If you have a yearning for France and French foods in particular, good news: you don’t have to hop on a plane and head off to Paris.
Michael Simpson, owner of Frenchy’s Hideout, has brought a taste of France right here to Hillcrest. Only open now for a few months, the restaurant had been a concept in Simpson’s head for many years.
San Diego Downtown & Uptown News caught up with Simpson recently for an email Q&A.
DTN/UTN: When and how did the restaurant come about?
Simpson: I have been working on this concept for many years. I really wanted to create an exclusive restaurant with elegance and style while keeping it approachable and non pretentious. My goal was to create memorable experiences with great food, wine, service, and ambiance.
Working as a general manager for the last 25 years in San Diego, I had a chance to really understand restaurant operations and fine dining as well as expand my wine knowledge. In December of 2024, I was browsing the BizBuySell website and came across a small location for sale in Hillcrest. I made an offer, and everything started and happened fast. We opened officially on March 21, 2025.
DTN/UTN: What is the secret to creating unforgettable French cuisine?
Simpson: The main key to creating unforgettable French cuisine is making food with the best ingredient, which is love. You need to be consistent, you can not cut corners, and you have to use fresh ingredients. For example, for the French onion soup, we make our beef broth using the bones. We also use cognac, not cheap brandy or sherry wine. In addition, be very patient and careful when cooking the onions. They have to cook slowly but not burn either. Using good French cheese is also needed for perfection. We use comte cheese but you can also use a nice gruyere or emmental cheese. It’s all about the flavor not how the cheese pulls, haha.
Secondly, stick to authenticity and traditional recipes. Finally, we use the sous vide cooking technique for most of our dishes including our Filet Mignon Burger which helps retain all the juices and flavors.
DTN/UTN: How many employees do you have, and how instrumental have they been in making the restaurant a success?
Simpson: To sum it up, the success of our restaurant relies on the team both in the back and front of the house. I am nothing without them. Surrounding yourself with a strong, reliable, professional, and passionate team is necessary. Most of my team members including our executive chef de cuisine are people I know or have worked with previously. Shan, who I hired early as a general manager, has been a huge support in helping with all aspects of the opening and planning.
DTN/UTN: What are some of the challenges to making a go of it as a restaurant owner in San Diego or anywhere for that matter?
Simpson: Oh God, where should I start?
Between the rising cost of operations, the minimum wage going up and being the highest in the country, and competing with massive restaurant groups that have millions of dollars and opening new restaurants every other week – opening a restaurant in San Diego is a huge risk and extremely stressful. There is always something. A fridge that stops working, a plumbing issue, or a delivery that does not show up. It’s not like an office, when an employee calls out, you have to improvise.
Last week, my chef couldn’t come in and with no backup, I had to put my gloves and apron on and start cooking for guests. Although I love cooking and know the recipes, cooking for an entire floor of guests is no joke.
Owning a restaurant is dramatic, challenging, and extremely stressful, especially at the beginning.
DTN/UTN: For individuals who have not been to the restaurant, what can they expect when they pay a visit?
Simpson: What you can expect at Frenchy’s Hideout is delicious, consistent, authentic French cuisine, exceptional service, great wines, and an unforgettable, memorable experience. We encourage people to come by during happy hour and always ask about our daily secret menu items. We also recommend reservations as our menu is fairly small, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. We hope to see you soon.
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