Frédéric Perrier says he was born to cook. Born in Lyon, France, and designated a master chef of France, he has a decades-long career in the restaurant industry.

“It happened when I was 13 [years old], and I said, ‘I don’t want to go to school anymore, I want to be a chef,’” he said.

He opened Aura Brasserie in Sugar Land Town Square in 2013 to bring what he hoped was accessible and ever-changing French cooking to the city, his wife, Michelle Perrier, said. The brasserie’s predecessor, Aura Restaurant, had a following in Missouri City, but customers from Sugar Land continually asked the owners to open in their hometown.

Chef and owner Frédéric Perrier takes a break behind the bar.[/caption]

The Perriers opened a Mediterranean restaurant, Coco Pazzo, in the old location but sold it in 2015.

“When people haven’t been here … they think, ‘Oh, weird expensive food, let’s only go there for our birthday or anniversary,’” Michelle said.

However, while Aura is French in detail and cooking technique, the Perriers strive to avoid fussy cuisine. Duck confit ($19 lunch, $24 dinner) is on the menu alongside burgers ($9-$16) and crab beignets with Sriracha rémoulade ($9 lunch, $11 dinner).

The chef tries to incorporate American, Southwestern, Vietnamese and other influences into the menu, Michelle said. This is particularly noticeable on the specials list or the prix fixe business lunch menu, which changes daily based on what fresh ingredients are available.

Seared speckled trout comes with basil risotto, vegetables and bell pepper coulis ($26.50).[/caption]

“Always a good soup or bisque or something [is typical],” she said. “[The chef] is a big soup fan.”

Mother’s Day is popular for Aura Brasserie, with a special prix fixe brunch menu ($45 per person) posted on the restaurant’s website weeks in advance. Options include smoked-venison empanadas and stuffed shrimp with angel hair pasta, but reservations start early, Michelle said.

Changing from a restaurant to a brasserie, which translates to English as “brewery,” means the atmosphere is different from Aura’s Missouri City space. Frédéric said the old location felt akin to dining in someone’s home, and he wanted to recapture that atmosphere.

As a result, the Perriers said they will likely make some changes this spring. They are deciding whether to separate the tables from the bar area at the front of the restaurant.

In addition, they are considering dropping liquor and keeping wine and beer, which sell better, Michelle said. They may also add Sunday dinner to the schedule and change the restaurant’s name.

While the couple finalizes decisions on all of these changes, the business still sees regulars come in to dine. Overall, Frédéric said he wants customers to enjoy his food because he enjoys preparing it.

“As a chef, I can go to a restaurant and tell if [the staff] love it,” he said.

Aura Brasserie

15977 City Walk, Sugar Land
281-403-2872
www.aurabrasserie.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5-9:30 p.m.; Closed Sun.-Mon.; Mother’s Day (May 8) 11 a.m.-3 p.m.