At Chez Fonfon you get to greet your fresh fish before they are cooked up for your bouillabaisse.
Bouillabaisse has always held a top spot on my culinary bucket list of foods that I must try in their place of origin. So while in Provence, I hit the road for a day trip to Marseille - the birthplace of this savory fish dish with the melodic name. There are many places in Marseille that serve the city's signature dish but we opted for the Michelin recommended Chez Fonfon. A lovely little port side restaurant, Chez Fonfon opened in 1952 and is one of the original signers of the 1980 "Bouillabaisse Charter" that defines the criteria for the dish. According to the charter, there are only certain varieties of fish that should be used in bouillabaisse and these include scorpion fish, conger eel, and gurnet.
Bouillabaisse at Chez Fonfon is served in two parts. While your fish is prepared, you are served from a tureen of smooth fish stock based soup made with tomato, saffron, garlic, white wine, and herbs. To the bowl, you add croutons that you slather with rouille (a luscious garlicky mayonnaise with a kick of cayenne) and aioli. This earthy and rich brew evokes the complexity of the sea and when you bite into one of the broth soaked croutons your tastebuds will have a true "ooh la la" moment. Pace yourself with the soup and bread - the staff will refill it throughout your meal from the tureen. You don't want to fill up before the fish arrives.
The fresh fish that you were shown earlier arrives ready to eat about 15 minutes later and potatoes have been added. You mix them into your bowl of broth and eat. Ask for more soup and repeat until full.
After indulging in a bounty of bouillabaisse, you can burn off calories with a stroll in Marseille along the Mediterranean. I did not get to spend much time in Marseille but this vibrant and diverse port city is the European Capital of Culture 2013 and is hosting many cultural events.
