DINING FEATURE Mouton’s Southern Bistro Restaurant serves New Orleans-inspired fare A fter more than 10 years in business, owner Ben Mouton has fresh plans for Mouton’s Southern Bistro’s Leander and Cedar Park locations. An expansion of the Cedar Park
BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
Rachel’s Greyhound, which is named after Mouton’s wife and Mouton’s Southern Bistro co-owner, Rachel. Food favorites include the chick- en-fried steak platter; shrimp po’boys; and Paw Paw’s Pork Chop, which is named after Mouton’s grandfather— who made sandwiches out of cooked pork butts stu ed with garlic cloves. Although Mouton almost lost the restaurant early on, and it closed for a bit during the pandemic and contin- ues to struggle with sta ng, he said the community has supported him. “Leander’s been great. The support from the Chamber of Commerce and from the City Council generally has been awesome,” he said. “A lot of our regulars have been coming here the entire time. … They’ve been very supportive and very understanding.” By the end of 2023, the new Lean- der restaurant building is expected to be completed, and it will have a biergarten, an outdoor playscape and patio seating area. Mouton thinks it would serve like a bridge between old town Leander and the new developments. Mouton said when guests dine at Mouton’s Southern Bistro, he wants them to get the feeling he had when visiting his grandma in New Orleans during the holidays and “feeling welcomed” upon arrival. “We just want to serve good food and provide a great experience,” he said. “We want to kind of provide people with a place where they can feel like they can come hang out and be comfortable and feel like their home away from home.”
Ben Mouton opened Mouton’s Southern Bistro in Leander in early 2012.
ZACHARIA WASHINGTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
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location is expected to be complete in early November. Mouton also plans to construct a completely new building to replace the original Leander location. This project is anticipated to begin in January. Mouton said after these projects, there are plans to expand to other Austin-area locations. “I’d like to continue growing,” he said. “I’ve always liked the idea of going to Georgetown, Hutto—that area would be cool—but so far it’s taken about ve years between each major project.” Mouton’s more than 30 years of experience in the food service and hospitality industry and deep familial ties to New Orleans inspired Mouton’s Southern Bistro, he said. With many regular guests, Mouton said the hospitality, fresh food and authentic recipes are what customers enjoy most about the restaurant. “[Customers] come in; they have a good experience; and we make them feel like they’re at home,” he said. A lot of the items on the restau- rant’s Creole-Cajun menu are New Orleans-themed and in uenced by Mouton’s own family members. The best selling alcoholic bever- age—the Bourbon Street Breakfast—is a bloody mary stacked with pickled green beans, okra, asparagus and lime. Another popular drink order is
COURTESY MOUTON’S SOUTHERN BISTRO
COURTESY MOUTON’S SOUTHERN BISTRO
Many menu items at Mouton’s Southern Bistro are named for owner Ben Mouton’s family members or New Orleans landmarks. NAMING MOUTON’S MENU
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Bourbon Street Breakfast: Leanderthal Vodka, bloody mary mix, pickled green beans, okra, asparagus and lime ($10) Cade’s Club (inspired by son, Cade): grilled or fried chicken sandwich served on French bread with boudin ranch dressing ($14.99) Cajun Colette (inspired by daughter, Colette): pasta tossed in a homemade Cajun Alfredo sauce (chicken: $16.99, shrimp: $17.99)
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COURTESY MOUTON’S SOUTHERN BISTRO
Mouton’s Southern Bistro 309 N. US 183, Leander 512-260-6300
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www.moutonsbistro.com Hours: daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
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Mouton’s Bistro & Bar 1821 S. Lakeline Blvd., Ste. 104, Cedar Park 512-356-9300 www.moutonsbistro.com Hours: Tue.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., closed Mon.
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • DECEMBER 2022
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