Etoile Spin-Off

Houston's best French restaurant plans to bring brasserie and crêperie downtown

Another of Houston's best chefs has turned his eyes towards downtown. Étoile Cuisine et Bar chef Philippe Verpiand and his wife Monica Bui announced Wednesday that they will open a new concept in downtown's One Park Place tower.

Already home to a Phoenicia Specialty Foods grocery store and the related MKT Bar, Verpiand's restaurant, known as Brasserie du Parc, will make One Park Place one of downtown's top dining destinations. Construction on the restaurant should begin in August with the goal of a "late fall" opening.

In addition to serving authentic brasserie fare like steak frites, mussels and charcuterie, Brasserie du Parc will also be home to a separate crepe concept within the restaurant called Crêperie du Parc, that will feature a walk-up window to cater to Discovery Green park goers. All told, Brasserie du Parc will occupy a 3,000-square foot space at the corner of Lamar and La Branch streets with a 1,000-square foot mezzanine and a 1,500-square foot terrace along La Branch Street.

Bui will work with architectural firm Kathy Heard Design on the interior. The announcement describes a "360-degree square bar with a dedicated bar menu" that should offer a more distinct separation between the bar and lounge area and the more formal restaurant dining area than currently exists at Étoile. Brasserie du Parc will build on its sister restaurant's reputation by featuring both an extensive wine list as well as craft beer and cocktails.

Since it opened in 2012, Étoile has been one widely regarded as one of Houston's best French restaurants. The restaurant's mix of classic French fare with more seasonally-driven recipes has been a hit. Verpiand earned the title Master Chef of France in 2015 for his work both at Étoile and as part of a career that includes stints both in France and in San Diego.

“The response to Étoile has been overwhelming in Uptown Park,” said Verpiand in a statement. “We are thrilled about the idea of doing a real French brasserie that I hope will strike the same chord in such a prestigious building in downtown Houston. This is a dream come true for my family and me.”

Once the land of steakhouses, downtown Houston has undergone a bit of a dining renaissance over the past couple of years. Recent additions like Main Kitchen in the JW Marriott and the recently opened Conservatory food hall have given the area new culinary credibility. With the imminent arrival of Italian restaurants Broccaa and Il Panchina — which unite Reef partners Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd with Astros owner Jim Crane — and Brasserie du Parc, things are only looking up as Houston prepares to host Super Bowl LI in 2017.

Another rendering of Brasserie du Parc.

Courtesy image

Another rendering of Brasserie du Parc.

openings downtown

What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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