Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon mixes French favorites with American diner fare in State College

When Chef Gillian Clark sought to leave New York, she had her eye on a business opportunity in State College. However, when that opportunity fell through, another one arose — and resulted in the September opening of Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon in the former Baby’s Burgers and Shakes location on South Garner Street downtown.

“I saw that there was a great dining community and a lot of available space,” Clark said of her 2021 trip to State College. “I saw the diner and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s a really cool spot.’ For my first restaurant in State College to be in such a big space was a little intimidating, but the space I had originally wanted had been leased. The realtor thought it was a really great idea and that we would work really well here.”

The restaurant’s name, Clark explained, translates to “Eggs, Beef and Bacon” and the concept is a tongue-in-cheek reference to French cuisine and the French culinary tradition that most chefs learn early on in their careers. Clark isn’t French and doesn’t speak fluent French, even if she can make all the classics with ease.

The restaurant’s menu blends French favorites with American diner fare in a unique, attention-grabbing manner. Croissants with house-made jam sit next to pecan sticky buns. Croque madame is served right next to pancakes, as are omelets next to egg sandwiches. Some menu items may look familiar, but have a French upgrade. Mac ‘n cheese becomes mac ‘n frommage, for cavatappi noodles covered in creamy white cheddar. The Belgian waffles are made with a French recipe and yeast-leavened batter.

Overall, the concept is new to State College, but is one that would have, Clark said, been lost in New York City.

“I never imagined having a breakfast place here, but the more I thought about it ... the goal is to make downtown not just a place that caters to the students, though they are important. There are a lot of places that are geared toward just putting food in bellies to absorb alcohol,” laughed Clark. “We can serve that function because breakfast is a perfect hangover food, but we’re also here for the greater community. We have a mature menu, not just a menu that’s burgers and fries.”

However, Clark noted, there’s also a large student population looking for that “mature” cuisine as well. She referenced a recent snowy day when she served “so much cassoulet.”

“A lot of students didn’t have class and came over,” she said, “and we sold more cassoulet than I’ve ever sold. Cassoulet is a classic French casserole with beans and braised pork, sausage and chicken. ... It’s simmered for hours and served in a crock. I thought we would sell a lot of burgers that day, but, no, we sold cassoulet and bourguignon.”

Students don’t just want wings and pizza, Clark said.

“There’s a population of students that want more from their dining experience. We’re hoping to fill that niche for the people who want a little bit more, that want what could be fine dining, but in a really casual, relaxed setting,” she said. “That’s always been my culinary aesthetic. I want to give people the best possible food, with the best ingredients I can find, at a reasonable price.”

Since opening in September, Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon has refined and evolved its menu to include more French-inspired options, though bestsellers, Clark said, still remain some of those diner classics like pancake plates and omelets. However, there’s a “sleeper” on the menu that Clark personally loves, and where her culinary creativity tends to shine: the sacre bleu plate special.

“A lot of thought goes into it. Some places do a special and it’s just something they want to get rid of, but the sacre bleu plate special is something that’s been curated, thought about and planned. It’s never going to be a bad meal. It’s always going to be over the top,” Clark explained.

Recent sacre bleu plate specials have ranged from chicken and waffles to roasted chicken to a mushroom-smothered pork chop with mashed potatoes.

“I had two students order that pork chop sacre bleu plate special,” Clark said. “One kid became really emotional and the server said, ‘Hey, is everything OK?’ He said, ‘Yeah, my dad used to make something just like this.’ It’s funny because my dad also made things like that, but he used Campbell’s mushroom soup and I make mine totally from scratch. It’s five times more mushrooms. They’re cooked on really high heat. I add the cream and the wine and herbs right then and there, and break the sauce down with a little bit of veal stock. It’s an awesome plate of food.”

It’s a story that ties into Clark’s broader interpretation of French classic cooking. In another story she mentioned, she recalled working in a fine dining restaurant in Washington, D.C., and discovering that her culinary-trained French cooking methods weren’t so different from those used by the dishwasher’s North Carolina grandmother.

“It occurred to me then that we were all making ‘French’ food, every day. Food is so universal. There’s no cooking method that hasn’t been done or thought of,” Clark said. “So, when you think about it, it’s not really ‘French’ food. It’s all human food.”

Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. only. In the coming year, Clark hopes to expand the restaurant’s hours further.

This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 9:00 AM.