Chef David Denis and sommelier/general manager Sylvain Denis, perhaps best known for their former West Houston restaurant, Le Mistral, are teaming up with fellow chef and Le Mistral alum Lionel Debon on a new restaurant at 1971 West Gray in the River Oaks Shopping Center. Cocody (pronounced co-co-dee) Restaurant and Bar is set to debut in August. Currently, the Denis brothers are also involved with Bistro 555 and Artisans Cuisine & Savoir-Faire. 

The brothers are well-known in Houston for elegant French fare and wine selections, respectively. However, for Cocody, they are promising “new flavors, new presentations and entirely new concepts, created and prepared in a large, all-electric, state-of-the-art kitchen.” No dishes or drink details have been shared with us yet, so it remains to be seen how the menu and beverage lists are going to take shape. 

Debon will also bring his experience not just as a chef from Le Mistral, but also from working at Michelin-starred French hotels and restaurants such as Hotel Martinez in Cannes and Le Bateau Ivre in Le Bourger-du-Lac. The restaurant is owned by Edwin and Edith Bosso. The former is a Rice University graduate and founded Myrtle Consulting Group, which was acquired by a firm where he’s now a managing director. 

Architectural renderings of Cocody are still forthcoming (we’ll add them to this story when we get them), but according to a representative, it will be “knock-your-socks off beautiful.” The 7,000-square-foot restaurant is being designed by Austin-based Winn Wittman Architects and Houston interior designer Nina Magon. A key part of the design will be hundreds of crystal lights that will glow above the dining room, within columns and configured into veritable art installations. Cocody will also sport a 2,000-square-foot courtyard, lounge, free-standing metal bar and, similarly to Le Mistral, a semi-private room with a kitchen-side view for chef’s tastings.

When it debuts, Cocody Restaurant & Bar will be open daily for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.