Chef Gillian Clark came to State College from New York for a new opportunity. When it didn’t work out, she sought out a new venture—opening her own restaurant downtown. Clark had successfully operated restaurants and worked in the industry and wanted to create a new dining experience like no other.
She began looking at spaces, with a retro diner building on Garner Street in downtown State College catching her eye. She decided it was not the space she was looking for and pursued another location. But when the opportunity for the diner presented itself again, this time Clark said “yes.”
Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon is a French diner concept from the mind of Clark, whose restaurants and cooking have been featured on The Food Network and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.
The local restaurant opened in September, with its name translating to “egg, beef, and bacon.” It fills the location of the former Baby’s Burgers and Shakes, which closed in 2020.
Clark says the restaurant is an imagination of what French people might do if they came to America and decided to open a diner. The chef describes the diner as a tongue-in-cheek joke and a place where patrons can come for not only good food, but an immersive experience.
The space is decked out in red, white, and blue, with French versions of classic American movie posters framed on the walls. Images of French celebrities adorn a wall on another part of the dining room, including Looney Tunes’ Pepé Le Pew. Gear from the Tour de France and a Parisian-style love-lock fence anchor the other end of the service counter.
“We hope that people come in and they appreciate what we’re doing,” she says. “We want people to come in and have fun.”
The chef and her partner, Robin Smith, wanted to spin the idea of a diner on its head so a new generation of people could build a connection. Clark says a lot of people are not as connected with a ’50s diner concept since they do not have personal memories attached to the era.
“Everybody can serve food, but to me a restaurant should be an experience,” Clark says.
This French diner also features a Penn State influence—a neon sign above the kitchen window says “Nous Sommes,” which translates to “We Are.”
Oeuf Boeuf’s menu features a variety of classic American diner comforts like eggs, pancakes, waffles, burgers, and milkshakes along with French-inspired concepts like croque monsieur (ham and gruyere sandwich), croque madame (same, with a fried egg on top), and beef bourguignon.
Clark showcases more of her culinary talent through the rotating Sacré Blue Plate Special. A lot of the menu items have French titles, but they are still beloved foods like the eggs et viande, which translates to eggs and meat. And while some menu items may not seem inherently French, Clark says it is the cooking methods used in the kitchen that add a French influence to the dish.
She encourages customers to come in with open minds and be willing to expand their culinary comfort zones. Clark’s waffles are made from a homemade batter and are served with her own jam. In France, “gaufres” are commonly served with jam instead of syrup. Patrons won’t find toast either, instead getting a croissant or baguette on the side.
“When in Paris, do as the Parisians do,” she says.
Clark explains that her food may taste different than what customers are used to—and that’s because everything is made from scratch and fresh.
“My whole focus in every concept I do is going to be real food,” she says. “I don’t want my food to taste like everybody else’s food.”
Oeuf Boeuf bakes its baguettes and croissants in-house and features ooey-gooey pecan sticky buns, fruit turnovers, and lemon-glazed crullers. The crullers are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, with an accompanying tangy drizzle. Clark adds that the pecan sticky buns will satisfy any sweet-tooth cravings.
The restaurant has found success in its first few months, with a wide variety of patrons filling the classic diner booths. From college students and their families to locals and travelers, the diner is busy.
“We’ve been a little bit overwhelmed by the popularity we’ve had so soon,” Clark says. “But I’m happy that everybody wants to come in and try it and see that we’re doing something different.” T&G
Hannah Pollock is a freelance writer in State College. This story appears in the January 2023 issue of Town&Gown.
