Crème de la Crème

This past weekend I made plans to go to an arts and crafts festival in downtown Placerville. My gig a low told me to look up a restaurant for a nice dinner. YEY! So I searched the Internet to find someplace to eat. I found a French restaurant called "zachary Jacques." http://www.zacharyjacques.com/. (Sorry my capital z does not work.) I looked over the menu, and decided to make reservations right away.. I have not had french food in a long time!!!

It seems to be our normal "M.O" to hit the peak of traffic anytime we travel. As my gig a low and I sat in traffic all I could think about was dinner. At long last we made it to Placerville.

The GPS told us to go down this curvy road. We kept driving and driving. Past a little gold mining town called Diamond Springs. We kept driving. I was starting to think the GPS was taking us on a wild goose chase again. I remembered when I made reservations the lady said it was across the street from the fire station. I saw the fire station. There nestle among the pine trees was the French restaurant- "zachary Jacques"

Come to find out the restaurant's address is Placerville, but the restaurant is in Diamond Springs.

Anyways I jumped out of my car to start taking photos. Guess who left the flash drive in the printer? Thats right me. Therefore, I had to take all the photos with my cell phone. It was dusk like because of the trees and dimly lit inside. No flash. Oh well.

I loved the way the outside of the restaurant had been decorated !

I was starving. The hostess was so kind to let us come in and eat despite the fact we were 1 1/2 hours early.
We requested a window seat. Once again they showed us grace.

My gig a low and I ordered from the Prix Fixe menu. We each got a 3 course meal. "zachary Jacques" gives many choices for each of the courses. First up was a pork pate. I am really not the biggest fan of pate, but I ate it. The pate was accompanied by a green olive chutney, and a mini dill pickle. I forgot to take a photo. To me the pate tasted like a mild salami with green olives in it.

My gig a low ordered a Cesar salad and Soup su Jour - clam chowder. I ordered the escargot "burgundy style". THATS RIGHT I ORDERED THE SNAILS. I am at that stage in my life when I have to step it up a notch. I thought this would be a good way to start.

Clam Chowder

Caesar Salad

Escargot

Funny how you have to drive 100 miles inland to get good clam chowder (referring to our stay at Bodega Bay.) The salad was very good. The lettuce was crisp and sparkling. The Cesar dressing was  refreshing. I LIKED the escargot. The texture was not rubbery or gooey. The escargot themselves did not have much taste. The butter and garlic the escargot was boiling in tasted wonderful on top of the baguette slices. I thought if this is any indication how my meal was going to be, this is going to be one outstanding meal.
Our first course, billet doux !

Filet of Beef with Port wine Sauce and Bearnaise Sauce, Green Beans

It is really to bad this photo did not turn out well. "zachary Jacque's" makes their potatoes different every day. The potatoes were Yukon gold! We were lucky enough to go to the restaurant on the the day they made them gratin style. The green beans- ewwwww. The meat was cooked to a perfection, medium rare, just like I like it. I could cut it with a butter knife. The sauces were like a musical notes to make a perfect harmony with the meat.
The second course "Belle époque"

 

My gig a low had rich chocolate cake

 

I had the St. Honore cake for dessert.

It has an egg custard base, puff pastry cream puffs, puff pastry dollops, tons of whipped cream, drizzled with caramelized sugar. I wanted to jump into the cake and swim in it. I was drunk with sugar coated yummyness.

Third course  Raison d'être !

This is what I really liked about the this restaurant besides the food: They waited until you were finished with one course, until they brought the next. They did not make you feel asthough you needed to gulp down your meal and get out. I know what your thinking, all fine dining is like that. No, I think not.

The restaurant had a great atmosphere. It was quiet despite being packed with people. I did not have to yell at my gig a low sitting across the table so he could hear me. They had jazz music playing in the background. Our server was professional. Great neighborhood if you like being out in the country.

I think "zachary Jacques" resturant is Joie de vivre !!!!