Saint-Jacques' spring menu delights

As I've written many times in the past, when you're in the mood for classic French food, you can't go wrong by heading to Raleigh's Saint-Jacques French Cuisine restaurant.  Don't let the North Raleigh strip-mall location put you off; inside you will find an oasis of fine French dining.

On a recent visit to sample the spring menu, our amuse bouche was an unusual but tasty start to the meal:  a French meatball with onion.

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Dense and flavorful, it set the tone for an evening of strong, delicious flavors.

I began my meal proper with a classic, the brie en croute.

The dish was everything one could hope for in this timeless concoction, rich and cheesy and possessing just a hint of sweetness from the apricot inside.

Next up for me was the foie gras.

A perfectly prepared slice of foie sat atop a delightful tart. Adding the sauces brightened the flavors.

To cleanse our palates, they offered a small rosemary granite, which did its job perfectly.

For my main, I chose what is rapidly becoming a staple of the menu, a small filet mignon with fried asparagus and a bacon and potato tower.

The meat was perfectly medium rare, covered in a thin layer of lobster and lobster butter.  The asparagus and potato tower served as excellent complements to the flavorful piece of beef.

I finished my meal with a simple peach cobbler that included lavender honey and a scoop of house-made vanilla ice cream.

Lil and Lori Lacassagne, the owners, are good people who run a good business.  Though I think of them as at least casual friends, I recommend Saint-Jacques entirely because the food is so good that you'll be glad you went.

If you've never gone, do yourself a favor:  book a table, and then relax and enjoy a good French meal.