Jacques Bistro Independent Review

We had one of the best dining experiences of the year so far in a French bistro in Wexford Town.

Having done the shops, we headed initially for lunch to La Dolce Vita, Roberto Pons’ popular Italian cafe, where you can also sit outside. Brendan had a delicious insalata di pollo piccante (€10.90), a big cloud of dressed, mixed leaves, with onions, sun-dried tomatoes, spiced chicken and fresh tomato. I indulged in penne alla puttanesca (€9.95) — a sauce of tomatoes, capers, black olives, anchovies and chilli — attributed to the prostitutes of Naples who could toss it up before the next client arrived. “Don’t hold back on the chilli,” I had said — being a hot thing myself once — and he didn’t. I should have added anchovies and capers to that instruction, as they were scarce, but it was delicious. With a half bottle of La Dolce Vita own-label cabernet (€11.90), it made a tasty lunch with service at €36.

Our next port of call, for dinner, was Jacques Bistro, part of Greenacres wine shop, deli and art gallery. Boy, has this place expanded. I wrote about James O’Connor’s Greenacres, originally a fruit and vegetable shop, years ago in its old location, when they were just dipping their toes into the art world with a few paintings in an upstairs room. Now, there is 7,000sq ft of ultra-modern art gallery along with a deli, a wine shop, and an enoteca on the ground floor. The atmosphere is confident-casual, and the walls are lined with some of the 2,500 wine bottles in stock. Jacques Carrera is the chef, and he has previously worked in Bruno’s and Pearl Brasserie, and his menu offers a helluva lot more than your bog-standard bistro.

Starters (€6.95-€10.50) really appealed. Warm green asparagus and artichoke salad came with smoked duck and Hollandaise sauce, while baked Dublin Bay prawn was paired with Bayonne ham, tomato coulis and garlic butter. Sea bass with herb risotto had an orange and saffron sauce, while foie gras terrine with Armagnac was served with roasted plum and port jelly. I opted for a tartiflette Savoyarde (€8.95), a really scrumptious, comforting, carbohydrate-laden dish of potato with reblochon cheese and saucisson — a favourite with skiers after a day on the piste, but shure I’d had a hard day shopping. Brendan loved his six superbly presented Ballyhack rock oysters (€9).

Again, the main course selection (€18.50-€24.95) was cracking. Braised suckling pig was served with apple and Calvados, while a grilled veal cutlet was served a la Provencal with ratatouille and rosemary jus. Magret de canard had a red berry sauce, while fillet of Hereford beef came with aligot –mashed potato with cheese — and a shallot sauce; and supreme of guinea fowl had a lemon and tarragon sauce. You can see our dilemma. I opted for a blackboard special of sole on the bone (€26), which was perfectly cooked with a little bite, bathed in a lemon butter and chives, with a piping of really heavenly silky mash, a bundle of bacon-wrapped beans and cherry tomatoes. Brendan had scallops and Dublin Bay prawns (€26), again rich and delicious, in an intense prawn sauce on more of that sinful butter-laden mash. This is pure, classic, old-school French cooking: lots of sauces, and just indulgent.

The wine list is extensive, but you can also choose a bottle from the retail section and pay a corkage charge, which we did, with a cracking bottle of Cape Mentelle Margaret River Shiraz 2004, which was €26.99, plus an additional €5 for corkage.

To finish, we shared a lemon tart (€6.95), suitably tart, topped with creme Anglaise and little red berries, and we finished off the day with a glass each of Pineau de Charente (€8) bringing our bill with optional service to €136.89.

My trip to Wexford may not have done my waistline or pocket any good, but it sure as hell did my heart good!

L

Jacques Bistro,

Greenacres,

Selskar Street,

Wexford,

County Wexford.

Tel: 053 91 22 975  or  053 91 23 004

www.lucindaosullivan.com

- Lucinda O’Sullivan

Sunday Independent

JacquesBistro - Irish Times

Wexford strawberries and a classic Normandy apple pie. Yum, writes EOIN HIGGINS 

‘IT CERTAINLY LOOKS like broken glass.” This is not the best thing to hear from your dining companion as you hold your glass of wine up to the light. There were foreign bodies in my Chablis Pinson 2005 (€6). Unable to determine what exactly we were looking at, I asked for an empty glass from our waiter, poured the remaining wine into it and dipped a finger in the foreign matter. It was hard, very fine, and sparkled in the light. I was still thinking, while praying to the contrary, that it could be ground glass when the manager arrived and said “Tartrates”, with a knowing smile.

The more experienced oenologists among you have probably been shouting “Tartrates” too, since you began reading this. And of course you are right. These small, innocuous crystals can appear in wine unless removed through cold stabilisation in the clarifying stages. Tartrates aren’t harmful and only impact the wine visually; often they are referred to as wine diamonds by producers, and are in fact an indication that a wine may have gone through a very natural process.

Once the wine situation had been cleared up, we were at our leisure to peruse the menu. Jacques French Bistro is part of Greenacres, a food hall, gallery and bistro in Wexford town. The bistro is classically French, in menu and execution. There is a pleasant terrace that was quite packed the day we were there and the restaurant is clearly child-friendly, if the amount of red-faced, happy small people milling around was any indication. Home-made chicken liver pâté a l’orange (€7.95) was good, although it was accompanied unnecessarily by pesto, sweet chutney, fresh leaves, black and green olives, sundried tomatoes, and roasted red and yellow peppers. All it really needed was a bit of toast. My companion’s Serrano ham and lentil soup (€4.95) was a wintery choice, but vibrant and flavourful.

In addition to the now mystery-free Pinson Chablis, which was very good indeed, my companion’s Bordeaux Greenacres Supérieure 2005 (€5) was also good for the money. The wine list is great – a huge selection and some very interesting appellations. It is an especially nice list for fans of red Bordeaux.

Braised lamb shank with garlic and thyme jus (€14.95) was the winner of the main event – a sensitively cooked piece of lamb, subtly enhanced by a light jus. My moules marinière (€12.95) was marginally less good, let down a little by late-delivered, pale chips. The mussels were very good though, as one would hope in Wexford sur mer. We took our desserts and coffees on the terrace. A good deal – any dessert with coffee for €5 – put a smile on our weary faces, as did the Wexford strawberries and cream for me, and a classic Normandy apple pie for my pal. Bravo on both counts. It took quite a while to get the bill, which is always a pain in the neck.

Jacques French Bistro is great for a casual Saturday afternoon bite, with or without kids. It’s a nice alternative if the Italian stallion next door, Roberto Pons’s Dolce Vita, is jam-packed, as it usually is.

A solid lunch for two with two glasses of wine came to €65.30. ehiggins@irishtimes.com

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2010/0703/1224273598150.html

http://www.greenacres.ie

Painting and Drawing Classes by Artist Mary O'Connor

Jacques Bistro Childrens Menu

Jacques Bistro

1^st Anniversary & Bastille Day Menu

Thursday 15^th July 2010

(The meal will include a selection of wines chosen by Donal Morris)

Quail “en croute” with foie gras & Bayonne ham

 Black grape coulis & thymes jus

Kilmore quay Crab claws

Sauteed in garlic and parsley

Baked goats cheese crôtin & grilled courgettes

Rocket leaves, red peppers and balsamic reduction

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Duo of langoustines and scallops

In a garlic cream

Filet of Hereford Beef

Gratin dauphinois, sauce Bordelaise

Civet de Lapin

Braised Rabbit in red wine and spices with mushroom, bacon and onion

Duck Magret à la Provençale

Ratatouille and rosemary jus

›››

Chef`s buffet of desserts and cheeses selection

›››

Tea/coffee

€50

Please note that our salads and herbs are organic and we purchase to local producer

http://www.greenacres.ie

                          http://www.twitter.com/jacquesbistro

Mozart, Vivaldi and Piazzolla with the Irish Chamber Orchestra

Irish Chamber Orchestra

Dinner @ Jacques Bistro in Greenacres Served from 5pm

Concert - 16th July @8pm

Where: at O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford Opera House

‘The best orchestra in this country by far’ (Sunday Tribune) comes to the Wexford Opera House for the first time, fresh from a major tour of China and Singapore.

Irish Chamber Orchestra leader Katherine Hunka teams up with popular Irish accordion virtuoso Dermot Dunne for a fun programme that includes Mozart’s timeless Eine Kleine Nachtmusic, concerti from baroque master Vivaldi and the sensuous tangos of Piazzolla.

We’re expecting this to be a busy event so please book early.

Contact Jacques on 053 9122975 for a Reservation.

Sweet Apple Chutney   €2.95

Oval Albert Cheese Crackers  €2.25

Wexford Vintage Cheddar               €4.99

Was €10.19

Now €8.50

Jacques Bistro Terrace

If your dad is cool a wonderful idea would be to gift him a pair of cool sunglasses so he can enjoy relaxing on the terrace at Jacques Bistro.

Elizabeth Cope Exhibition at Greenacres Art Galleries

For Artistic Dads
Greeacres boasts the most wonderful Art Gallaries and current exhibition is Elizabeth Cope Unframed, bring your dad along and spend some time together, relax and enjoy our lunch at Jacques Bistro…believe me its a treat, and as a dad myself, I know this would be a wonderful gift to receive….hint hint!!!!

For Dads who like to read….
If your dad loves to spend time in books there can be no better idea than to gift him a nice book. While implementing this idea be a little thoughtful and keep your dad’s choice in mind. On the occasion of Father’s Day you may also select books which reflect on the beautiful relationship shared between a father and a child. 

Greenacres are also selling Kellys Resort Hotel and Spa Book “For the Love of ART” on sale instore at GreenacresArt Galleries. This is a must for any dad.

For Techno Savy Dads
Free Wireless at Greenacres…..what more can I say!!

There are a lot of options in the market for dads who love to adopt latest and trendiest in technology. If you have a good budget you buy a sleek new mobile set or i Pod.  Your dad can use his new tech toy at Greenacres

Gift Vouchers

If you simply cant make your mind up, why not just pop in to Greenacres and pickup a Greenacre Gift voucher……this is the Safe bet and NO dad in his right mind would be dissapointed with this…..cash it in against ART/WINE or Jacques Bistro….go on TREAT YOUR DAD…..He’s worth it.

Movie or Theatre Tickets
Book tickets for dad’s favourite movie with just mom or the whole family included. Alternatively you may get him a DVD of his favorite movies or albums. Make a reservation at Jacques Bistro for a pre movie/show Dinner….Now your turning on the charm and your dad will have his wonderful day at a convenient time.

For the Dad thats hard to buy For: We have a full range of cigars or maybe a hamper of cheeses, nice with a bottle of Little James Basket, which is on Special right now with Limited quantity left.

we have a full range of cigars etc or maybe a hamper of cheeses etc for the father who is hard to buy for.

Wexford Opera Festival is not that far away or the Wexford Omniplex is only a short drive……