Etoile Cuisine Et Bar

D and I spent the entire Saturday afternoon and evening catching up with Game of Thrones. We were going out for dinner tonight but it’s the final episode of the season so we’re staying home. We’ll go out for lunch instead, with the plans of getting really stuffed so we can skip dinner and watch the final episode undisturbed. We clearly need to get a life…

In a vain attempt to seem “normal”, we searched for a good French restaurant for Sunday lunch, just like any middle-aged, middle-class, bi-racial couple would do. We used to go to this place called Thierry Andre Tellier Pastry shop in Uptown but they closed. Their other locations in Rice Village and Westheimer also closed. They offered a wonderful brunch menu and had the best princess cake. We found out that in its place, Etoile Cuisine Et Bar opened. It’s also a  French restaurant, but they don’t have pastries, ergo, no princess cake for me… But the menu looked really good so off we go.

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Decor is classically French. I’m a big fan of wood planks made into walls. The light fixtures are awesome too, lighting up the bar which looked very promising.

I had their signature Bramble. I haven't had a bramble since I was in London 15 years ago! It's a British drink made of dry gin. lemon juice and a fruit liqueur.
I had their signature Bramble. I haven’t had a bramble since I was in London 15 years ago! It’s a British drink made of dry gin, lemon juice and a fruit liqueur.

D had option paralysis from the wide range of French wine so he settled for his usual Belgian beer, Duvel.

Escargots à la Bourguignonne --- snails in parsley garlic butter! This was unexpectedly good. The chopped parsley butter made a huge difference.It took every bit of will-power not to mop up everything with bread.
Escargots à la Bourguignonne — snails in parsley garlic butter! This was unexpectedly good. The parsley butter made a huge difference. It took every bit of will-power not to mop up everything with bread.
Beef Bourguignon --- this French dish is my waterloo.
Beef Bourguignon — this French dish is my waterloo.

I have attempted to make this a dozen times. I use Julia Child’s recipe and I really can’t seem to make it well. When I started this blog, I said that I will share the best recipes that I use. Otherwise, if I’m unable to cook it, I will tell you the best place to get it. So here it is, one of the best beef bourguignon outside of France. A close second is the one at Brasserie Max and Julie — great restaurant in Montrose with the worst service, unfortunately.

To no surprise, D had steak. Filet de Boeuf “Au Poivre”. It looked and tasted amazing
To no surprise, D had steak. Filet de Boeuf “Au Poivre”. It looked and tasted amazing

I promised D that I won’t mock his steak choices in this blog anymore.  Although I would not really call it “choice” if that is all he gets each and every time….haha. But the truth is, he  really is such health food fanatic. Monday to Friday, he eats nothing but kale, barley, quinoa, oats and muesli. He packs them in little Mason jars, topped with organic fruits and almond milk. Sometimes when he feels he’s not getting enough proteins, he lets me make chicken breast dishes. Weekends are the only days he eats beef, so if he does, he wants the best kind, hence the  filet mignon.

Dessert is Tart Fine Aux Pommes. Basically an apple tart but sliced really thin. It's topped with vanilla ice cream and fleur de sel caramel sauce.
Dessert is Tart Fine Aux Pommes. Basically an apple tart but sliced really thin. It’s topped with vanilla ice cream and fleur de sel caramel sauce.

Just as I was taking the last bite, I felt like sneezing. I sneeze when I’m full. Sounds weird but I’ve researched on it and asked my physician friends and I was assured that it’s perfectly normal. Yeah, right. Anyway…that entire meal should tide us over until tonight’s GoT final episode of the season. Can.Not. Wait.

 

 

 

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