Dejeuner - Au Pied du Cochon

Au Pied du Cochon is a Paris institution - it's been running non-stop since 1947, staying open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round.





Usually I'd run the other way but it is our last day and this is just a few doors up from Dehillerin and we really needed to find some place for lunch.

The restaurant appears to be over 5 levels with tiny, close set tables. The decor is all burgundy leather and velvet but I did happen to spy on the front door, handles that looked surprisingly like pig trotters. Now where have I seen that in Melbourne?



Our opinion of this establishment is raised by this bowl that comes with the various breads


not quite sure what it was but it was delicious - full of porky goodness.

We begin by having Le Planche - the charcuterie plate to share




an excellent assortment of cured meats and terrine.

For mains


Paalo ordered the signature dish "pied du cochon" - crumbed pigs trotter - though I think today, that signature was a forgery.

This was a huge trotter - a huge male trotter that gave off an almost vomit inducing stench of urine. Paalo offered me a taste and I couldn't even get it past my lips, as soon as it was within striking distance of my nose, I could smell it. Paalo sort of picked at it, dissecting it in a way to give the illusion that some had eaten it but boy, it's up on the list of worse things ever eaten.



I order one of the specials - couldn't quite catch the type of fish but it was grilled on the bone and filleted by the waiters - and served with ratatouille. Way too many bones were left behind which was unfortunate as the fish was quite good though the stand out was the ratatouille.

Needless to say, we didn't chance dessert and finished up with a coffee



which are served with these:



If you find yourself in the area at 3am and are feeling peckish then it's probably worth a visit - personally I'd stay away from the trotter and enjoy the charcuterie plate.


The details:

Au Pied de Cochon
6 Rue Coquillière
75001 Paris, France

Phone:
01 40 12 77 00

Subway: Louvre-Rivoli

Open: 7 Days a Week, 24 Hours a Day, Every day of the Year

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