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The St. Augustine burger is layered with duck-liver mousse, pickled carrots and cucumbers, and Kewpie mayo on brioche ($23), while the Niman Ranch bacon on the BLT is sandwiched between Magnol French Baking's sourdough bread ($19). We couldn't resist the potato gnocchi — pillows of potato pasta seared and topped with garlic chips and toasted hazelnuts with broccoli rabe and a scattering of shaved Pecorino Tartufo, as well as a soul-satisfying wild boar Bolognese tangled amid narrow pasta ribbons ($24/$40). I'll be back to indulge in the steelhead trout napped with almondine sauce studded with dried Reserve a table (preferably a coveted corner banquette) at this soigné boîte and toast your companions with a cocktail conjured by head bartender Thomas Hardy. From the classic to the creative, each signature sip is named for an icon in the city, such as the Barnstone, after architect Howard Barnstone, who conceived the Rothko Chapel: a blend of cognac, rum, and curacao with bitters that riffs on the Sidecar ($16). Or perhaps the Night Heron, Houston's official feathered friend, a rum tincture with accents of lime, lemongrass, and pineapple ($16). Wines, like the hotel, are of the boutique sort and concentrate on French varietals made by small producers and others sourced from family vineyards across the globe. Pair your drinks with a shareable starter such as the smoked salmon dip, topped with a seeded spice mixture and accompanied with house-made potato chips ($18). It's a rarity to find escargot on a Houston menu, so we were compelled to try the classic escargot en vol-au-vent; tender-garlic-scented meat is tucked inside a flaky cylindrical pate feuilletée shell and enrobed in a vibrant persillade ($25). currants on a bed of broad, crisp Romano beans ($38), not to mention the duck frites, tender slices of duck magret with chili mango glaze and green peppercorn sauce, served on riso venere ($52). The pastry program is headed by skillful chef Marie Riddle, who balances crave- worthy sweets such as chocolate entremet (essentially a rich devil's-food-like layer cake embellished with salted caramel and a quenelle of coffee ice cream, $13) with an elegant éclair filled with bright raspberry ganache and pistachio ice cream ($13). Perseid at Hotel Saint Augustine, 4110 Loretto Dr. bunkhousehotels.com. Chef Aaron Bludorn. A hearty coq au vin. JULIE SOEFER FURNISHINGS . LIGHTING . BEDDING RUGS . ARTWORK . GIFTS DESIGN BY APPOINTMENT Mon.-Sat.10-5 12649 MEMORIAL DR, SUITE B 713.932.0232 WEIDNERHASOU.COM The Store for Real-Life Living