Serving up French-American cuisine in a bistro environment, La Maison Mère has a New York City vibe. The décor is engraved glass mirrors, retro fridges and tiled walls. The service is friendly and informal and the crowd is young and trendy, they’ve really pulled off the laid back NYC vibe here. Expect to see a unique transatlantic mix on the menu with cheeseburgers alongside leeks vinaigrette and a divine chocolate mousse. With the stereotypical American options, you’re looking at pastrami with pickles, one of the best Parisian burgers you’ll ever try – cooked to order, steaks, smoked salmon, cobb salads and a fantastic cheesecake. It’s American comfort food in Paris. While searching for the best burger in Paris, I receive a message on the blog from a dear follower, Nidal. Nidal proposed: "Maison Mère’s signature burger is the Black Label Burger (basse côte Black Angus «USA» coupée au couteau). Expensive but with pristine ingredients. Their Bacon Cheeseburger was also very good." Here, you go, this review is for you. And thank you for the great recommendation.
The Place in few lines:
- Mosaic red floor covers all the area with black dots decorating it
- White ceramic tiles cover the walls. A bit too WC looking
- Five black boards around the place, where the specials of the day are proposed, are lit with individual design lights
- A single long metallic table fills the space next to the entrance. Wood square tables take care of the rest of the space
- Brown dark wooden chairs
- Ketchup and mustard are posed on all the table
- Salt from Camargue
- An American tissue flag decorates the corner
- A little window shows the kitchen inside
- An outside seating on the sidewalk. There smoking is allowed
- A bar with six black hats pending from above with a light in each. A funky design
- Tables covered with red paper protection with exactly the same design as the one on the back of the logo
- Grey fabrics squares to remove the echoes cover the white ceiling
- A list of prices, printed the old fashioned way, decorates the wall over the kitchen window
- Metallic shelves over each table help you hide your stuff away from the floor
- A light soothing background music accompanies your meal
- Having a look on the upper floor is a must. A cosier space, parquet floor, library, paintings and carpets. Up there couple of sofas are much more relaxing
The menu:
We ordered:
- The cheeseburger 16€: Impecable. Proportional, juicy without being oily and simple. I ate it without adding any sauce and it was just great. If I want to compare it to the ones I already visited: Shwartz, Breakfast in America and Brown&Baker, La Maison Mere is the best by far.
- The bacon cheeseburger 17€
- The black label burger (basse côte Black Angus {USA} coupée au couteau) 20€: Really unique and worth every penny
- The MM hotdog 14€ : Two small soft bun sandwiches with a premium hotgog covered with pickles and caramelised onions
- Salade Cobb (pousses d’épinards, bacon, avocat, champignons, œuf poché, sauce roquefort) 16€ Beautiful and fresh
- The chocolate mousse 7€ One of the best mousse I've ever had in my life. Adequately sweet and adequately creamy. The overall flavour of chocolate covers on the milk making it a premium piece of dessert
- Strawberry tart: bizarrely good but not conventional. Pink pastry, spongy dough, cut strawberries covered with a strawberry sweet
- Cafe Gourmand 9€
The BURGER's detailed description:
- 200g for the black label
- 150g for the normal burger
- A meat having the same size as the bun
- A mustardy tasty coleslaw
- Tomato, pickles, lettuce and onions on the side
- A great proportionality of the ingredients
- A nice non frozen ground beef
- Non oily and non fatty meat
- The bun is soft and tender, filled with air bubbles
- Soft and tender, the bun has a slight crunch provided by the crispy butter inside the two sides
- Melting cheddar cheese and crunchy bacon
- Fries, crunchy and deeply fried, non oily and adequately seasoned
"It starts by a soft feeling of meltingness where the bread is cut in half. Your teeth reach the great piece of meat that crumbles gently all by keeping its firmness as the cheese makes it steady and in one piece. A light crunchiness of the melted butter in the inner sides of the bread adds the needed class, this piece of creation has. After each bite, enjoy the non pealed crunchy fries and their beautiful brown colour."
The pluses:
- Coca-Cola in a large glass bottles served with ice without having to ask for it
- A welcoming staff
- A relaxed space where tables are spaced one from the other: You have enough room to breathe
- Real Laguiole knifes help you cut your meat smoothly
- The desserts are even better than the burgers. The mousse is just finger licking awesome! Bravo!
I was really relieved and happy to discover a superb burger in the French capital. Finally, after visiting three this week, La Maison Mere made me smile. Going back to meet my friends, Nathalie asks me: "If you want to improve one single thing at this restaurant you visited today, what would it be?" I didn't have an answer. I realized that today's experience was awesome.