To be clear from the start, I need to tell you: when I was little, I was a real pain when it came to eating (my parents have memorable stories about it). Today, I’ve become the opposite. In an era where everyone is ‘no-something,’ I eat everything.
Well, the only thing that remains from my difficult childhood is fat… Yes, I still have a bit of a hard time with fat, and yet I try, I assure you! The proof is in my test of the Cochon Gaulois, an establishment located in the Marcadet-Lamarck-Damrémont area (18th arrondissement), specialized in… drumroll… pork (there are two who are paying attention)! And the problem with pork is that it has quite a few parts that are a bit fatty, you have to admit…
But the specific feature of this friendly establishment is to offer only well-traceable products, from “artisan” producers who work in respect of nature and animals. The restaurant even buys the whole pigs to cook every part so that there is no food waste and to offer very competitive prices (which I appreciate a lot, obviously).
In the kitchen, chef Maxime Delaboudinière‘s work is focused on cooking techniques like low-temperature cooking so that the dishes remain light.
As for the dining room, you’ll find impeccable service, with smiling staff who know the products and recipes inside out, a bistro decor but in a slightly industrial style, a lovely circular guest table for groups or for getting to know your neighbor, and a room that ends with a view of the restaurant’s open kitchen.
Must-tries:
As the chef wanted us to taste several flagship starters from the menu, we had a small assortment of 3 starters in smaller portions:
- Crispy pig’s trotter with herbs (€10), with a little too many pieces of fat for my taste
- Thin andouillette tart, red onion confit, 3-spice ice cream (€12), perhaps the first time I managed to eat andouillette (only a little because it smells quite strong, this stuff…)
- Old-fashioned chicken liver terrine (€8), absolutely delicious
- The black pudding with its Espelette pepper apple compote (€17), well, here I am in my element! I don’t like fat, but I’ve loved black pudding for a long time, and this one was particularly good.
- With a side of creamy buttered mashed potatoes…
- The “Big Pig” Burger (€19) – I’m not saying it, it’s written on the menu…
- As a side, spelt risotto from the Île-de-France region and seasonal vegetables.
- The revisited lemon tart (€9) from the house pastry chef, Yvan Lobel, who prepares all the Cochon Gaulois desserts on-site.
- The Babajito (€11), a revisited version of the rum baba with Mojito, therefore a more tangy flavor centered on lime, a very nice dessert.
- The gourmet Champagne with chocolates (€13) with a glass of Champagne accompanied by a few homemade chocolates as well!
Regarding wines: the establishment has a very lovely wine list to discover, and you can let yourself be guided without hesitation by the waitress to find a wine to your taste that will pair well with your dish.
Good to know: note for those who don’t like meat too much, the address also offers fish and gets its supplies from Poiscaille, a network of anglers who fish with lines, straight nets, traps, or on foot, and who have a sustainable vision of their profession.
The tip: lunch menu with starter + dish of the day for €17
Thanks to Le Cochon Gaulois for this invitation.
Le Cochon Gaulois 185 Rue Marcadet, 75018 Paris Open for lunch from Tuesday to Friday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Find all my restaurant reviews in Paris below:
⇒ My restaurant reviews in Paris
⇒ My meat lover addresses in Paris
MY TOP MEAT ADDRESSES IN PARIS
⇒ Bang !
⇒ Rhino Rouge
⇒ Comptoir la Brigade
⇒ Canard Street Paris
⇒ Le Cochon Gaulois
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MAP OF MY FAVORITE FOOD ADDRESSES IN PARIS AND THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION
Restaurant 
Bar 
Patisserie / Bakery 
Tea Room / Coffee Shop
Brunch 
Ice cream parlor
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's permission is mandatory before any use
