One summer evening, I met a friend at La Fleur Rouge in Park Slope. This Chinese-French bistro is a new concept from AO Hospitality Group—the team behind Hupo, Shan and RokuNana. Located just steps from Prospect Park, it’s an accessible spot to gather for an evening of shared plates. We dined as guests of the restaurant.

Our server, Soso, walked us through the menu, explaining unfamiliar ingredients and pointing out their signature items. To go with the meal, we ordered a bottle of 2023 Domaine des Clos Godeaux Chinon ‘Les Maupas’ ($60), a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc that paired easily with the food.

First up was the shrimp toast ($24), which deviates from the classic version. Here, squares of French toast are filled with a shrimp mousse, pan-fried and topped with French caviar. We also tried the Peking duck bao ($16), a dish that combines the two culinary influences of French duck confit inside a Chinese bao bun.

Cooked until tender, their cauliflower was tossed in a fiery, fragrant chili oil that delivered a spicy and deeply satisfying heat that eclipsed the other starters.

For the main courses, the kitchen continued the cross-cultural theme. The fillet of branzino was butter-poached and served with a pumpkin and salted egg yolk sauce. Alongside it, the French-cut lamb chops were crusted with pistachios and honey mustard and served with eggplant. Both plates mixed familiar elements from both cultures in an unexpected way.

We finished the night on a high note with the Valrhona molten chocolate cake, served with a scoop of rum-raisin ice cream. The warm, bittersweet chocolate oozing into the cold cream made for a truly spectacular ending.

La Fleur Rouge brings a creative and playful dynamic to the Park Slope dining scene. It is a welcoming spot for anyone curious to explore a distinct blend of culinary traditions, topped off by a memorable dessert that makes for a great neighborhood night out.

La Fleur Rouge
Park Slope
392 5th Ave
Brooklyn, New York 11215
(718) 534-0110
lafleurrouge.nyc/