Charolais by Austin Simmons – First Look Review

We, along with 45,000 of our closest friends, have been anxiously awaiting the new restaurant from Chef Austin Simmons: Charolais. Named after the French cattle breed, Charolais is Chef Austin’s love letter to beef. It is, at its core, a superb steakhouse. However, as we’ve learned dining with Chef Austin, it is also a great deal more.

When we saw that Charolais was opening today, we cleared our schedule and headed to Hughes Landing for the 3pm opening. Turns out we were the first guests, although the place was hopping by 4pm. Happy Hour was presented 3-6, so we started there.

Simmons has put together an experienced team to execute his vision, starting with GM Giorgio Ferrero, previously of Woodlands hotspots Tris and Amrina. This new restaurant is attracting talent from all over the region; we saw many familiar faces both on the floor and in the kitchen.

The Hughes Landing location has been shorn of its previous appearance and reimagined as a comfortably upscale setting to enjoy a great meal.

Since Chef Austin’s focus on beef is at the heart of Charolais (He’s diversified his operation into cattle ranching via his Chef & Rancher brand, and has developed his own hybrid breed of beef cattle on his South Texas ranch.) we focused primarily on beefy offerings, with a couple of targeted diversions.

Part 1: The Burgers

Austin and I have a history with burgers. He specializes in making them; I specialize in eating them. Over the years I’ve sampled dozens of his creations.

We began with one of Chef Austin’s classics, the Smash Burger. Two quarter pound patties of the Chef’s proprietary breed of cattle (a French charolais / Japanese Wagyu hybrid) are griddled then draped with a slice of high-quality American Cheese, and a schmear of bourbon bacon jam. Presented on a griddled English muffin, the result is a superb spin on the classic cheeseburger, and is quite reminiscent of the happy hour burger at the late, lamented Tris. This is the best smash burger he’s ever created, and any foodie would be delighted with this burger. But when you’re dealing with Chef Austin Simmons, the concept of “good enough” doesn’t exist. So there’s more.

Knowing my love for his burgers, he sent out his latest concept, the Brisket Burger. This one is totally different. A thick, medium-rare, half-pound patty enrobed with white cheddar, with thick slabs of sliced smoked brisket draped over the creation. The crowing touch is a petite Caesar salad of arugula, and the finished product is nestled into a soft Slow Dough brioche bun.

There’s a lot going on here. The smoky brisket is forward; the lush, fatty smoked beef is the dominant flavor. The mild cheddar and the beefy ground patty sets up a backbeat on your tongue, then the peppery/lemony/tangy arugula Caesar brings high notes to the lush flavor profile. This is a burger unlike any that he’s ever presented in the decade+ that I’ve known him, and it may be his best yet.

The two burgers summarize what Charolais is, at its core: Both a summation of where Chef Austin’s culinary journey has been, and a bold new direction to take it under his masterful control.

Having engorged ourselves on two totally different yet superb burgers, we decided these calories didn’t count, so it was time to start over at the beginning.

Part 2: Beginnings

We began with Chef’s Brisket Hummus, a roughly-textured housemade hummus served with a mound of pulled brisket. This isn’t the typical middle eastern version; Austin’s adds textures and layers of flavor that were delightfully unexpected.

On a fresh, light note, the refreshing Watermelon was a delight. Compressed watermelon, Thai vinaigrette, radish, and herbs bring a cool but spicy bite that clears the palate while it feeds the body.

An utterly unique bite is the Beef Bacon. A thick cut of beef belly is grilled and dressed with whipped maple, tamari vin, Texas goat cheese, spices, and chilis. The sassy Malliard tinged beef is balanced by the sweet and spicy glaze, and the result is an utterly craveable slab of beef.

While we could spend the rest of the evening exploring the starters on the menu, it was time to delve further into the offerings.

Part 3: Entrees

Charolais is about beef, so we had to sample a steak. Chef Austin presented a sliced Denver steak, cooked spot on mid-rare. A Denver is a modern cut that isn’t terribly well known, but it should be. Made from the serratus ventralis muscle, which comes from the under blade portion of the chuck roll, it is beautifully marbled and seriously flavorful.

Along side were ramekins of four different sauces: Red Chimichurri, Miso Aioli, Salsa Verde, and Kimchi Vin.

This is a superb piece of meat, and while it didn’t require any of the provided sauces, they were each an excellent complement to the steak. We were particularly taken by the smooth miso aioli and the garlicky red chimichurri. The tender steak still had a substantial mouthfeel, and the flavor of this unique beef danced beautifully with the sauces, and rang out clearly on its own.

Chef Austin knows fish, and his Brioche Crusted Salmon presents a masterclass. A thick slab of salmon is shrouded in brioche, and then pan sautéed until lightly crisp. Perched atop a knoll of black rice and a Thai curry emulsion stream, the result brings wonderful texture and flavor, and a slow build up of heat.

Part 4: The Finish

Austin Simmons is a far better pasty chef than any savory chef has right to be. He demonstrated this once again with his playfully elaborate takes on classics.

Smores presents the campfire favorite as imagined by a master chef. Marshmallow fluff is torched until golden, then plated beside a dark chocolate croquette and a petite scoop of vanilla ice cream. Campfire marshmallows are yummy, but they don’t hold a candle to this indulgent treat.

Strawberry Shortcake is a riff on the southern classic. Olive oil cake is layered with coconut whipped cream, strawberry coulis, and macerated strawberries, then barricaded between slabs of solidified strawberry merengue. The textures are remarkable, and the flavors are delightfully nostalgic. It’s the perfect ending to a delicious summer meal.

Part 5: Go

A top notch team. A lovely lakeside setting. Superb cuisine from a master chef at the top of his game. What are you waiting for?

The wait is over. He’s back, folks. Go see what he’s created.