L'Hippo's burger looks better than it tastes. Photograph taken by David Lebovitz
When Paris-based chef and blogger David Lebovitzhad a burger craving in the land of cheese and baguettes, where burgers tend to be "wildly overpriced and nothing more than a glorified, microwaved sandwich," he looked towards French chain restaurant Hippoppotamus. Despite the promising appearance and approval from a Parisian neighbor, the burger wasn't all that.
My friend and I rated the burger at l'Hippo a tepid 6 out of 10. Even though we ordered the same basic burger, her patty was a good bit...okay...a lot larger than mine [...] and the bun was stale, not fresh and toasty-brown..
But David doesn't mean to complain that much; "Because sometimes, a guy's just gotta have a burger." Besides, he seems to have accepted his fate of not being able to easily find a great burger in Paris.
He should have just made his own. Burgers in France suck, although just as burgers are uber-trendy here with the elite chefs, they are also gaining in popularity over there, as documented in the NYT Dining section while back, so who knows. Maybe a good burger in Paris will be more than just a fantasy sometime in the not so distant future. In the meantime, I'd recommend sticking to duck rillettes and cornichons on baguette.
Normally I love me some David Lebovitz, but hello? I'm having a hard time mustering up sympathy for him this time. David! You're in PARIS. Count your blessings next time you get a burger craving. And then we'll talk about the lack of good French food in my podunk little burg, 'kay?
That burger doesn't look right to me - a little like the wax models of food they have in japanese restaurants. But the fries on the other hand... how were they?
Ah, Hippo. I've never tried a burger, but the steaks are a'ight for a chain joint - better than you could find at most chains here, and it's a safe bet if you're travelling with, say, picky American family members. Mostly though, I just like the hippo skewer that comes jammed in the top of the meat when it comes to the table. Like cows to be found in some steak places here, the different colors indicate various levels of doneness. So cute.
I agree with Amanda. Hippo is quite alright for a simple steak frites.
It does give a slight impression of being similar to an American chain
in some ways, except for the practice of sometimes seating singles
with other singles who are perfect strangers. This occurred during
very busy times. Overall, not bad value when hungry and out of other
ideas.
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5 Comments:
He should have just made his own. Burgers in France suck, although just as burgers are uber-trendy here with the elite chefs, they are also gaining in popularity over there, as documented in the NYT Dining section while back, so who knows. Maybe a good burger in Paris will be more than just a fantasy sometime in the not so distant future. In the meantime, I'd recommend sticking to duck rillettes and cornichons on baguette.
simon at 5:34PM on 08/26/08
Normally I love me some David Lebovitz, but hello? I'm having a hard time mustering up sympathy for him this time. David! You're in PARIS. Count your blessings next time you get a burger craving. And then we'll talk about the lack of good French food in my podunk little burg, 'kay?
Tokyorosa at 6:12PM on 08/26/08
That burger doesn't look right to me - a little like the wax models of food they have in japanese restaurants. But the fries on the other hand... how were they?
kenjialtci at 1:46AM on 08/27/08
Ah, Hippo. I've never tried a burger, but the steaks are a'ight for a chain joint - better than you could find at most chains here, and it's a safe bet if you're travelling with, say, picky American family members. Mostly though, I just like the hippo skewer that comes jammed in the top of the meat when it comes to the table. Like cows to be found in some steak places here, the different colors indicate various levels of doneness. So cute.
Amanda Clarke at 6:01PM on 08/28/08
I agree with Amanda. Hippo is quite alright for a simple steak frites.
It does give a slight impression of being similar to an American chain
in some ways, except for the practice of sometimes seating singles
with other singles who are perfect strangers. This occurred during
very busy times. Overall, not bad value when hungry and out of other
ideas.
oldsalt at 6:24PM on 08/30/08