served; but _the_
restaurant of Biarritz is the one which Ritz has established on the
first floor of the little Casino, the Casino Municipal, where one
breakfasts in a glazed-in verandah overlooking the Plage and the
favourite bathing-spot, and at dinner one looks across to the
illuminated terrace of the other Casino. The decoration of this
restaurant is of the simplest but at the same time of the most effective
kind, being of growing bamboos which form green canopies above the
tables. Biarritz depends but little on the surrounding country for its
food, as the Pays Basque gives few good things to the kitchen. Fish is
the one excellent thing that Biarritz itself contributes to all the
menus, and the _Friture du Pays_ is always excellent. Here is a menu of
a little dinner for three at the Ritz. The _Minestrone_ is an excellent
Italian soup (which, by the way, Oddenino of the Imperial in London
makes better than I have tasted it anywhere else out of Italy); the
veal, I fancy, came from Paris, the _ortolans_ from the far south:--

Melon.
Minestron Milanaise.
Friture du Pays.
Carre de Veau braise aux Cepes.
Ortolans a la broche.
Salade de Romaine.
Coupes d'Entigny.

I have not kept any bill for this, but I know that I regarded the total
as moderate in a town where all things in September are at gambler's
prices. The Royalty, in the main street at Biarritz, is the afternoon
gathering place for the young bloods, who there drink cooling liquids
through straws out of long tumblers, while the ladies hold their
parliament at tea-time in Miremont the confectioner's.

Marseilles

Once more I step down from the platform to give place to my colleague
A.B.

Two of the best hotels in Marseilles, with restaurants attached to them,
are the Noailles and the Hotel du Louvre; the latter is owned and
supervised by Mons. Echenard, who with Mons. Ritz helped to create the
popularity of the Savoy Restaurant in London, and is also his coadjutor
in the management of the Carlton Restaurant; it is needless to remark
that any cuisine that Mons. Echenard takes in hand is worthy of
attention. Mons. Echenard has lately acquired the Reserve at
Marseilles--a very pretty cafe and garden about half-an-hour's drive
from the Cannebiere, along the Corniche Road; it stands in a commanding
position, with a lovely view of the bay and the surrounding mountains.
It has furnished ap