Bistrot de la tour (Eiffel)

Not far from the Metro station Bir Hakeim, Bistrot de la tour is set a little way back from the river Seine along the road to the Eiffel tower. Whilst it doesn’t have the best views, it certainly has a good location for tourists: not too busy that it’s forever crowded, but close enough for customers passing through. The restaurant has outdoor and indoor seating, opting to sit inside we were offered a cosy little two-seater table near the stairwell down to the toilets. Whilst this review will focus on the food and service, it is worth pointing out that the facilities offered to customers are far sub-standard. Dirty, dark, unsanitary and next door to the staff room I would recommend taking a friend with you, or using a public toilet which is sure to be far more pleasant…

Nevertheless, the menu offered a variety of foods but largely focussed on Italian pizzas and pastas. Opting for two pizzas: the first with Parma ham and salami, the second an egg and bacon lardons. The dough was floury and covered with lots of cheese; this was gooey, strong and overpowering. So much so that the toppings of the pizza were overwhelmed by this and became merely a different texture to the thick layer suffocating the dough. For dessert, crepes filled with chocolate spread and banana: a sweet, satisfying thin crepe topped with lashings of chocolate spread and a sliced banana, sprinkled generously, was a positive juxtaposition to the preceding course. This was washed down with a litre – no less ­– of coke. When ordering, we were offered between a small or large, opting for large to quench our thirst after an afternoon of exploring the surrounding area. We were in no way prepared, or warned, of how much we could expect – nor how much this could cost: €16.00 per person!

Our server was adequate, arguably having taken advantage of our tourist naivety. Our meals were brought to us within a reasonable period of ordering, however we were neglected once seated and again when we wished to pay our bill.

Overall, our first meal in Paris was unimpressive in all regards except in that of our beverage. The food was not overly remarkable, the server inhospitable and the facilities tarred the experience from the get-go.

Location: 3/5 Menu: 3/5 Food+Drink: 2/5 Server: 2/5

Total: 12/20

Restaurant: Bistrot de la tour

1 Boulevard de Grenelle, 75015 Paris, France