Acclaimed St. Augustine chef opens French bistro as his third fine-dining restaurant

Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Updated ·3 min read

Inspired French cuisine classics such as Filet Aux Poivres, duck confit and mustard-crusted pork loin top the menu of a new bistro from an award-winning St. Augustine chef.

La Nouvelle opened Tuesday in the historic two-story Jefferson House, 102 Bridge St. in the heart of St. Augustine's Lincolnville neighborhood.

The bistro is the third fine-dining restaurant from Chef Michael Lugo, founder and owner of Pesca Vilano, 117 Vilano Road in Vilano Beach, and flagship restaurant Michael's at 25 Cuna St. in St. Augustine's historic Calle Cuna neighborhood.

La Novelle comes roughly three months after Pesca Vilano — the first restaurant with a rooftop bar and grill in Vilano Beach — opened in October at the Hyatt Place St. Augustine/Vilano Beach hotel. Michael's opened in 2006.

Lugo's bistro replaces the former Preserved — a fine-dining restaurant that built a reputation for an inspired farm-to-table menu focusing on "authentic Southern cuisine with a French flair" that closed last June after seven years.

Filet Aux Poivres is a signature entree at La Nouvelle, which opened Tuesday in the historic Jefferson House at 102 Bridge St. in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine. The bistro is the third restaurant from well-known St. Augustine Chef Michael Lugo
Filet Aux Poivres is a signature entree at La Nouvelle, which opened Tuesday in the historic Jefferson House at 102 Bridge St. in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine. The bistro is the third restaurant from well-known St. Augustine Chef Michael Lugo

French cuisine is "classically seductive," Lugo said in a news release announcing La Nouvelle's opening.

“The fresh flavors, the contrasting textures of crunch and velvet smoothness, and elegantly simple ingredients – it’s comforting and transformative all at the same time," he said.

"This new concept will take classic French bistro fare and infuse it with elegance — sumptuous yet approachable," Lugo said.

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On the menu at La Nouvelle

Mustard-crusted pork loin is among the signature entrees offered at La Nouvelle.
Mustard-crusted pork loin is among the signature entrees offered at La Nouvelle.

Chef Matthieu Landillon from Marseilles will lead La Nouvelle's culinary team. Landillon is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and his career includes working with notable chefs, including Gordon Ramsey as well as Michelin Star Chef Bjorn van der Horst, Lugo said.

Topping the entrees:

  • Filet Aux Poivres ($42): Filet mignon, cognac pepper sauce, duck fat potatoes

  • Duck Confit ($38): A crispy duck leg, red wine braised grapes, duck fat potatoes and frisée

  • Mustard-crusted Pork Loin ($34): Served with braised lentils and garlic spinach

  • Branzino Almondine ($38): Served with brown butter, lemon supremes, toasted almonds, capers and haricot verts

  • Royale with Cheese ($18): A beef burger with caramelized onion, Gruyère cheese and dijon mustard on a croissant bun

  • Croque Monsieur/Madame Sandwich ($18/$23): Parisian ham, Gruyère cheese and Mornay sauce

The salad offerings are led by a traditional Lyonnaise Salad ($16) with poached egg, bacon lardons, brioche croutons and vinaigrette. Also featured is Niçoise Salad with a variety of lettuces, haricot vert, potatoes, Niçoise olives, olive oil poached tuna, and a six-minute egg, according to menu.

L'Orange, a white chocolate shell, orange compote and ganache, is among the featured desserts at the newly opened La Nouvelle in St. Augustine.
L'Orange, a white chocolate shell, orange compote and ganache, is among the featured desserts at the newly opened La Nouvelle in St. Augustine.

Showcased desserts include:

  • Pot De Crème ($8): Dark chocolate, Chantilly cream and maldon sea salt

  • Paris-Brest ($12): Praline creme mousseline

  • L’Orange ($16): A white chocolate shell, orange compote and ganache

  • Lavender Crème Brulee ($13): Madeleines and fresh berries

Expanding culinary horizons

A native of Puerto Rico, Lugo is a self-taught chef who credits his grandmother for inspiring his love of food and passion for cooking. He worked his way up the ranks in kitchens from Texas to Florida before putting down roots in St. Augustine.

La Nouvelle comes 17 years after Lugo established Michael’s, which focuses on Spanish cuisine and wine. Pesca Vilano reflects the flavors of Puerto Rico.

Michael's was featured on a Food Network segment with Chef Emeril Lagasse during Florida's 500th anniversary. Wine Spectator has awarded its Award of Excellence to Michael's wine list for 11 consecutive years. In addition, Lugo has been named Best Chef of St. Augustine by several local publications.

More: OpenTable names St. Augustine icon one of America's Top 100 most romantic restaurants

Historic building

La Nouvelle, the latest restaurant from Chef Michael Lugo, has opened in the historic Jefferson House at 102 Bridge St. in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine.
La Nouvelle, the latest restaurant from Chef Michael Lugo, has opened in the historic Jefferson House at 102 Bridge St. in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine.

The restaurant is in a restored Victorian home with an iconic wrap-around porch dating back to the late 1800s. The Lincolnville house once was the home of Thomas Jefferson's great-granddaughter.

La Nouvelle is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday, according to its website.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: La Nouvelle showcases classic French bistro cuisine in St. Augustine