The place du Tertre on a warm Friday evening
The ETs willingly succumb to the charm of Montmartre , despite the wild throngs of tourists in search of Utrillo and other starving artists from it”s golden years. Hoping to get a sense of neighborhood life on the butte, Melinda and I made the climb one evening, after the tour busses departed.
We wandered around looking in shops and admiring village architecture masked by windows hawking teeshirts and Monet-themed umbrellas. It wasn’t long before we were hungry, with nothing to guide us but posted menus and the apparent satisfaction of patrons on the terraces.
Dining in Montmartre can be a hit-or-miss proposition. On past visits, I avoided the central place du Tertre which is overrun by the aforementioned crowds. But we were hungry, and somehow the crazy circus of passers-by fit our mood, so we decided to give it a try.
A Montmartre tradition
We found an outdoor table at Chez La Mère Catherine on the perimeter of the action, and got to work immediately by ordering our first bottle. Wine is welcome at any meal in Paris, but mandatory for an evening in Montmartre.
A table for two was all we needed
It turns out that we made a fine choice. Chez La Mère Catherine has been dishing up frogs legs, pork confit and crêpes suzette since 1793. Opening a restaurant in the midst of the revolutionary Reign of Terror demonstrates a commendable optimism on the part of Mère Catherine. And it was optimism well placed. Her restaurant has outlasted two French Republics, the Paris Commune, the Second Empire, the Siege of Paris, the Nazis and the introduction of the Euro.
It is said that during the Battle of Paris in 1814, some invading Cossacks slipped off to Montmartre for a taste of Paris nightlife and made their way to La Mère Catherine. Out on the town without the knowledge of their senior officers, the soldiers had alot to do in a short time. Between rounds, they yelled “Bistro! Bistro!” (Hurry! Hurry!) and coined the term. The ETs feel justified when they can learn history while dining out in Paris, and here we find that Mère Catherine was right in the midst of it all!
Relaxed and dishevelled with toasts all round. The magic of La Mère Catherine transported the ETs
Once our attentive waiter advised us on dinner, we settled back to watch the show unfold. Before us went groups of kids out for a Friday night, befuddled tourists swept along by the crowd and hungry portrait artists in search of paying subjects. This was better than the Lido, and cheaper too. I don’t mind the Montmartre crowds when I am a drinking spectator with dinner on the horizon.
Tasty marinated pork isn't terribly photogenic
At last our meal was served. Melinda chose tender pork marinated in cider with potatoes lyonnaise that were fine. I had the ever-popular beef bourguignon with pasta and a grilled tomato that was adequate and filling. Our satisfaction rose with the arrival of a gâteau au chocolat with crème anglaise and raspberry coulis.
Fit for a Cossack - beef bourguignon and some puzzling pasta
Mère Catherine is a purveyor of standard cuisine and on that count, she delivers. This wasn’t a Michelin meal. But dear Readership, consider the balmy evening breeze, the checkered tablecloth, the warbling chanteuse accompanied by a rickety old piano, the entertainment in the place du Tertre and the warm goodwill engendered by the wine. Clearly, you can have a delightful night out in Montmartre.
Popular lore claims that it was here that the revolutionary Danton wrote “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die”. That was far more likely in Paris of 1793 if you were a fleeing aristocrat with the family jewels sewn into your seams. Yet the ETs agree we could fare worse than to make our final stop at Chez La Mère Catherine to enjoy the ambiance over a leisurely, satisfying meal before the guillotine falls.
What might Danton have made of the raspberry coulis? Vive la France!
Julie's Paris 