The French know how to do food right — from french fries to french toast, they are responsible for some of the best foods ever and certainly know how to pique our interest. Jacques 1534, a French eatery founded by entrepreneur Jacques Ouari, just celebrated their 10th anniversary by revamping both their food and cocktail menu.
You will find classic French dishes such as mussels and steak frites on the menu, along with new French-UK inspired dishes such as moules frites and fish and chips. On a bleary, rainy evening we poked our heads inside to try out the new and improved Jacques 1534. The warm atmosphere instantly warmed us up, as did the food. We started with comforting appetizers — French Onion Soup ($9) and Black Kale Salad ($14). The cheesy, hearty soup satisfies, especially on such a cold evening. The kale salad was a real standout, dressed in ceasar and accompanied by devilishly delicious parmesan toast.
Next we opted for some of the lighter entree items, including the P.E.I. Mussel with Fries ($20) and Grilled Salmon ($24). For those who enjoy mussels, these were a real treat and had quite the spicy kick to them. The grilled salmon sat atop butternut squash puree and brussels sprouts smoked bacon and was drizzled in pumpkin seed oil. It was cooked perfectly and the added veggies mixed in great flavor to the dish. The presentation of each dish was also impressive. Along with our entrees, we also enjoyed Barbecue Onion Rings ($7), which were tasty, but could have had more onion and less crunch.
No evening is ever complete without dessert and the menu at Jacques 1534 gave us a very difficult decision to make. We ended up taking the recommendation of our waiter, who suggested we try the Tarte Aux Pommes ($9), a thin and crispy apple tart served with vanilla ice cream. Much to our detriment, we couldn’t stop eating it.
We accompanied our meal with some great wine, but Jacques 1534 also has some fun cocktails ($12), including the Black Berry Collins (Bourbon, Blackberries, Honey Syrup and Lemon Juice) and signature Jacques 1534 (Hendricks Gin, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Fresh Mint & Cucumber). The restaurant also serves lunch and weekend brunch, with delectable dishes such as egg white omelettes and créme bruleé French toast.
