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.