First Taste

Houston's next great date spot: New restaurant makes French food modern inlovely Midtown setting

Artisans is the place to bring a date.
Photo by Sarah Rufca
The food at Artisans isn't overwrought. Instead the new Houston restaurantsimply presents a modern take on the French classics.
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Artisans chef Jacques Fox
Artisans Restaurant
Artisans' Midtown spot lends itself to quiet conversation.
Photo via Artisans Restaurant/Facebook
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Photo by Sarah Rufca

Hiding out in the dim light of a corner booth, I found myself at Artisans situated perfectly between industrial windows facing a relatively quiet Midtown street and a voluble crowd lingering over their meal while speaking in French. If it's too much of a cliché to say that a French restaurant feels authentically Parisian, Artisans — the new spot from the brothers behind Le Mistral — at least feels like an authentic brasserie.

Despite the focus on a massive, open kitchen — even the private dining room has windows facing the chef's world — I found the atmosphere, with its wood accents and ornate details more suited to wine and quiet conversation in the lovely dining room. It's a great date spot.

If the styling adheres to a traditional French philosophy, the menu, at least at times, does not. Forget the expected Niçoise salad, there's a Caesar on the menu instead. Or maybe I should call it a "Caesar" instead, with strawberries and tortilla strips in the mix with giant leaves of romaine and virtually no hint of anchovy in the light coating of dressing. Executive chef Jacques Fox said he has been making his version for over a decade, and I won't pretend it's not tasty.

Artisans may not be breaking any new ground here, but what they do, they do very well.

It's like a greatest hits salad, pared down, with the sweetness of strawberry and the crunch of the tortilla strips taking the lead.

The sea scallops were beautifully cooked — as rare as possible without venturing into gelatinous territory — with a heavy crust of caramelized butter on top and a rich but not thick lobster sauce poured at the table (Artisans calls it a "cappuccino" but it didn't look very frothy to me) to reinforce the rich flavors.

The entrees were also a model of execution. The red snapper Marseillaise-style seared nicely and topped with a thick ragu of mushrooms and microgreens and served over some surprisingly forgettable saffron potato wedges and a light red wine sauce. The beef tenderloin was juicy and flavorful, with a light topping of a spicy peppercorn sauce for a nice contrast.

A dessert of poached pear followed the same formula — simple ingredients, flawless execution, delicious results. The thin pear slices were accompanied by a slice of an ice cream loaf with a sweet but very solid vanilla center surrounded by a crust of nuts and caramel.

It's hard to go into complicated odes about the food, partly because it just feels wrong. This isn't overwrought or overthought, it's just a collection of French classics prepared simply and with an eye on modern sensibilities — it's satisfying, not heavy.

Artisans may not be breaking any new ground here, but what they do, they do very well.

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One Day Only

Chef of Michelin-starred Texas BBQ joint pops up at Houston crawfish favorite

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Join Lucas McKinney for a crawfish pop-up this Sunday, May 17.

The pitmaster behind one of Texas’ Michelin-starred barbecue joints will be in Houston for a one-day-only crawfish boil. Evan LeRoy, chef and co-owner of Austin’s LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, will be at Josephine’s this Sunday, May 17 from 2-6 pm.

Part of the restaurant’s Backyard Boil pop-up series, LeRoy and Josephine’s executive chef Lucas McKinney have collaborated on a four dishes that will be served at the pop-up, which will take place on Josephine’s patio. They are:

Smoked Crawfish Boil Sausage on a Stick: andouille flavored pork sausage with crawfish, corn, and potatoes
Brisket and Cheddar Croquettes: Chopped brisket and cheddar cheese in a creamy bechamel. Scooped, breaded in panko, and fried til crispy
Oysters on the Half Shell: Pickled Onion Mignonette, Smoked Jalapeno Salsa, Kimchi Elote
Smoked Salsa Macha with Beef Tallow: Guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles, lime, soy, garlic, onion, pepitas, and pecans

The pop-up is part of LeRoy’s tour for his new book, New School Barbecue: Recipes for Next-Level Smoking and Grilling, which he co-wrote with Texas Monthly restaurant critic Paula Forbes. Released this week, the book contains almost 100 recipes for mains, sides, and desserts.

LeRoy & Lewis Evan Leroy ATX Evan LeRoy is coming to Houston this weekend. Photo by Briana Balducci

“Lucas asked me to participate in a crawfish boil this year, and it happened to line up with the release of the book, so I said yes,” LeRoy tells CultureMap. “The event format centers around a crawfish boil, along with some fried items and oysters, so it doesn't necessarily reflect the recipes in the book. Instead, we decided to bring a few dishes we’ve been working on over the past year or so, including the brisket and cheddar croquettes — which will definitely make it into my next cookbook.”

McKinney has already hosted pop-ups with the likes of ChòpnBlọk chef-owner Ope Amosu and Mike Pham of Trill Burgers.

“With these crawfish boils, I want each chef to bring their own perspective and let the menu reflect their personal style of cooking,” McKinney adds. “Events like this are really centered around community, collaboration, and introducing something fresh and exciting to Houston each time.”

LeRoy and Lewis has earned wide acclaim for its “new school” barbecue. In addition to being one of only four Texas barbecue joints to hold a Michelin star, it ranked No. 2 on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. McKinney began patronizing the restaurant when his friend, pitmaster Cole Parkman, worked there.

“It’s incredibly good,” McKinney says. “Eating there feels like they’re telling you, ‘I know you think you like brisket, but this is what you should really like.’ I really respect that they’ve planted their feet firmly in the ground and committed to doing things differently. It all makes so much sense — and it’s delicious.”

Reservations (free) are required to attend the Backyard Boil at Josephine’s; both 2 pm and 4 pm seatings are available. Attendees will purchase food and drinks a la carte. Josephine’s regular menu will not be available at the pop-up. Copies of New School Barbecue will also be available for purchase.

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