Hôtel du Nord - Badaude's Paris Address Book

The most romantic walk in Paris might be up in the 11e arronidissement along the Canal Saint Martin. Wander across a couple of the arched bridges between Quai de Jemmapes and Quai de Valmy in the evening twilight and drop in at the Hotel du Nord for a Kir.

 

This bar/restaurant has the cachet of being the current coolest on the canal. The incredibly romantic classic Michel Carné movie was named after the hotel, which was renovated and reopened in 2005. Now it offers a daily changing modern French menu in a smoky-walled 1930s ambience.

 

 

Spellbound by the warm atmosphere, after hanging around for an apero, flicking through a book from the in-bar library, you might be tempted to stay for dinner.

One word of advice: Book. This restaurant is POPULAR. I visited on a freezing night in the middle of a financial crisis and both the dining room and the bar were HEAVING with the canal’s black-jeaned hipsters mixed with a sprinkling of cool tourists.

The menu is a bit of a mix: traditional/European/American-anglo, with an oriental twist. I started with old school fresh foie gras, perfectly cooked to melting point and layered with paper-thin slices of fried apple. My date's chestnut ‘cappucino’ arrived in a Starbucks-sized mug complete with a head of delicate foam - she drank direct from the cup.

I went for the slightly adventurous Aiguilettes de canard (yes, that means ducks’ tongues) stuffed with wild mushrooms and roasted pleurotes (parsnips). The tongues were cooked to a delicate pink but over-salted, killing the delicate taste of the mushrooms. My date ordered a cheeseburger (she’s an American in Paris recovering from flu and needed comfort food). Again, the meat was perfectly cooked (as were the fries) but the bun was on the sloppy side and the dish had to be ‘deconstructed’ (ie - taken apart: she’s a  literature Major).

Dessert was back on track. My date had a great crème brulée flavoured with orange flower water and I had a couple of big slices of pain perdu (that’s eggy bread to Brits) made with sweet French brioche dusted with sugar and accompanied by a ball of toasty roasted sesame seed ice cream.

Portions are REALLY big. I was delighted to find myself in front of such a huge portion of foie gras, but that kind of meant I couldn’t finish the other two courses.

Wine was just fine. We had a 50cl ‘filette’ - a great alternative to a full bottle - for 19 euros.

And how was the atmosphere holiding up?

Well, later on, the atmosphere got even warmer when a customer and an employee started a glass-smashing competition in the corner of the bar. No-one was hurt and everyone seemed to be having fun so I guess it was just one of those things that might have happened in the hotel in the original movie...

Sadly, the hotel does not actually rent out rooms.

www.hoteldunord.org

 

102, Quai de jemmapes
75010 Paris, France
+33 1 40 40 78 78

Comments

[martin]

"My date's chestnut ‘cappucino’ which arrived in a Starbucks-sized mug complete with a head of delicate foam - she drank direct from the cup."

What am I not getting here? As opposed to drinking indirect from the cup?

[badaude]

I was thinking she might have used one of those hi-tech long shiny thing with a bowl-like contraption on the end often associated with soups... Oh yes, it's a spoon!

[SDG]

Sounds fantastic! Good food and good company w/a little impromptu shenanigans from your fellow patrons mixed in.

[Mevr. Haus]

"My date..."

"Sadly, the hotel does not actually rent out rooms."

What am I not getting here?

[badaude]

I feel you're seeing too much subtext here. I'm just a movie fan...

[Jaime]

Sounds wonderful..will have to check it out when in Paris next.

By the way--how do I permanently subscribe to your blog?

[badaude]

Thanks, Jaime, that's so kind! I just put up a couple of subscription widgets in the top of my right-hand sidebar...

[Natasha]

Pleurotes aren't parsnips, they're mushrooms! Parsnips are panais.

I've been here a couple of times, the waiters are lovely and the place is atmospheric but I was slightly disappointed by the food, and the prices, which are (like practically everywhere in Paris these days) HIGH.

[badaude]

Thanks for the correct translation! I have to agree about Hotel du Nord - better for a cocktail than dinner, though both our starters were fantastic.

[Claire]

Nice review, but aiguillettes de canard are not so much duck tongues (?!) as a certain cut of duck breast.

[badaude]

I seem to be getting everything wrong here! My culinary French may not be up to much but I've got to say my inaccuracy is also something to do with this particular dish being salted and sauced almost beyond identification.

[Nord]

I have seen the film movie nord last night. This is a road movie without roads. Jomar is a 30 year old man who has psychological problems. Suddenly he decides to leave his home and work to travel north to see his ex-girlfriend and his son.

[travel recommendations]

The situation of the hotel is a awesome It is a surrounded by a water and the atmosphere is a a great.

[עבודה הייטק]

I think no one was harm and everyone seemed to be having fun so I think it was just one of them that might have occurred in the place in the unique movie.