The BIEH (short for ‘The Best I Ever Had’) had tested the water in both Lyon and Dijon before setting up shop in the capital in June 2015. Located just south of the Bourse, the New York-style bistro has an elaborately retro interior that harks back to the American station joints of the 1920s.
The menu does offer salads and sandwiches, but we decided to give the burgers a try. There are eight different recipes, but only two really stand out. Firstly the Redwood, a classic beef number layered with Sauce Forestiere and topped with smoky bacon. Secondly the Ocky Ducky, which boldly pairs foie gras with duck confit. Unfortunately despite cheery service and original ingredients, the flavours didn’t stand out and the buns were cold (though the staff fixed that quickly). And at €12-€15 for the burgers and €3 for sides, we still prefer the homemade cuts at Big Fernand (for the same price) any day.
The servings are huge, and the desserts in particular seem destined for the starving. Still, BIEH has a way to go before it truly lives up to its name.