EXTENSIVE WINE LIST • LUNCH & DINNER
SN't
BARTON
CHARLIP
Melting Pot Of Middle East Can Be
Tasted At Jacques' Mediterranean
rAcHMVAIIIN
I
•
F—
65 WOODWARD
•RNER OF CAN FIELD,
•
L.
100
KITCHEN OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRI & SAT
LUNCH MON - FRI
DINNER TUES - SAT
f you can guess what kind of
Then comes a wave of fabulous and a touch of Dijon mustard
restaurant this is, you get a menu selections from which to served over a bed of spinach.
gold star in the middle of your choose ... many of which are not
Want pasta? ... Sure Jacques'
forehead.
found at too many other places ... Mediterranean has it ... fettuc-
And this is what makes and some nowhere else.
cine a la frutti di mare (sauteed
Jacques' Mediterranean so very
All dinner entrees are served scallops, shrimp, mussels, little
interesting.
with soup or salad, rice or pota- neck clams in a three-cheese and
The cuisine is Lebanese, to, seasonal vegetables and home- white wine sauce) ... or pasta Sal-
French, Italian, Greek and Amer- made pita.
vator (sauteed shrimp in olive oil,
ican ... with a touch of Jamaican
basil, garlic, stuffed
The popular Scampi
(Tia Maria, Myers dark rum) and Paris Bistro Style is
olives, stewed tomato,
Irish (Irish whiskey) tossed in.
Cajun spices, fresh herbs
sauteed with whole
It's a wonderful restaurant ... cloves of garlic, white
and cream) ... or perhaps
seemingly out of place at the for- wine, olive oil, tomato,
cheese-filled tortellini or
mer Yee's Palace site in the Troy fresh basil and parsley.
linguine primavera.
Wood Plaza strip center on
Whatever your choice,
Salmon a la Mediter-
Rochester Road in Troy.
ranean is a simple cre-
you'll very soon discover
But call it what you will ... ation but very rarely DANNY RASKIN
that this is truly a fine
LOC AL
Continental, Mediterranean or prepared properly (char-
restaurant run by
COLUM NIST
whatever ... Jacques' is good ... broiled salmon, extra
Jacques Haddad with
real good.
Henri Darazi, his gener-
virgin olive oil, garlic,
I can understand the Lebanese balsamic vinaigrette and pars- al manager since opening ... Ex-
and French connection ... Back ley).
ecutive Chef Sam Giordano, at
in the early '30s, a part of
There's even chicken Romano, Brownie's 24 years, is given the
Lebanon was under French dom- sauteed breast with broccoli, freedom to create excellent dish-
ination.
onions, diced tomato, herbs, es.
In fact, the Italian and Greek spices and Romano cheese.
Afdoc Haddad, sister of
makes some kind of sense, too,
Or perhaps you'd like the vitel- Jacques' dad, helps Sam almost
since they are also considered lo a la Florentina (medallions of every day ... and teaches the
Mediterranean countries.
veal sauteed with fresh spinach many ways of making Lebanese
Insofar as American is con- in lemon wine sauce).
food like it is made in the Old
cerned, show me an ethnic
There's shish tawook, Leba- Country.
restaurant without an American nese chicken, chicken or lamb
Everything is made to order ...
dish and I'll show you a restau- shawarma, shish kabob, kafta The hummus with its chickpeas
rant that has problems.
kabob ... and mujadara unlike boiled at the restaurant, grape
When it opened Oct. 23, the any you may have tasted any- leaves, etc.
original menu was geared more where ... Truly authentic with
The decor is elegant ... The for-
toward fine Middle Eastern din- whole lentils, cracked wheat, mer Yee's Palace was complete-
ing.
steamed with fried onions and ly gutted ... and is as Jacques
However, owner Jacques Had- homemade low-fat yogurt ... A always wanted ... a cordial, gra-
dad got smart ... realizing that real throwback to back-home cious dining establishment in a
every time he looked around cooking in Lebanon.
relaxed setting ... with wonder-
there was another Middle East-
If it's just a salad you want, I ful food and service.
ern restaurant opening.
Pastries like cheesecake,
don't think there are very many
So why not something differ- places that make the sauteed brownies, flans, tiramisu, and
ent ... And thus was born a con- scallop salad ... large sea scallops, baklava are homemade on the
cept that has winner written all bacon and green onions sauteed premises.
over it.
with white wine, brown sugar
A juice bar presents many
Dining seating is for
124 ... And there is a
separate 24-seat carry-
out for casual diners
(shorts, etc.) who can
order from the fine-din-
ing or carry-out menus.
White linen table-
cloths and white linen
napkins stand out in
the dining elegance of
Jacques' Mediterra-
nean with its beige
walls and huge inserts.
Dinner begins Leba-
nese style with pickled
turnips, pepperoncini
rings and pita bread
basket ... The pita
bread, by the way, is
K
homemade on the
premises ... and arrives
in little loaves directly
from the wood-burning
Jacques' Henri Darazi, Jacques Haddad and Sam Giordano.
oven.