The annual Rip Curl Pro Anglet, currently a WSL Qualifying Series stop, has long been a mainstay on the European surf circuit. Along with the dependable surf, the Basque Country is known for its great food, and Anglet has always been one of the top beach towns when it comes to surf restaurant haunts. Pizza Cosy is a favorite with surfers, and for good value and a Spanish influence there’s El Rocio. Close to the beach at Chambre d’Amour, Pizz’after beach offers pizzas, paninis, and organic salads.
Anglet has a solid heritage in the surfing world. Before the jetty was built at Cavalier Beach, the fabled left-hand peeler La Barre was the spot surfers flocked to, as one of the best uncrowded waves of the 1970s. Though that perfect left is long gone, the stretch of breaks along Anglet’s shore has continued to produce powerful and often hollow peaks. And while the surf can be inconsistent, the food has never been anything but dependably excellent.
Related: 13-Year-Old Tya Zebrowski Takes Rip Curl Pro Anglet For Third QS Win in a Row
One of the eateries left a lifelong impression on me and hundreds of Aussie and American surfers in the ’70s and ’80s. Le Sable d’Or sat on the waterfront below the edge of the Côte Basque cliffs, looking across the dunes that end at the Adour River in Bayonne and the long jetty at La Barre. From under its colored umbrellas, you could watch waves that broke consistently almost year-round. It was an unpretentious little bistro that served morning coffee, food all day, and, after dinner, cognac and pastis.
The owner, whom we knew as Madame Vacher, was a classic French proprietor who catered to visiting surfers. It was a hangout for many a lonely surf traveler, and Madame made sure we were all well fed. She always offered a” sandwich australien” and “une salade américaine”at a bargain price. And in the cold winter months when the crowds were gone, you could sit inside all day for the price of a beer. This snug little eatery was the first place I ever tasted mussels, and to this day I have never seen anyone improve on this recipe. There may be fancier restaurants in Paris and more Michelin stars in Lyon, but here on the west coast of France, the stars are the many family-owned establishments that serve simple, flat-out delicious food. Every surfer who ever passed through Anglet owes Madame and er family a debt of gratitude
Whether you are at the event or watching it on a screen, or just following the amazing set of talent surfing the beautiful spot, don’t miss having some mussels. Here’s the recipe. Simple, thrifty, delicious and filling. Make sure you have good bread (toasted is best) to accompany this.
Damien Poullenot / WSL
Madame’s Moules Marinière Mussels in Garlic Butter
Serve a glass of wine with this classic dish. As W.C. Fields once said, “I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.”
Ingredients
6 dozen mussels
2 shallots, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced (you can’t have too much for this recipe!)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ¾ cups dry white wine
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Rinse mussels in cold water, and scrub and scrape to remove any barnacles or dirt. Discard any with broken shells, and make sure all the mussels you use are live and closed. Let them sit in cold water for a couple of hours until ready to use. Put shallots, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and white wine into large, deep skillet or pot and sauté over medium-high heat to bring out the flavors, 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. Turn heat back up to medium high, then drain mussels and slide them gently into pot. Cover and allow to steam until most have opened, about 3 minutes.
Drain some of the wine broth to about 2 inches in the pot. Add butter and put lid back on for 30 seconds to allow butter to melt. Add parsley and shake pan well to distribute, then serve immediately, discarding any mussels that remain closed. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the delicious, garlicky broth.
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