One of the best reasons to stay near Gare de Lyon is Paris is its close proximity to Le Europeen Restaurant. What a treat it was to decide on giving this late night establishment a try on our first evening in Paris, for this particular trip. They specialize in seafood and really know what they are doing. Champagne flowed freely and everyone seemed to be in a classic Parisian cafe mood, thoroughly engaged and jovial.
Since we did not want to blow our entire budget on this one meal, and since it was later than we normally eat, we ordered modestly. Instead of the amazing seafood platter we saw passing our table with great frequency, we merely ordered a dozen oysters, but they were large, plump, and filling.
The fish soup with croutons, rouille and gruyere was a true classic and very strongly infused with flavor. In all candidness I admit to preferring it to the better known Bouillabase. With all this flavor I had no need of fish bones, nor shells as proof of a grand mixture of seafood. It was delicious with strong garlic overtones.
For the very first time, I found welks on a menu and jumped at the opportunity to try them. They have to be the oddest shellfish I have ever eaten, a mollusk, with a light taste and a chewy texture. If one had to make a comparison, as we often do with new things, a welk can be described as a cross between abalone and escargot, leaning more toward the snail, since it has less flavor. It hardly mattered what it tasted like, since it was covered in aioli; a silky garlic laden concoction that I must learn to make at home. Unfortunately I will never find welks at home.
This is my last chance to look at the fish soup and reminisce. We could repeat this exact meal and be very happy with it.
21 Boulevard Diderot
75012 Paris, France
01 43 43 99 70
Open Daily 7:30am-1am
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