Mainstay Houston French Restaurant Relocates to Posh New Digs In The Galleria Area — Get A Look at the New Artisans

Luminary chef and restauranteur Jacques Fox recently relocated his popular French restaurant Artisans Cuisine & Savoir-Faire from Houston’s Midtown neighborhood to The Galleria area. After 12 years in residence on Louisiana Street, Fox and co-owner Jason Schickedanz set their sights on the terra firma situated on Westheimer at Bering, the very spot where an outpost of James Coney Island once stood.

Enlisting the talents of Gensler Architectural Services, the duo has upped the ante on this new Artisans by building an impressive 9,000-square-foot space adorned aplenty with the iconic French heraldry, the fleur-de-lys and their signature rooster, replicas of which are scattered all about the restaurant.

“Our restaurant is thrilled to reopen in an iconic space on our own premises,” Fox says. “The allure of The Galleria area, drawing both visitors and affluent locals, made it the perfect choice. We join other upscale dining establishments in the area to further elevate this distinguished street.”

Artisans’ expansive new space is divided into intimate dining areas, from the cozy low-lit bar with wicker armchairs to the main dining room with walls adorned with a texture-rich Coronado white stone Argos and bronze accents. Then there’s a stellar showcase kitchen replete with the same style of chef’s counter (only much grander than its previous incarnation) where diners who want to watch executive chef Erik Cruz and his team in action can pull up a seat and take in the culinary highlights.

Open for lunch, dinner and brunch, the Artisans menus play up French culinary classics with a modern twist. For example, dine after dark and begin your repast with a cool saumon fume (house-made smoked salmon) sliced and served with split caperberries, hard-boiled quail eggs topped with a touch of caviar and crisp matchstick potatoes ($29). Or try a trio of three tastes in the dish dubbed les noix de Saint Jacques with a pair of pan-seared scallops on a shallow pool of beurre blanc, a blue crab stuffed wonton and a demitasse of richly flavored lobster cappuccino ($29).

A crock of French onion soup ($14) makes an appearance too, this one not topped with gruyere but baked provolone cheese and a toasted croute.

Entrees include the classic l’entrecote de boeuf ($62), a ribeye cut rubbed with Dijon mustard before it’s bruleéd before serving and accompanied by crisp duck fat fried potatoes and glazed baby carrots with garlic confit and a dollop of foie gras aioli. The Texas Gulf snapper is accompanied by an unctuous corn risotto, sauteed spinach and a crawfish and pearl onion studded matelote (red wine-based) sauce ($49). The wine list (which is competitively priced) is dominated by French varietals with hard-to-find gems from regions dotted all throughout France. While 75 percent of the Artisans’ wine list is Old World style wines, 25 percent or so make up those of the New World.

Finally, pastry chef, Amanda Moore delights with her on-point rendition of tarte Tatin ($16). The apples are perfectly caramelized and rendered not too soft or not too firm, but just right poised beneath a puff pastry crust. Then there is Moore’s slender éclair filled with passion fruit cream and topped with a fresh mango compote and coconut tuile ($15), as pretty to look at as it is to eat.

Artisans is located at 5745 Westheimer Road. The restaurant opens daily at 11 am, serving lunch Mondays through Fridays until 3 pm, followed by afternoon small bites and social hour until 6 pm. Dinner is served Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays from 5 pm to 9 pm, and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5 pm to 10 pm. Saturdays and Sundays also feature brunch from 11 am to 3 pm.