“I like that Preston Center, even though it’s in the middle of a very affluent area, it’s also kind of, I don’t want to say laid-back, but it’s more like family-oriented,” he says.

This helped cement the casual atmosphere of Frenchie when the restaurant concept was still being created. It’s a place where you can go for great food, but you don’t have to worry about what to wear. Courseau says he also appreciated the opportunity to branch out from his usual area.

“Being in one neighborhood, you’re always afraid to cannibalize yourself,” he says.

The menu is still very French, but it has an American influence that Courseau gained from his time in the U.S., which he says helped him better understand what American customers want. Still, he was excited to bring in a few dishes that American customers don’t typically see, which he says have been well received.

One such dish is leeks vinaigrette, which Courseau says is a bistro staple in France. At Frenchie, the dish is called Leeks Dijonnaise ($14) and is served with a chopped hardboiled egg and hazelnut on top. Courseau says he is also particularly fond of the provençale tomato tart ($14), which features tomatoes and goat cheese served warm on a flaky pastry, topped with basil and olive oil.

Diners at Frenchie can also expect the high level of service that has come to define Travis Street Hospitality ventures. Courseau says trying to build a company culture where people are happy to come to work is what has helped sustain this culture of hospitality at each of his businesses.

“You never stop, in other words, building the culture. You never stop training people. But as you grow, you get the help of all the people that do care because it’s their culture as well,” he says.

After working in the culinary industry for so long, and holding almost every position one can have in a restaurant, Courseau says he most enjoys making his customers happy and ensuring they enjoy their experiences at his restaurants.

“The way I look at it, I am letting people into my home,” he says.

Frenchie, 8420 Preston Center Plaza, 214.377.8652, frenchiedallas.com