***Update: business closed***
A new entry into the growing fast-casual market, Jacques Cafe in Summerlin can lay claim to plenty of buzzwords used these days when marketing restaurants — chef-drive, sustainable, quality ingredients, scratch kitchen, etc. But don’t let the name on the door fool you. This isn’t a French bistro. It’s a modern American cafe with an extensive menu ranging from casual soups and sandwiches to more refined entrees.
There seems to be an aversion to plates as everything I’ve seen has arrived in bowls. That includes burgers and a tough beef brisket sandwich with an over abundance of artichokes and red peppers. Another let down was the butternut soup with a consistency of a lumpy gravy instead of a silky smooth soup.
Entrees seem to be the way to go. A half order of ribs, with meat easily separated from the bone with the slightest push from my fork, were covered in a sauce with hints of sweetness and bitterness and topped with microgreens that added some visual brightness. Even better was the Provence style beef short ribs. Rich yet earthy, it was a healthy portion of tender beef with little connective tissue or fat that was accompanied by roasted vegetables. The place is also kid-friendly. Hand breaded with a tempura batter, chicken tenders were under seasoned, but will satisfy most kids.
Baked good are made in-house. The cheesecake topped with chocolate pearls and crystalized sugar was decent, but would have been much better if they had let it defrost a while longer. Part of it was so frozen I just had to toss it in the trash. The chocolate blueberry brownie displayed a nice balance of sweet and tart notes. For those that are gluten sensitive, they have plenty of offerings like dark chocolate muffin and a surprisingly chewy chocolate chip cookie.
While the food was hit or miss, I love the fast-casual concept with its upscale vibe, and rustic-chic decor. The broad range of modern American fare should be enough to get people in the door, but their overall quality and consistency needs to improve to keep people coming back.
3 Stars
1910 Village Center Cir
Las Vegas, NV 89134
(702) 550-6363
