I’ve heard very mixed things about A l’Épi d’Or, the a Parisian institution that has bustled in the heart of Les Halles for a century. These days, Elodie and Jean-François Piège are at the helm of this destination, ostensibly adding a touch of fine dining flair (and prices to match) to a space that they still market as populaire (working class) in spite of the eye-watering prices. Some people love it; others abhor it. But after a dear friend of mine told me it’s one of her favorite bistros in the neighborhood, I had to check it out.
The dining room is resolutely old-school in a wholly charming way. The tables are laid out close together, and most seats, either simple wood or leather banquettes, overlook the absolutely gorgeous wood-and-zinc bar. A mirror lining one of the walls gives the impression that the room is larger than it is, and the sure-footed servers move quickly and deftly over the mosaic floor with that perfect combination of professionalism and a touch of flirtatiousness that has long been the hallmark of service à la parisienne.
I won’t mince words: This place is expensive. A la carte offerings include a 14-euro egg-mayo or a 28-euro steak tartare. You undoubtedly get the best bang for your buck by ordering the semainier, a no-choice menu priced at 37 euros for two courses and 46 for three. Depending on the day of your visit, it might feature leek-vinaigrette followed by roast chicken and fries and finishing with riz au lait, or egg-mayo with anchovies followed by pork with lentils and finishing with pets de nonne, a sort of French doughnut or beignet.
On Wednesdays, the semainier begins with lentil salad topped with lardons and a soft-boiled egg (16 à la carte). The plate I was served was absolutely gorgeous, from the antique dishware to the fine dining-inspired presentation, so I was hoping to like it more than I did. While the seasoning was on-point and the egg was wonderfully jammy, the lentils themselves were woefully undercooked – so much so that I didn’t finish for fear of digestive incident.
The veal blanquette (30 à la carte) was far more successful. Generous chunks of perfectly slow-cooked veal were coated in a gravy that was at once thinner and more reduced than the ones I typically see on this classic dish. Instead of the flour-enriched sauce, which often tends to be a bit gloppy, this jus allowed the meat to shine.
I particularly appreciated the sweet pearl onions laced in with the chunks of tender veal, and the rice was served pilaf-style, which was another nice, slightly contemporary touch. And I seriously considered smuggling that beautiful cherry-bedecked plate into my purse.
Dessert was a custardy apple cake almost the texture of an invisible apple cake or a clafoutis. The plate itself was cold, which means I know this is being portioned way ahead of time, but somehow, it didn’t suffer for it. The cake itself was just barely sweetened and was served with a pillow of just-whipped cream and a drizzle of ultra-dark caramel. The combination of a lighter cake with these little touches of richness made it, for me, the perfect lunchtime dessert.
As I was finishing mine, my table neighbor along the banquette asked what I thought of the dessert. We got to chatting, and I learned that she’s a regular – and that the lentil issue was an anomaly, in her experience, which definitely makes me intrigued enough to return. That said, I do have some caveats.
The portion size here is quite small, and while that makes it easy to go for three courses at lunch, it makes the prices even more ludicrous… especially if there are technical missteps like the lentil conundrum taking place. And yet I do think I’ll return (for the semainier once more – I’m not made of money), in large part to soak up the ambiance and the space, which the Pièges have managed to conserve.
A l’Epi d’Or – 25 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 75001