Graham Elliot Opens Le Margot in Fort Value

Graham Elliot’s distinctive white glasses frames, a long-running signature search for the MasterChef host, usually are not the very first thing that catches my eye once I stroll into Le Margot, his new restaurant in Fort Value, though they’re eye-catching. That honor goes to a beautiful wall alongside the eating room lined in what seems to be horse hair in ever-deepening shades of pink and maroon.

The house, transformed from its earlier life as a Nook Bakery, is swimming in shades of pink and black and decor that’s each French kitsch (the etched glass plates and coupes) and ultra-modern (the moody images on both finish of the eating room). It’s a French bistro however, true to Elliot’s fashion, a bit of quirky.

Lately, Elliot finds himself in Fort Value with a plan to remodel and open a number of eating places in his partnership with chef Felipe Armenta and Far Out Hospitality. Elliot had moved again to Texas after a stint right here some 25 years in the past when he labored beneath Dean Fearing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and Stephen Pyles at Star Canyon. Between from time to time, he opened a number of eating places in Chicago, together with an eponymous one awarded two Michelin Stars, earned three James Beard Award nominations, and most lately served as govt chef at Pounders in Laie, Hawaii. In his new position, he has been growing new menus at Far Out’s present eating places — together with Pacific Desk, Maria’s, Press Cafe, and Tavern — and serving to to create new eating places, together with Le Margot and Cowboy Prime, a steakhouse in Midland that can open a second location on the Stockyards within the fall.

“I’ve been residing right here now for over eight months, and I reside in downtown Fort Value,” Elliot tells Eater Dallas. “So I’m right here on daily basis. Individuals [may] assume, ‘Oh, he’s on TV in all probability lives in L.A. He’s right here each six months.’ However I’m actually on expo or within the kitchen cooking in any respect these eating places.” For the previous few months, he’s primarily been at Le Margot, which opened its doorways in June.

Le Margot is called after Armenta’s daughter, and Elliot envisions it as “superb eating redefined.” The menu is extra impressed by traditional, rustic French dishes than trendy Parisian delicacies, however with a twist. Coq au vin and bouillabaisse are relegated to the specials, whereas tarte flambees (a collection of flatbreads) high the menu. The entrees embrace a Royale with Cheese that finds a cheeseburger doused in melted brie and a conventional steak frites served with “Margot butter,” which is a component butter and smoked tallow combined with parsley, cracked pepper, and lemon zest. The meat, and all of the elements of the cow, utilized in Le Margot come from Armenta’s ranch.

Towers of each charcuterie and shellfish, in addition to caviar service, supply that bougie zing, if diners are in search of it. And there’s whimsy within the cocktail listing, with the Oh La La (a tackle the Cosmo involving cotton sweet), the Napoleon Advanced (gin, St. Germain, cucumber, and lime), and the Boulevard of Damaged Desires (bourbon, vermouth, and Campari) — the latter is the title of a Inexperienced Day track and nods to Elliot’s love of music.

“Every thing on the menu is three elements,” Elliot says. “We don’t want so as to add a potato right here and a few type of veggie right here and no matter. It’s simply tremendous easy. And I believe it’s essential for us to get that throughout to the friends as a result of…individuals may be intimidated and assume it’s fancier, it’s costly, it’s Frenchie. However it’s loud and enjoyable. I need to be right here twice every week consuming oysters and ingesting on the bar.”

Elliot introduced in Wyl Lima as culinary supervisor. Lima was beforehand at Sister on Decrease Greenville and Temporis in Chicago. When Elliot is out of city, as he was earlier this 12 months to movie the present season of The Nice American Recipe on PBS (which Tiffany Derry of Roots Southern Desk additionally seems on), Lima handles the kitchen.

Coming later this 12 months will likely be F1, a barbecue spot the place friends eat smoked meats off superb china fairly than the usual metallic tray, and what may very well be described as fancier however not fussy sides — think about an eight-bean salad with sprouting legumes, herbs, and lemons as an alternative of pinto beans. Additionally within the works is an Italian place in Fort Value that Elliot and Armada are plotting to open in 2024.

Le Margot is at 3150 S Hulen St. in Fort Value. Reservations can be found on Tock.