Paris is a city that greatly resembles itself, no matter which neighborhood you find yourself in. This is the case in large part because of a major renovation project that took place in the 19th century at the hands of Emperor Napoleon III and Georges-Eugène Haussmann, who undertook to widen boulevards, transform the then half-timbered buildings into edifices of limestone topped by gray slate roofs currently vying for UNESCO World Heritage status, and plentiful clean drinking water. The outlier neighborhoods that stand out for their distinctiveness are generally ones that were not yet considered Paris in the mid-1800s: Belleville, Butte-aux-Cailles, Ménilmontant, and Montmartre.
Montmartre is perhaps the best known of these neighborhoods. A village on a hill that has been home to everyone from Dalida to Johnny Depp, it’s a picturesque, cobbled quartier rife with narrow streets, beautiful squares, and staircases. A lot of staircases.
Place du Tertre is the tourist hub of Montmartre, just a few steps from the Sacré Coeur Basilica. And while it may be known as the first place where the word “bistro” was ever pronounced (…ostensibly…), generally speaking, I’d assume the food here is nothing to write home about. After all, why should a bistro that’s basically a honey trap for tourists bother to do anything better than reheat ready-made beef bourguignon and call it a day?
All this to say… Chez Eugène doesn’t need to go so hard, but it does a perfectly respectable job of providing house-made brasserie fare with a soupçon of creativity, all accompanied by an absolutely bonkers wine list.
It was indeed for the wine that this bistro recently garnered attention among locals, thanks to offerings that are far more off-beat than in most similar spots. A plethora of mostly-natural choices by the bottle range from bubbly Brut Nature from Les Pierres Ecrites in the Loire (42) to a Hautes Côtes de Beaune from Jean-Yves Devevey (88). Even the offerings by the glass are great, like Haiku blanc from Editions des vins rares (7) or L’Etang des souvenirs Champagne from Romain and P. Henin (20). Whatever you choose, the pours are generous and come with an apéritif of lovely black olive and anchovy tapenade served with toasts.
When it comes to food, the appetizer menu manages to include both brasserie classics like house-made terrine (10), escargots (17 for 6), and French onion soup (13) as well as more offbeat offerings like a “quiche cochonne” (14) with guanciale and black garlic or egg-mayo seasoned with grape must for a lovely mauve hue (9).
Portions are copious and flavors “correct.” The French onion soup with its house-made broth had a slightly too-caramelized allure about it, with a faint bitterness on the finish. The egg-mayo, meanwhile, definitely benefited from the touch of sweetness offered by the grape must, and the generosity with the sauce hid slightly the fact that the cuisson of the organic eggs was a bit uneven – one perfect, one over. Still, these small quibbles are easy to forget given the setting on the square.
The mains offered the same interplay between classic and innovation. I saw many a cheeseburger (22) emerging from the kitchen, and the massive steak-frites (30) certainly looked appetizing. My dining companion ordered the chicken supreme (24), served off the bone atop a tumble of perfectly fried potatoes, crispy on the outside and ultra-tender within. The mix was generously studded with confit garlic cloves.
My friend was kind enough to offer a bite, and I found the chicken perfect, especially since it was glazed in a lovely reduced jus. That said, my friend informed me that the off-the-bone chicken could have done with another five minutes’ cooking time by the time she reached the thicker part of the filet.
I ordered the daily special, of which there were three mains plus an appetizer. The yellow pollack (32) was flaky and pearlescent, topped with an nduja-spiked stuffing and seasoned generously with a creamy fish stock reduction and a smattering of mussels. The green beans straddled the line between the al dente preferred by Americans and the grey mush most French restaurants seem to prefer, bringing out the best in the seasonal veg. I loved the surprising addition of wakame, reinforcing the brininess of the dish and counterbalancing its seafoody sweetness.
We forewent dessert in favor of a nighttime wander around Montmartre, relishing the expedient yet friendly service, the tasty food, and the picturesque setting.
Is Chez Eugène a restaurant I would cross Paris for? Probably not – and especially not for its austere dining room, with its grey walls, black leather, and unflattering lighting. But I’m glad to know that at least one spot on the bustling Place du Tertre offers this lovely play of generosity and welcome, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to eat tasty food and drink delicious wines with an incomparable view.
Chez Eugène – 17, Place du Tertre, 75018