Dear Tonight's Restaurant,

Excusez-moi tonight's restaurant, but I have a few things to say. First of all, I know that I'm a tourist. I'm embarrassed that I don't speak French even though I'm in town for a language conference. I'm also sorry that I'm not one of your regulars because I'm not from Nice, which might make you spend less time with them and I can only guess how that might make you feel. But do you know what tonight's restaurant? You are exactly the reason I'm here. I can't keep away from you.

Maybe it's my fault because I looked up "restaurants in Nice" on TripAdvisor. Or maybe it's your fault for having a table for one smushed between two tables for two along the bar. I mean, who reserves a table for one? It seemed pretty clear to me that you were keeping that table open for me.

But let's cut to the chase tonight's restaurant. When you served me that Caesar Salad with super crispy bacon that perfectly matched the white wine you suggested, you had me at "bonsoir." And when your entree appeared, I was yours forever. Like I said before, it's hard to be a tourist in what seems like a locals only joint and I know that your old friends probably feel like you're changing, but what they need to understand is that we love the same things about you!

I mean, if we all just sat down together and had a filet mignon of pork served with scallops on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes and covered with a mix of "just right" snap peas, corn, shallots and pomegranate seeds, I think we could work out an agreement. Oh and with that wine! And the bread that I don't feel guilty about using to soak up the straight-up fat left over from perfectly cooking a piece of medium-rare pork...that would help too.

So, tonight's restaurant, thanks for understanding that non-French speaking, non-local living people like me still deserve a shot at the Filet. We appreciate every bite of it.

See you again,
jason