOO GOOD!!!!"

Small bites of cured fish with seaweed and a dollop of citrus sauce. I'm already so happy with this. It seemed so simple but was very well executed. The fish has gone through some form of preparation to produce this texture. Just reminded me of some sushi master chefs in Japan....all the long meticulous processes to give u a slice of raw fish that's full of flavour and umami-ness.

some throwback here on aged sushis back in Sapporo *click here to read*

When the lid was opened, the perfume of shellfish infiltrate my nose!!! ohhhh such beautiful scent and it's so intense. It's like there's a huge pot of boiled shellfish under my nose...couldn't wait to dig in.

Bonito and mackerel laid beautifully on top of crunchy pickled greens, with sea emulsion and a slice of botarga in the middle. Yumzzzz

sea bass with truffles, basil, coriander and lemon.
my oh my...how do u even cut zucchini like that???? Please JS don't make me do this at home!!!

this fish was served with fennel and a side dishes of different type of vegetables.

Lettuce and spinach custard with caviar on top and a piece of round fritter.

Carefully prepared conch/snail with its shell on the side. They even gave us pieces from its "legs" which I called slug legs...it's for good luck!!!!

*pic taken from the web*

it looked like this, the oval disc that shaped like an ear. In Southern France, they used these as accessories/jewelries for it brings luck!!! But JS kept putting them on top of Doraemon's head, saying these are his new ears. Did u realise that Doraemon doesn't have ears coz the rat ate them?

"It's slug legs.....not ears....don't con him." -_-
JS: "wahahahahaha slug legs!!!!"

we had a feast of different types of fishes and shellfish cooked and prepared beautifully with meticulous skills and thoughts. The pairing of the taste between the land produce from the gardens and from the sea were singing on our palate the entire evening. It's so beautiful~~~

I must say this was quite an experience - sea anemone inside a fritter. YEAH we have eaten sea anemone and it's so yummy!!! the umami-ness was so intense. Not so much for its texture and looks but for its awesome taste. I could have more of these.

We had a bottle of stunning white wine to go with all the seafood and beautiful fishes :)))) Chef Passedat has more than 65 types of fishes being prepared in his kitchen each year according to season.

and now......behold!!!!!!!!
the STAR of Le Petit Nice Passedat~~~~~~
the best Bouillabasse, not only in Marseille....not only in France....but in the WORLD is only served here at Le Petit Nice Passedat.

Pieces of fish, all cooked to the right texture in fish broth, potatoes with saffron, octopus and a small dollop of aioli on top. You could see the texture of the fish is just firm and not flaky nor overcooked.

Then the magic happens~~~~~~

The thick fish stock with sea urchins innit, hence the thickness....I can just live on this alone!!!!

Generally bouillabaisse must have rockfish innit. For Chef Passedat, he has 3 types of fish from different levels of the Mediterannean sea. This give the dish different sweetness and texture.

AWESOMENESS!!!!!
I've tasted quite a few bouillabaisse around South of France and I can attest that this is the best. Where else to enjoy this if not at the place of birth itself?

JS's favourite course.....apart from wines....if u count wine as a dinner course itself.
The cheese cart was wheeled out in glee....

I don't like Roquefort....JS lurves it so much for its delicate nose but strong taste. It's spicy on my tongue...just like a bottle of Gevrey Chambertin. So easy to blind-taste me with a bottle of GC.

I'm very conservative and single minded when it comes to my cheese. It's usually the strong creamie velvety Epoisse, which is very strong too but it has got the velvety smooth kinda strong....and a really good aged Comte cheese which has this cristalised crunch. AAAahhhhhh.......I miss my cheeses. 

not so sinful desserts...but this was only the pre-dessert!!!

This was our dessert....inspired from the sea....like Corals.

orange and chocolates is like a beautiful blissed marriage....and definitely blissful for my tummy too...hehehehehe....

the fine chocolate melted away and the coral opened up.

Petit four were so so so fine. I was almost in tears bcoz I couldn't finish it!!!!!. Maybe they could send it to our suite??


Chef Passedat's beloved pug....he's the resident dog here... and he lives in this villa. It's a french bulldog. He hates me and alwiz growled at me.....

even the business card holder has its face there.

but he lurved JS and let him pet him anytime he wanted to. On the day we checked-in Angry Pug scared me bcoz he was right outside our room, and I guess I scared him too. Hence the HATE relationship started between the two of us.....hahahahaha.

Anyhow he's one cute and scary pug at the same time. I never walk alone here bcoz he will follow me around the property and growl grrrRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Only JS can tell him to stop and go away. Hmph!!!

This is one beautiful and stunning restaurant in Marseille. Even more stunning creations from Chef Passedat. For more information log onto the website below:

Le Petit Nice Passedat *3 Michelin Stars*
Anse de Maldorme,
Corniche JF Kenney.
13007 Marseille
Tel: +33 4 9159 2592

http://www.passedat.fr/en/#!home
Opens: Tue - Sat
Closed: Sun & Mon