Last year I spent a week in October experiencing the Spiritlandia Dia de los Muertos celebration (the largest in the country) and its host city San Antonio. More on the week-long festival to come, but today I’d like to highlight one of culinary spots we visited in the Texas city: Brasserie Mon Chou Chou.
Brasserie Mon Chou Chou is an authentic Parisian brasserie located in the fashionable Pearl district of San Antonio. In keeping with the history of French brasseries, Mon Chou Chou (which is an affectionate nickname in French), is a stylish venue to enjoy craft cocktails, delicately created cuisine, and a joyful and bustling social scene.
The owners of Mon Chou Chou are all from France: Strasbourg, Chartres, and Lyon. Ironically, they all met in San Antonio. These culinary creatives may have had to fly halfway across the world to meet, but when they did a friendship blossomed instantly. The founders created Mon Chou Chou to pay homage to the food of their homeland, pulling from childhood memories, grandmothers’ recipes and French favorites.
The best dining experiences start with a good cocktail and the bartenders at Mon Chou Chou truly had the magic touch. I enjoyed the French Pink Fairy with Citadelle Gin, fraises des bois liqueur, lemon juice, and egg whites. The cocktail list is robust, but wine lovers can choose a glass or a bottle from the curated list of French vinos.
We ate lunch at the restaurant and opted for French classics on the menu like the escargot simmered in a garlic butter sauce and the St. Jacques a la Chou Chou, a dish prepared with baked bay scallops on the half shell paired with lobster in a champagne beurre blanc sauce.
One of our favorite parts of the experience (and a very Instagrammable moment!) was the raclette, which is served table-side. It’s hard to beat that warm, gooey cheese that’s spooned onto a fresh baguette. Spring for the Bayonne ham upgrade to the dish, it adds a delightful salty pairing to the creamy cheese.
We topped the affair off by splitting the profiteroles au chocolat et amandes, a classic delicacy created by pairing pâte à choux with dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream, and almond.
The Pearl district is known for its innovative culinary scene and Mon Chou Chou is a must-visit while touring the bars and restaurants around this trendy compound. During your meal you’ll be transported around France by three devoted food lovers, Frenchmen, and friends. You’ll leave with your spirit as satiated as your stomach.