La Maison Mère, just a few steps from Hotel Amour on rue Navarin, satisfies the South Pigalle bobo craving for New York-style burgers and Franco-American dishes. The dimly-lit, intimate restaurant has a retro feel with engraved glass, French school tables, white tiles and metal racks.
Steven and I met up with our old Parisian friends Coralie and Sunny to catch up over burgers and good wine – as usual, we were the last ones to leave.
We were lucky that Coralie had booked a table that day, as the restaurant was already full when we arrived. An unexpected surprise was spotting the French-Moroccan actor and comedian Gad Elmaleh at the corner table. Elmaleh is perhaps best-known outside of France for starring in Priceless alongside Audrey Tautou but unfortunately we didn’t catch a glimpse of his girlfriend Charlotte Casiraghi.
There is a good, carefully chosen selection of French wines and a mix of classic and inventive cocktails (all priced at €10). We ordered a bottle of Côtes du Rhône Villages Clos Des Mourres 2010 (€32), which was light and easy to drink.
Had we not already indulged over a three course lunch, we would have started with some Crab Cakes and Fish Tacos. Instead, we went straight for the burgers.
Steven and I both ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger (€17), served with fries, coleslaw and tomato and pickle on the side. The high quality, thick beef patty was smothered in melted Cheddar and topped with crispy bacon, packed inside a glossy, light brioche bun. The meat was a little overdone (unbelievable in Paris, I know) but still very tasty and the crisp, flavoursome hand-cut fries with with skins on were excellent.
If you’re feeling particularly decadent, there is a Black Label Burger (€20) using Black Angus steak from the US.
Coralie ordered the Pièce de thon à la plancha (€20) – seared tuna cooked on the griddle, served with ratatouille, sweet potato puree and a wedge of lime.
Sunny went for the Assiette végétarienne (€14) – a large plate of quinoa tabouleh and seasonal crudités.
For dessert Steven and I shared the Pain perdu brioché (€8) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pain Perdu can be difficult to cook well at home and Maison Mère’s was pretty good, if a little small, with a caramelised coating and hint of orange.
Sunny tried the Dessert du Jour, which was a fruit crumble and Coralie went for a simple classic, Mousse au chocolat (€7). The desserts were tasty, but not outstanding – you could easily end with the burgers or go for a sweet cocktail.
The food at La Maison Mère is comforting and substantial and the ambiance is cool, lively and informal. Service can either be fun and flirty or obstinate and brusque – just try to catch the eye of the waiter you prefer!
For a perfect evening in South Pigalle, dine at La Maison Mère, followed by drinks on the chic heated terrace at Hotel Amour.
Photos by Chérie City and La Maison Mère