Spoonfed (Raleigh)

All content © Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Provencal Crab Salad- A triple layer delight featuring diced Roma tomatoes in house vinaigrette, garlic and avocado mousse and lump crab meat w/ homemade garlic aioli, topped with a grilled and chilled shrimp

Saint Jacques French Cuisine

North Ridge Shopping Center

6112 Falls of Neuse Rd.

Raleigh, NC 27609

919.862.2770

www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com (link)

If ignorance is bliss then consider me the grand pooh-bah of Nirvana when it comes to French cuisine.  I know nothing, which is not necessarily a bad place to be.  Having the well empty leaves room for new experiences and exploration.  When I decide to start my education of French cuisine I will be happy to have Saint Jacques at my disposal as my initial point of reference.  Owned and operated by French native from Provence, Lil Lacassagne and his wife Lori, Saint Jacques has repeatedly been noted as a premiere experience for sampling authentic French food, delivered with grace under the care of it’s owners.  Both having past experience in the restaurant and hospitality businesses, it becomes obvious that not only this experience but also their passions for food and life are present in their offerings.  What Saint Jacques lacks in outward appearance, being located in a less than new shopping plaza, one loses all sense of retail mundanity when entering the quiet and quaint dining room, and when greeted and tended to by the staff and owners, one will have no recollection that they are in North Raleigh but yet will be lifted elsewhere.  If the experience of sampling French food at Saint Jacques in still not enough to scratch your itch then join Lil and Lori on one of their annual French trips in mid-July.

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Citrus & Arugula Salad- Baby arugula tossed in a nutty citrus vinaigrette topped off with orange supremes and fresh grapefruit finished with creme fraiche and toasted almond slivers

Blue Cheese Delicacy- a miniature vol au vent filled with a port wine and blue cheese mousse surrounded by slices of poached pears and a port wine reduction

Crusted Lamb Loin- Mushroom and nicoise olive crusted lamb loin, thinly sliced and topped w/ a dijon cream sauce and served w/ potato gratin finished with a sweet red pepper coulis and fresh baby spinach sauteed w/ garlic and olive oil

Strawberry Mille Feuille- Almond and sugar crusted phyllo layers filled with grand marnier infused whipped cream and fresh strawberries, drizzled w/ raspberry coulis and creme anglaise

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)