As hotly anticipated as an episode of ‘Star Wars,’ a new big shot dining destination has arrived at Gare du Nord. With a futuristic mirrored exterior and a simple red and white interior, Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx’s newest project also knows its audience: there are train times posted on the wall and a cosy room looking straight down onto the platforms.
Order the breakfast menu (a hot drink, a pastry, baguette with jams and fresh fruit juice for €12) and watch the hustle and bustle down below. Lunch is an equally lively affair, with chefs sweating it out at an open kitchen at the back of the room. Expect melt-in-your-mouth eggs with mayonnaise, comforting pasta gratin with three kinds of mushrooms and ham, cider and honey battered fish and chips and a chocolate tart sprinkled with crushed cocoa beans.
If you’re not in the mood for a full meal, come to sip a coffee, nibble on a crepe or cast a glance over the charcuterie platter. For those in a hurry, grab a fresh sandwich or tart from l’Etoile’s adjacent bakery, which also churns out freshly baked baguettes (€1 every two hours).
TRANSLATION: MEGAN CARNEGIE