Auberge Brings Unforgettable French Cuisine to Zionsville

Writer  /  Matt Keating

Photographer  /  Amy Payne

If you are looking for a taste of France, Auberge Restaurant, 175 S. Main Street, Zionsville, is the place to visit.

Entering Auberge feels like walking into a French chateau.

Paul Vezolles is the owner of Auberge and The Brick Street Inn.

Paul Vezolles, owner of Auberge, says the restaurant, located in The Brick Street Inn, offers food inspired by the cuisines of France that are made to be savored.

“I love the excitement of providing excellent food and joy to our guests,” Vezolles says. “I want people to have a nice feeling when they are eating here. I want the coziness and ambiance of both The Auberge Restaurant and The Brick Street Inn to become widely known. I want make them both to become destination places.”

Auberge, which offers a relaxed and elegant setting where every visit is truly a special occasion, had a soft opening with family and friends on the July 4 weekend. They officially opened to customers on July 12.

Vezolles bought The Brick Street Inn in 2010. He took over the inn’s restaurant at the end of last year. Patrick Mullins previously operated Patrick’s Kitchen and Drinks in the inn.

All the entrees and dishes at Auberge are made by Executive Chef John Hoog, who uses only the best selection of fine ingredients to create delightful harmonies of satisfying flavor. Hoog was previously the head chef of Matt the Miller’s in Carmel.

“I like all of the menu items,” Vezolles says. “We spent a lot time working on the menu, and John put a lot of rigor and effort put into the recipes. We plan to change the menu sometimes, make seasonal changes. It may also grow over time. This has been a wonderful experience working on everything to open the restaurant. The other business owners in the area have been great.”

Vezolles originally hails from Indianapolis, and has been married to his wife, Linda for 30 years. They have five children. Vezolles and Linda reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Vezolles recently spent some time in Los Angeles visiting highly-rated French restaurants and found that the food at Auberge, in many cases, surpassed the cuisine at the west coast establishments.

“I can’t say they were better than us,” Vezolles says. “I ordered the items we have in common, and they were either just as good as Auberge, or we were better.”

Vezolles says a rooster featured on the Auberge menus has a story behind it.

“The Coq (rooster) franchise is one of the symbols for France, though not an official symbol of The Republic of France,” Vezolles says. “Its use as a symbol of France dates to The Middle Ages, based on the same Latin word ‘gallus,’ being used in Latin to refer to a rooster, as well as to the French people.”

In addition to the restaurant, Auberge has a full bar and an outdoor patio.

To perfectly complement each dish, Auberge offers an extensive wine list, as well as craft beers and a craft cocktail menu designed by mixologist Zach Wilks.

“We offer more French wines than any other place,” Vezolles says. “We also have numerous red and California wines.”

Vezolles opened Auberge to provide central Indiana with a great place to enjoy traditional and contemporary French food, skillfully prepared, in casual yet refined and elegant surroundings.

Auberge also offers private dining and meeting rooms. The William Zion Library and The Chautauqua room can accommodate private dinners for eight to 48 guests, and receptions for up to 75 people.

“This is a great place for companies to have meetings or off-site retreats,” Vezolles says. “We have hosted State Supreme Court justices as well as The Miss Indiana contestants. It’s also a perfect venue for wedding receptions.”

Vezolles says he loves being in the center of Zionsville village, surrounded by the best of Midwest small town charm.

“I love this area,” he says. “It’s a great place to live, and Zionsville is a perfect place to get away for a wonderful vacation. Auberge and the great food will enhance the experience of being in Zionsville.”

Appetizers at Auberge include Mullels & Frites, a full pound of steamed mussels in a garlic, white wine and butter sauce, served with hand-cut fries with garlic tarragon aioli; Burrata, served with basil pesto, roasted grape tomatoes, grilled watermelon, crostini and topped with balsamic glaze; and a Charcuterie Plate, a rabbit & pork terrine, with saucisson rouge pickled vegetables, Brick Street Tomme, French cheese, corniches and a duo of French mustards.

Entrees include the delicious Boeuf Bourguignon, a tender red wine braised beef, carrots, pearl onions, button mushrooms and red and purple potatoes in a red wine reduction sauce, finished with lardons and Fleur de sel; Seared Duck Breast, a Maple Leaf Farms duck seared to medium rare topped with a balsamic mostarda served with a wild mushroom risotto and sautéed asparagus; and the excellent Ratatouille, a fresh summer squash, eggplant, red peppers, and onions, cooked in a tomato, garlic, and white wine sauce, served with a creamy goat cheese polenta.

Auberge also serves a wide variety of savory and sweet breakfast choices.

“People eat out so much that they are always looking for fresh options,” Vezolles says. “Good cuisine, if it is done right, is always memorable. I want everyone who comes to Auberge to have an unforgettable experience.”

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