Jacques' Brasserie at L'Auberge
Since taking a group on an incredible wine tour of Alsace, I have been thinking about the food of my father's native Alsace. On the tour, our group visited many of the great wineries and restaurants of the region, including the superb Weinbach vineyards. We also had a special lunch at the Hotel Chambard, where Papa was an apprentice as a young man. Most restaurants in Alsace have a more upscale gastronomique dining room as well as a casual, brasserie/bistro-style dining room known in the region as a winstub. At the winstub, diners enjoy traditional, hearty Alsatian dishes accompanied by local wine. The traditional winstub provides good food in a warm and relaxing atmosphere, at competitive prices. These friendly establishments are immensely popular with Alsatians.
When Papa first opened Chez François in 1954, the menu was very much in the winstub style. The meals I ate on my visit to Alsace got me thinking about those early menus, and the traditional Alsatian foods Papa used to serve at the restaurant and at home. As a special tribute to my father and our rich Alsatian culinary heritage, we opened Jacques' Brasserie at L'Auberge.
I'll be serving some of my favorite dishes, the ones I grew up with, in the large dining room where I host the cooking demonstrations. Many of these recipes come from a notebook of handwritten recipes my father brought with him when he moved from France to the United States.
We have had many requests over the years for a more casual a la carte menu for those who just want to celebrate with couple of dishes rather than our traditional six-course offering. The Brasserie menu will feature Tarte Flambée (Alsatian-style pizza),Charcuterie, fresh oysters and mussels, organic chicken in Riesling, traditional and fish Choucroute,and Pinot Noir braised ribs along with the desserts of L'Auberge.
Jacques' Brasserie at L'Auberge is open on Tuesday through Saturday evenings from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 3:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
The brasserie will be closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve
