Secret entry into Monaco’s elite club
THE Monaco Yacht Club is one of the moneyed city-state’s most exclusive private clubs, founded by no less than the late Ranier III, Prince of Monaco, husband of Grace Kelly. Getting in requires two sponsors, approval by club president Prince Albert II and an undisclosed fee.
Each year, when the Monaco Yacht Show descends on the city, it’s where you’ll find Russian oligarchs, Chinese titans of industry, as well as captains, crew members and media.
But for those who don’t hold a golden entrance key, there’s still a way in – well, at least into the glassy Foster+Partners-designed club building itself – and that’s through the Wine Palace.
This high-minded temple to Bacchus stocks a cool 3 200 bottles of wine, Champagne and spirits on its shelves.
The food menu is compact but ticks all the boxes, with a cheese platter, foie gras, palm-size tartines, smoked fish and, in summer, a pretty pile of tiny heirloom tomatoes and rounds of fresh Mozzarella.
Grab a table on the terrace and prepare for primo people-watching. While the Wine Palace might not be officially part of the Yacht Club, you never know who you’ll spy browsing bottles to have delivered to their yacht.
And, of course, the harbour isn’t the only place to be. For other in-the-know spots, we asked locals for their top tips. There may be a litany of lauded restaurants (five Michelin-starred, 11 Michelin-recommended) in the city, but Monégasques don’t always go for the obvious, awarded, or expensive. Here’s where to join them.
A well-known Japanese-Thai spot on the ground level of a very standard complex of flats, the bland exterior here belies how trendy the restaurant actually is. Reservations are essential, especially if you want to sit outside.
There is an indoor dining room with a dozen tables and chandeliers dripping from the deep red ceiling, plus a wooden pavilion in the garden out back. – Washington Post.