CHEF AARON BLUDORN AND SWANKY HOTEL SAINT AUGUSTINE TEAM UP TO OPEN A VERY HOUSTON FRENCH BISTRO

Aaron Bludorn, the chef behind Houston restaurants Navy Blue and his namesake establishments Bludorn and Bar Bludorn, has opened his fourth restaurant inside one of Houston’s swankiest new hotels. Perseid, a modern French bistro, opened in Hotel Saint Augustine on January 16, bringing Houston a vibrantly realized menu that hints at Bludorn’s culinary past.

Bludorn, who once worked at New York’s French restaurant Cafe Boulud in the Surrey hotel, says the hotel’s operator, Bunkhouse, tapped him and his team after dining at Bludorn. Bludorn’s team and Bunkhouse settled on opening Perseid, a 118-seat French bistro whose name is a reference to the annual meteor shower that’s typically visible at its peak in August and a fun nod to Houston’s space exploration, he says. But instead of going traditional French, Bludorn says his team, including director of operations Cherif Mbodji, went for a much more modern — and more Houston — approach.

The result is a menu brimming with a combination of familiar dishes in newer presentations: Escargot, dripping in a garlic-butter-parsley sauce, is served vol au vent style with crisp puff pastry. Crawfish sausage served with Creole sauce is reminiscent of etouffee. Duck frites are paired with mango, liver pate is served with flaky biscuits, and the buttery ruby red sea trout, prepared with almondine sauce, gets a burst of sweetness from plump yellow raisins. In true Bludorn fashion, there’s also a pasta dish — potato gnocchi with broccoli rabe and pecorino tartufo — and a burger. Served with duck liver mousse, the St. Augustine burger comes with a Maggi glaze, Kewpie mayo, pickled carrots, and sliced cucumber on a brioche bun.

Pastry chef Marie Riddle’s creations make dessert an essential part of the Perseid experience: Beignets are plump with warmly spiced berry coulis. The creme brulee gets a fresh zing of pineapple, while an eclair is brightened with raspberry ganache and pistachio creme. As with most hotel restaurants, the experience doesn’t stop there. Perseid begins each day at 7 a.m. with pancakes, parfaits, bacon-and-egg sandwiches, and duck confit quiche with collard greens for breakfast, as well as short rib and eggs with pomme Anna, sauteed mushrooms, and chimichurri for brunch.

Diners can experience the Bludorn team’s food elsewhere in the hotel, which is a sensory experience in itself. Located on Museum Row in Montrose, adjacent to the Menil Collection, the 71-room boutique hotel features surrealist wings in bright color schemes and rooms — rated anywhere from $300 to $1300 a night — void of artwork to focus on the rich colors and furniture. The all-day lounge, which boasts a listening room with a record player and reel-to-reel tape deck, offers a full bar where diners and hotel guests can enjoy a menu of snacks, sandwiches, and desserts, plus drinks provided by Perseid. “We want these spaces to be public spaces where anybody feels comfortable walking in,” Bludorn says.

The Houston-esque French bistro comes at a time when newer, traditional French restaurants in Houston have had difficulty sticking around. While mainstays like the scene-y Brasserie 19 in River Oaks and Cafe Rabelais in Rice Village remain, European-French restaurant Eau Tour closed in June 2024 after only a year. It rebranded as Italian restaurant Milton’s, and in September, French restaurant PS21 closed abruptly a year and a half after its opening. These closures may indicate that Houstonians seek a more unique flair in French food — like influences of Creole and Cajun cuisine that date back to the Louisiana Purchase. In light of this, Bludorn says the team has always been particularly thoughtful about building a sense of place at Perseid.

“Honestly, our success has always been tied to understanding where our restaurant is located,” he says. “We don’t want to just whisk people away to France. We want to remind everyone we’re in Houston.”

Perseid is located in Hotel Saint Augustine at 4110 Loretto Drive in Montrose. Breakfast is served from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sundays, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Brunch is served on weekends from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

2025-01-23T23:41:19Z