Cover image: Bouchons réunionnais
© Entrée to Black Paris

If you find yourself at the Musée du quai Branly, the Eiffel Tower, or elsewhere in the vicinity and want to experience Créole cuisine, make your way over to Chez Lucie on rue Augereau in the 7th arrondissement.

I first learned about Chez Lucie in 2004, when guest blogger Kiratiana Freelon reviewed it for us.  (Find her article HERE.)

Tom and I reviewed the restaurant in 2010 and quite enjoyed our meal there.  We even had our picture taken with Didier Morel, the owner and chef.

Tom, Monique, and Didier at Chez Lucie in 2010
© Discover Paris!

So, after attending last week's opening of the Black Indians de la Nouvelle-Orléans exhibition at the Musée du quai Branly, I decided to visit Chez Lucie for a light, late night meal.

I arrived just before 10 PM and found only two people in the dining room.  I thought it might be too late to be served, but Didier warmly welcomed me and assured me that the kitchen was still open.  During the time I was there, several additional customers arrived and were greeted with the same grace and humor with which he greeted me.

The dining room is small, and the set up and decor were pretty much the same as I remembered it from the last time I visited.  Didier looks the same as well.

Rear wall of dining room
© Entrée to Black Paris

Left side of dining room
© Entrée to Black Paris

One thing I definitely didn't remember from my last visit was photos of Elvis Presley on the left side of the restaurant.  Elvis tunes played over the sound system, and Didier and the couple that was present when I entered the restaurant sang along to many of them!

Elvis Presley on calendar hung on left wall
© Entrée to Black Paris

Because it was so late, I decided to have two courses instead of three.  I ordered a Ti' Punch Citron Vert, and slowly sipped it while munching peanuts as I perused the list of dishes on the menu.

Ti' Punch Citron Vert
© Entrée to Black Paris

I had a few questions about the dishes proposed, and Didier responded by first telling me that several of the options presented originate from Reunion Island, while others come from the French Caribbean.  After some deliberation based on his detailed responses, I decided to order Bouchons Réunionnais as an entrée (which is the first course in France) and Chabine de Chocolat as dessert.

Bouchons Réunionnais are extremely popular on Reunion Island.  Introduced to the island's cuisine by Cantonese immigrants from China, these dumplings are generally made with hashed pork or chicken wrapped in wonton skins and steamed.  That evening, the bouchons were made with chicken.

I deliberately took my time consuming the Ti' Punch and much of it was still in my glass when Didier served my food.  The bouchons were served with a generous salad of shredded carrots and lettuce, and a relish made from chopped raw onion was served alongside.  They had a lovely texture and a delicate flavor.

Didier left the peanuts on the table, and these, combined with the large salad and the four dumplings, satisfied my hunger while leaving room for me to enjoy dessert.

Late night spread
© Entrée to Black Paris

The Chabine de chocolate turned out to be a chocolate fondant lying in a large pool of crème anglaise.  Reunion Island produces cocoa beans and finished chocolate, but this dessert was decidedly French.

Chabine de chocolat
© Entrée to Black Paris

I found it to be perfectly adequate, but I was much more intrigued by the origin of the word "chabine."  It is used in the French Caribbean to describe a person of "pure" African descent who has blond hair; blue, green, or hazel eyes, and fair skin.

The fixed price menu at Chez Lucie costs 28€ for a three-course meal.  When ordering à la carte, expect to pay 7€ - 10€ for an entrée, 14€ - 40€ for a main dish, and 5€ - 10€ for dessert.

Chez Lucie
15, rue Augereau
75005 Paris
Telephone: 01.45.55.08.74
Metro: Ecole Militaire (Line 8)
Hours: Monday - Sunday 12 noon to 2 PM and 7:30 PM - 11 PM
Internet: https://www.restaurant-chez-lucie.fr/