Michael and I discover we are in San Antonio with nothing to do—there was a major mix-up in our schedules. However, we will never complain about being in this wonderful historic old town. After much discussion, we decide to have a late lunch at Supper in the Hotel Emma. On our way, we pass by Mon Chou Chou, a French restaurant one of my friends informed me is highly recommended by her friends. That was a year ago. Since then, we have tried in vain to get reservations at the last minute without success, or the restaurant was too full when we stopped by unexpectedly. And—we hate waiting.

“Wait! Stop! I have to see if Mon Chou Chou is open today,” I explain to Michael.

Miraculously they are open, and our late lunch finds this less is more starkly elegant French brasserie with only a few late diners scattered throughout the space. We have no choice—we open their sleek brass-framed glass doors and walk in.

Cocktails and Wine

Once seated, I begin looking at everything on the menu. I already want to come back. All of it sounds divine, and I can only eat so much in one sitting. When our server comes by and asks for our drink order, I choose a lovely and light Pinot Gris from the Alsace Region of France.

Michael is seduced by and orders a Sazerac cocktail. It is beautiful to look at, and when I take a sip, I realize I would like to come back to Mon Chou Chou for happy hour and indulge. It is so lovely I make a note to myself to look up the history of this official cocktail of New Orleans.

The Food

When it comes to deciding what I want for lunch, I realize that I can’t try everything on the menu, so I choose a seasonal appetizer and a salad. Michael takes the server’s recommendation and orders a French-styled burger made with Gruyere cheese and roasted shallot sauce—and of course, it comes with a side of pommes frites.

Black Garlic and a Mushroom Tart

Michael sips his Sazerac while I sample my Tarte Aux Champions, aka Seasonal Mushroom Tart with Texas Black Garlic. If you ever thought that a mushroom tart could not be described as delicate, this petite version at Mon Chou Chou is just that. 

The pastry is so crisp and thin, that I feel absolutely no guilt in consuming the entire thing—relishing every bite. The mushrooms are delicious and bathed in a rich, creamy sauce. Black garlic is another story; it is not incorporated into the tart but is a swirl of Texas exotic on a plate.

I had black garlic years ago at a friend’s house when we were cooking together, and this strange to me garlic was her surprise ingredient of the day. It has been used in various Asian cultures for centuries; Texas is just a little late coming into the fold. Initially, I thought black garlic grew that way—black. Later I discovered it is made by aging regular garlic bulbs for weeks or months—a tedious process requiring strictly regulated temperatures and humidity.

The Entrees

The Salad Niçoise I chose is not the traditional variety that I remember where the components are left whole or cut in half. Many of the ingredients are here: tuna, anchovies, niçoise olives, haricots verts, boiled eggs, and tomatoes, but this is Mon Chou Chou’s version. A lighter hand omits the potatoes and adds an abundance of tender-crisp butter lettuce. The imported skipjack tuna and olives are chopped. It makes combining various tastes in one bite so easy.

And—Michael LOVES his burger! The server told him it was delicious, and she did not exaggerate. I sneak a pommes frite now and then when I can get away with it. The crispy, fried potatoes are a perfect complement to my salad.

In my book Brasserie Mon Chou Chou wins. It is now on my San Antonio list of places to revisit again and again.

History of Mon Chou Chou

Mon Chou Chou is still in its infancy, having first opened its doors during the last month of 2021. This brasserie—a restaurant where the blue-collar food of the Parisian is served—is the brainchild of three Frenchmen from various corners of France. Three men who serendipitously landed in the same spot at the same time in 2001 and became friends, discovering food was their shared passion.

The Chef

One of those men—Executive Chef Laurent Réa—has a resume so impressive it would make your head spin. Trained in Strasbourg, he dipped his culinary finger in England, Italy, Florida, New Mexico, and San Antonio, where he was the executive chef at Andrew Weissman’s delicious storybook perfect restaurant, Signature. Reading that information helped me understand why Brasserie Mon Chou Chou is so outstanding.

Mon Chou Chou is not pretentious. There are no white tablecloths—no dinner bills that you would have to mortgage your home to pay off. No dress codes. No stuffy service. It is the home of French comfort food. And this home is worth visiting.

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou

Hours & Location: 312 Pearl Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78215, 210-469-3743

Breakfast: Monday – Friday: 7:30am – 10:00am

Lunch & Dinner: Monday – Thursday: 11:00am – 10:00pm, Friday – Saturday: 11:00am – 11:00pm

Sunday Brunch: 10:00am – 3:00pm

Sunday Dinner: 4:00pm – 10:00pm