One of Houston’s newest hotels will soon welcome its first fine dining restaurant. Chardon will open Friday, February 21 at the Thompson Hotel on Allen Pkwy.
Until now, the hotel’s only dining options have been Sol 7, a casual restaurant near the pool, and an outpost of Maven Coffee & Cocktails. That all changes with Chardon, which will serve classic French bistro fare.
TableOne Hospitality, the Vegas-based company that operates Chardon, recruited Houston chef E.J. Miller to lead the kitchen. Most recently the executive chef at globally-inspired restaurant Muse, Miller brings extensive experience to the role, including time with Clark Cooper Concepts at both Coppa Osteria and SaltAir Seafood Kitchen; working as the opening sous chef at Riel; and leading the kitchen at International Smoke, celebrity chef Michael Mina’s short-lived, smoke-infused restaurant in CityCentre. While Miller is primarily known for his adeptness with Asian flavors, he notes that he is French trained, having studied at Houston’s Culinary Institute LeNotre.
“One of my favorite styles is French countryside or English countryside,” Miller tells CultureMap. “When I was starting out, the first restaurant that caught my eye was Feast. The way Richard [Knight] used these classic techniques to go nose-to-tail piqued my interest in cooking professionally.”
While Chardon’s menu is explicitly French, Miller has incorporated some Texas ingredients that will appeal to Houstonians. For example, his duck cassoulet uses black eyed peas and andouille sausage in favor of the traditional white beans and garlic sausage. Similarly, the restaurant’s poached Gulf flounder “Veronique” uses locally-sourced fish instead of the traditional Dover sole. “Beef bourguignon is the classic braise, but we’re using beef cheeks as a nod to barbacoa and taco culture,” Miller adds.
Other dishes include butter-basted scallops, broiled whole lobster au poivre for two, and foie gras torchon. Fans of steak frites will find a range of options that include a classic filet, wagyu ribeye from Houston’s R-C Ranch, and a massive, 36-ounce Cote de Boeuf that’s designed to be shared by two or more people.
In true French fashion, diners will be able to end their meal with selections for a cheese cart that will be wheeled through the dining room. It will offer up to a dozen choices alongside accompaniments of honeycomb, mustard, olives, cornichons, and more.
AvroKO’s Miami Studio designed the 3,800-square-foot space. The interior features custom brass lighting, leather-topped bar stools, and an antique table in the private dining room.
Miller is aware that Houstonians typically regard hotel restaurants with some skepticism, but he thinks Chardon has one aspect that will appeal to people. People do not have to walk through the hotel’s lobby to access the restaurant. Chardon has a street-facing entrance that’s easy to access.
“In Houston, if it’s hard to get to, diners won’t want to go” he says. “We’re right off Allen Pkwy, right across from Toca Madera. It’s only 30 seconds from the valet line to your seat.”
Initially, the restaurant will only be open for dinner, but brunch is scheduled to follow in the coming weeks. “In this area, you have to do brunch. It’s too big of a missed opportunity if you don’t,” Miller says.
Photo by Michael Anthony
Butter-basted Atlantic scallops with oxtail marmalade.
