For your entrée Chef Chretien has created a plethora of unique dishes from which to choose. Items include; braised red snapper served with potato-mushroom gnocchi in a basil reduction; gilded frog's legs served with "Purée d'Andouillette " drizzled with a foamed garlic, and parsley butter sauce; roasted Sonora beef tenderloin served with homemade fettuccine and a vanilla-ginger portabella mushroom sauce; herb crusted loin of lamb served with organic French green beans and black truffle jus; roasted free-range chicken breast stuffed with eggplant and vegetables with pan reduced au jus; or roasted lobster raviolis with shitake mushrooms bathed in a garlic-basil emulsion, just to name a few.

Each dish is prepared in full view of restaurant thanks to open kitchen designed by Chef Chretien. Watching kitchen staff is a real treat. Co-owner and Chef Eric Scianamanico is perfect partner in kitchen with Chretien and rest of staff. A constant buzz of activity takes place in kitchen and one walks away hoping to have learned techniques to use in their own kitchens, albeit that watching is much easier than doing.

The wait staff does an outstanding job of pairing wines to each stage of your meal and has a large selection of wines from around globe. One of great surprises is quality of Mexican wines restaurant features. Until recently, Mexico was not regarded as a wine producing country but with abundance of land and temperate climate that exists here. Slowly but surely, Mexican wines are being taken seriously by wine enthusiasts worldwide. To make selection even easier, restaurant menu offers option of adding wine selection to both single and double entrée prix-fixe menus.

For finish, dessert, and what a selection they offer. My partner, Dolores Peralta, opted for a chocolate soufflé made with Valrhona chocolate and served with fresh baked cookies, goat milk and caramel ice cream. I opted for lemon soufflé with same garnishments. Valrhona is a wonderful French chocolate company. Their "Noir Amer" chocolate literally translates as "black bitter", which is a fair description of both color and taste of this chocolate. For true chocolate aficionado, eating Noir Amer is almost a religious experience. It is most likely as close as you'll ever come to tasting pure chocolate essence.

In addition to soufflés, French Riviera also offers; melted chocolate cake served with pear puree; a soft hazelnut biscuit served with chestnut cream; a selection of seasonal red fruit with "Sablé Breton mango coulis and cocoa sorbet; or flambéed apples and bananas served with Calvados chocolate dentelle.

Another aspect of French Riviera experience is that it does not have to end with lunch or dinner. Rise next morning and satisfy your morning appetite with a short trip to either of restaurants satellite locations for terrific breakfast fare. Fresh baked baguettes, decadent pastries, crepes and more await and there is nothing more appetizing then aroma of fresh baked goods carried on crisp, clean coastal breeze. All in all, entire experience is, well, magnifique!

To learn more about French Riviera or to reserve your table, visit them online at www.frenchrivieraloscabos.com or call 011 52 (624) 142-3350. Bon apetit!

For complete restaurant locations, hours and contact information, visit CabosBest.com.

Plan one meatless meal per week. Assuming you used 1 pound of meat at $2.00 per pound, cutting one meal per week for one year would save $104.00!

When shopping for groceries, don't assume that just because grocery store has an item prominently displayed with price in big letters that it is automatically a "good price". Know your prices or keep a grocery price book.

Make your own self-rising flour. For each cup of flour in a recipe, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Out of baking powder? Use 1 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for each teaspoon of baking powder called for.

Never buy bottled juice that says "from concentrate". Buy frozen concentrated juice and add your own water.

The odds of going to store for a loaf of bread and coming out with ONLY a loaf of bread are three billion to one. --Erma Bombeck