Around Town: Brasserie du Parc

Lunch with a great friend is always a good idea. Lunch with a great friend at a great restaurant is even better!

A few weeks ago my friend Bridgette and I had the pleasure of dining at the recently opened Brasserie du Parc in downtown Houston. We try to get together for lunch and catch up at least every other week. And we always make a point to go to a restaurant that neither of us has tried yet. It’s easy to have somewhere different to go each time as Houston is booming with new restaurants. What’s hard is getting to all the new restaurants! I guess if I dined out at least 2 or 3 times a week I could keep up 😆 Easier said than done with 2 kids at home and keeping up with all of their activities!

Anyway, back to Brasserie du Parc! Brasserie du Parc is the newest restaurant from the owners of Etoile Cuisine et Bar that is located in Uptown Park. This Parisian inspired bistro occupies the first floor of luxury high rise One Park Place at 1440 Lamar Street directly across from Discovery Green. The restaurant’s interior is draped in warm hues of caramel-brown, copper and yellow offset by industrial-chic iron, glass, marble and wicker. Outside, a walk-up window on the terrace offers easy access for passersby to grab freshly made sweet and savory crêpes.

“Brasserie du Parc is an authentic French brasserie located on the ground floor of the landmark residential high-rise One Park Place overlooking Discovery Green. Brasserie du Parc’s interior is divided into a bar and lounge area featuring a centerpiece 360-degree square bar with a dedicated bar menu alongside a more formal dining room featuring traditional brasserie offerings. The 3,000-sqaure-foot restaurant space includes an additional 1,000-square-foot mezzanine level and 1,500-square foot terrace. The restaurant offers an extensive wine selection and adventurous cocktail and beer program. Brasserie du Parc is also home to a crêpe concept within the restaurant – Crêperie du Parc – a traditional French crêperie complete with a walk-up window for park goers hungry for delectable sweet and savory crêpes on the go.”

I loved the ambience at Brasserie du Parc. Especially the huge windows to sit by and take in all the sights. It’s located directly across from Discovery Green so there’s lots of activity going on just across the street! Typically, the big windows are opened up so that you can enjoy dining al fresco, but on this particular day it was on the windy side, so they were closed. It was nice nonetheless, and I almost felt like I was a tourist in another city!

On the menu you’ll find many of the same items as Etoile along with some different offerings. Like any great French restaurant though, you’ll be able to enjoy classics like Coq au Vin, Steak Frites, Moules, Escargot, and Sole Meunière.

 

To start off, I ordered the escargots. These didn’t last long!

The piece de resistance for me was the Sole Meunière! A lemon sole filet served with snow peas, fingerling potatoes, and roasted cauliflower in a delicious caper brown butter sauce. Magnifique! I will definitely order this again!

And when eating French food French fries are a must!

Especially when they are served with a steak!

A nice cappuccino rounded off a great meal.

The bar area was quiet when we were there for lunch, but it looks like a great place to hang out and enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail with a friend.

Brasserie du Parc is open Sunday from 11am to 9pm, Monday to Thursday from 11am to 10pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 11pm.

Have you been to Brasserie du Parc yet? If not, do you think that you will give it a try?