Today Cafe Azur, the French restaurant that took over the Max & Julie location on Montrose near Richmond, launched their first midday menu. 

During lunchtime, sun seeps through Cafe Azur’s windows that wrap around the restaurant, and the French eatery is aglow with soft light. It’s a soothing space to stop in for lunch and give your mind a respite.

Chef Sidney Degaine has created a lunch menu with plenty of options, ranging from salads and appetizers to tartines, pastas and entrees. The menu stars its signature dishes like the “perfect egg,” the octopus entree and mussels marinere, but Degaine’s new lunch items (some of which will be available at dinner, too) deserve their own asterisk of recognition as well. 

Salmon Gravlax, available during Cafe Azur lunch. Food photos by Rebecca Wright

We stopped in last week as guests of the restaurant and sampled a few of chef’s personal favorite lunch items. The first dish he brought out was the salmon gravlax ($16, photo above), layered with romaine lettuce, cucumber, marinated yogurt, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs – with a dominant dill flavor, of course – and a gin dressing. It’s light yet filling, and each bite has layers of texture, thanks to a smear of creamy ricotta and a sprinkle of crunchy quinoa.

Escargot at Cafe Azur

For an easy introduction to escargot, try Cafe Azur’s version. The snails are fried ($15, photo above) and served with garlic-and-parsley cream and toast points. The texture will remind you of a fried Gulf oyster, so for Houstonians it’s a clever presentation that will make trying something unfamiliar a little more comfortable.

Heirloom tomato salad at Cafe Azur

Another warm-weather option is the heirloom tomato salad ($15, photo above). It’s simply prepared with pine nuts, croutons, basil, mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil. Exquisitely ripened tomatoes are the star of this show.

Grilled butternut squash at Cafe Azur

An appetizer that may not ordinarily suggest spring but will certainly light up your tastebuds is the grilled butternut squash ($11, photo above). A thick slice of butternut squash is topped with a melted layer of funky taleggio cheese and dotted with pepitas and chopped chives. It’s an unusual bite – perhaps a combination of flavors you haven’t had before – and that’s what makes this dish so intriguing.

Duck pot pie at Cafe Azur

Cafe Azur’s new duck pot pie ($23, photo above) isn’t prepared or served like the traditional dish. Instead, think of it as layers of gratin potatoes, foie gras and duck confit, all wrapped inside a flakey butter crust and then sliced like meatloaf. It’s served with a mixed green salad to help cut the richness. Too rich? Nah. Let’s put it this way: The pot pie was the last savory item we had during our multi-course tasting and we ate every bite.

Beef burgundy at Cafe Azur

But before trying the duck pot pie we had another entree we predict will become a starred signature dish, the beef burgundy ($23, photo above). The fall-apart chunks of beef are served atop mashed potatoes. When you think French comfort food, this is it. And Cafe Azur has brightened it with a fresh, zesty gremolata, so we think this stick-to-your-ribs dish is just as appropriate now as it is during the chilly winter months.

Our last tip: Before temperatures reach their usual summertime highs, take a midday break to enjoy Cafe Azur’s charming patio that overlooks Montrose. A look at the lunch menu (and knowing a glass of rosé awaits) is all the enticement you should need.

Cafe Azur, 4315 Montrose near Richmond, 713-524-0070, cafeazurhouston.com
Hours: Closed Mon.; Lunch Tues. to Sat. at 11 am-3 pm; Dinner Tues. to Thurs. 5-10 pm, Fri. & Sat. 5-11 pm, Sun. 5-9 pm; Sunday Brunch 11 am-3 pm