Swathed in rich jewel tones and overflowing with intimately arranged velvet chairs and cushions, COCO Chocolate Lounge and Bistro exudes an effortless Parisian elegance, standing out uniquely in the sea of franchise restaurants that flood the suburban shopping centers at Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 N.

Born and raised in Paris, esteemed entrepreneur and partial mastermind behind COCO, Frederic Lebourg has a natural affinity for business endeavors, especially those involving cuisine.

“I went to business school and received my MBA from HEC Paris,” he says. “And much like anyone with an MBA [in France], I initially went to work for a consulting company in Paris. I enjoyed it to a degree. Paris is fun for vacationing and studying, but for living and working, it’s a different story.”

Luck was on his side when he suddenly received the opportunity to take his business skills elsewhere — to the other side of the world, to be exact. “I relocated to Martinique in the Caribbean Islands and took a job with a baked goods manufacturer as their CFO,” Lebourg explains.

Never one to stay in the same place for too long, Lebourg spent a few years working in Martinique before it was time to move again. He then made his way into the baked goods market in the United States through an opportunity working with a wholesale bakery company in Boston.

Lebourg expands on his time on the East Coast, where his job in Massachusetts led to other ventures in Philadelphia and eventually Texas. “I went to wholesale baking, running multiple huge wholesale bakeries for over 20 years, until a few months ago when I stopped because it wasn’t profitable anymore,” he says.

But retirement from food clearly did not suit Lebourg, and he always felt an intense desire to go back to the industry. When his two adult children left for college, leaving him with an “empty nest,” he knew it was time to do something about his dream.

Never one to waste time, Lebourg, along with his friend and former Las Canarias maître d’ Philippe Placé, fashioned a completely new, “somewhat unusual” restaurant concept and decided to put it into practice. And so COCO was born. “COCO came as [a] mix of upscale, high-quality French food with live entertainment,” Lebourg explains. Known for its signature martinis, modestly priced menu and lively weekend entertainment, COCO has provided San Antonio with a two-sided decadent delight of the senses and mind since June 2008.

The invigorating taste of chocolate is the secret ingredient in many – but not all — of COCO’s contemporary takes on classic French cuisine.

“I’ve always been interested in blending classic dishes and turning them upside down to make food more playful and interesting,” Lebourg says. “Besides, I have always loved chocolate. After working with baked goods for 20 years, making pastries and chocolate croissants every day, how could I not?”

Turning heavy French fare into lighter, more modern versions of themselves has not been easy, but it’s something Lebourg enjoys regardless. “When I eat out, I want to find something that I can’t do at home,” he explains. “That’s what I hope we can provide our customers with.”

And that it does. During the day, happy hour specials draw in a mostly female crowd, many of whom are searching for a taste of COCO’s famous “made-from-scratch” martinis infused with high-quality liqueurs, combined with ice creams and sorbets. But as soon as the sun goes down, the crystal chandeliers cast a glittering glow over the scarlet-hued room as couples begin streaming in, ready for a semi-private night on the town.

Late in the evening, dining tables are pushed out of the way, and COCO inevitably turns into a “big party,” with salsa nights on Fridays and DJ sets or live bands on Saturdays.

COCO is even expanding: COCO XO, Lebourg’s newest concept, will increase the restaurant’s space with an extra room specifically for entertainers and a dance floor aside from the dining area. Lebourg’s goal is to bring the quality of nightlife found in Las Vegas to San Antonio, minus the overpriced drinks.

In an effort to give back to the community that supports COCO, the restaurant hosts bi-monthly mixers and benefits where door-fee proceeds directly benefit women’s and children’s shelters, among other local charities.

Lebourg is excited about COCO’s prospects. “We have a very valid economic model here, and I’d like to see us expand our design concept,” he says. “San Antonio is not necessarily San Francisco, but in a good way. I want to surprise people by showing them that after dinner, they don’t need to go anywhere else. They can just clear their table and then have a few drinks and dance.”

Plans to open more lounges are definitely in the back of his mind, starting with Austin, Houston and even the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

“It’s been a fantastic experience,” Placé says about his time working with Lebourg. “I take care of the day-to-day, but he definitely has the grand vision of COCO. He has taken this restaurant to the next level and knows exactly how to run a business.”

“I always step back and ask myself, ‘What is not working? What is the market demanding?’” Lebourg says. “I am a perfectionist. I always take food seriously, without taking myself too seriously.”

For more information on COCO Lounge and Bistro, please visit www.sa-coco.com.