https://github.com/NicolasPetton/Indium
It can connect to both chrome and node, it has REPL and a step debugger like cider/clojure, with quick (good ui) for object introspection. (also supports company mode!)
EDIT: if I install chromeREPL, it takes ages to open the command palette (CTL+Shift+P). If I uninstall it, the problem disappears.
I wouldn't call that "simple". Sounds like fine behavior given non-devs generally don't even know how to run Chrome with custom flags and developers know that remote debugging generally means remote execution with data/memory access. Would you prefer a better flag name or lock remote debugging to a subset of tabs?
If the desktop launcher was modified to include that flag, then you would never know while browsing right? Maybe I'm just paranoid...
[1]: https://developers.google.com/web/tools/chrome-devtools/snip...
I haven't yet found a replacement, although I haven't been looking very hard recently.