Chez Justine, Paris

One evening, we dined at a restaurant a few minutes walk from our apartment. Chez Justine was bright and funky on the outside, with a yellow awning and millennial-looking fairy lights that drew our attention to it. Inside, it had a quirky Western-diner feel, with padded tan benches and dimmed lighting. It didn’t look like your typical French brasserie, however, the menu was traditionally French.

We tried an assortment of dishes. My cousin ordered a fresh focaccia, which smelt and tasted divine. Crusty and doughy, mmmm. She had this alongside the burrata, which was perfectly creamy although, sadly, I wasn’t able to actually taste it and confirm. I had major food envy of my sister’s ‘steak frites’, which was a truly gourmet version of the French classic. Skinny, skin-on fries, that were delightful crispy. Served with homemade mayo, what a rarity. The steak was also cooked very well and came with a fresh, punchy chimichurri.

My choice, meanwhile, was probably the most underwhelming of all three. I ordered the quinoa salad, as, unsurprisingly, there weren’t a huge amount of options without dairy. One of the attractions of the dish on the menu was the crispy polenta. However, upon ordering, I was told that this was made with milk. They were very friendly and accommodating, and offered to replace it with their seasonal vegetables. This sounded promising, so I enthusiastically agreed. However, the ‘legumes de saison’ were literally boiled beans and carrots, which were overcooked and drenched in oil. The salad was also missing two key ingredients, being dried fruits and chickpeas, which certainly would have added to it. There is one thing I look for in a salad, and that is quantity and variety. I admit, this did have quantity, but was let down by the variety of ingredients promised.

Therefore, I would say that this restaurant was commendable, but only for specific dishes. I know now that it is usually safer to stick to the more traditional dishes of the region. One thing I would recommend this place for, though, is their cocktails. With a happy hour menu offering classics for 5 euros, I repeat, 5 euros, it is quite a find. My aperol spritz was better than good, and they even offered a rum punch which I would certainly go back for!

Focaccia and Buratta: 4 euro, 8 euro/Quinoa salad: 14 euro/Steak Frites: 15 euro

#French #Brasserie #Dinner #Paris #Restaurant