La Table d'Eugène

We've been harping on about how the Northern side of Paris' 18th arrondissement is up-and-coming for a while now, singing the praises of Scandiwegian furniture shop Maison Nordik, Venezuelan areperia Bululu and hipster burger joint Le Ruisseau, to name just a few - and with the Unlock Paris HQ in this part of town, and most of our meetings held at the charming Cafe Lomi, it's an area we very much know and love. So imagine our excitement last Friday evening when we saw none other than the President of the Republic, François Hollande himself, dining at the gastronomic jewel in the crown of this neighbourhood: La Table d'Eugène. Proof that not only is this part of the 18th becoming hipsterfied - it's positively in the process of being gentrified.

Helmed by head chef Geoffrey Maillard and his sous-chef François Vaudeschamps - who have previously worked at Le Bristol, Le Plaza Athenée, Alain Senderens and Taillevent between them - the discreet Table d'Eugène has been drawing connoisseurs to rue Eugène Sue for the last five years since it opened (and is, as such, perhaps a trail-blazer for having set up in this part of town). Last September it unveiled its new decor - muted tones of beige, grey and oak - behind curtained windows cocooning patrons in its small, subtly luxurious dining room, where service is slick and the food takes centre stage. The menu is seasonal - changing every ten days - with high-quality individual ingredients sourced from small-scale producers being honored in each dish. Fixed-price dinner menus range between €55 and €99 and may feature dishes such as sea bream tartare with yuzu and daikon, or veal with truffle mashed potatoes, caramelised shallots and panfried chanterelle mushrooms, all beautifully presented and punctuated by amuses-bouches, palette cleansers and pre-desserts, and paired with wines from their superlative selection (the Pattes Loup Chablis, €48, goes down a treat). Weekday lunches are at the reasonable price of just €25 for starter+main or main+dessert, and, if you can't get a table here (book a week or so in advance) there is also a wine bar and tapas annexe, La Rallonge, just a couple of doors up, if you're looking for something more casual but still high-quality in the neighbourhood (and don't perhaps fancy rubbing shoulders with Mr Hollande). 

La Table d'Eugène
18 rue Eugène Sue, 75018 Paris
01 42 55 61 64
www.latabledeugene.com

and for our little paparazzi moment....

François Hollande leaving La Table d'Eugène after dinner

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris