I visited laid-back wine bar with a touch of French sophistication

There is something very appealing about simple wooden interiors, which make me want to put down my coat, grab a pew and glug down a refreshing glass of wine. A rustic table and a wine rack, visible from outside, was proving difficult to resist, especially as the sun was shining on a warm Ruthin evening.
In the seventies, wine bars emerged as a concept, often seen as a more relaxed and sophisticated alternative to traditional, male-dominated pubs. But what makes a good wine bar now? Well, there's the wine, for starters.
Jacques offers a vast selection of classic reds from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Or, you can sip a white wine from the Loire Valley region or swig a fizzy rose from Provence.
The bar was absolutely heaving with bottles of the stuff, along with sparkling champagne and a host of different Belgium or European beers.
The atmosphere is relaxed; the lights are dim with soft jazz playing in the background. There are paintings of French streets on the wall with peacock art cushions on the pews.
We were sat on mis-matched paint splattered chairs, which give off a shabby chic relaxed vibe, and noticed a small roof terrace upstairs, where a few people were chatting and taking advantage of the good weather.
Jacques wine bar has gone for Parisian flair with a menu influenced by French classics, which don't really need re-inventing. They include baked Camembert, frog legs or French onion soup for starters or baguettes with various French cheeses for lunch.
There are plenty of sharing dishes such as a charcuterie platter, with a selection of cured meats and pâtés, served with homemade chutneys, bread and crackers or a selection of French cheeses.
For mains, there are French classics such as beef bourguignon with tender braised beef in red wine with garlic, and puree de pommes de terre or ratatouille with stewed vegetables in a rich tomato sauce served with a warm crusty baguette.
We noticed that some customers on the next table ordered the 'Moules Marinières' which was flamed mussels in a bacon butter sauce, with pickled lemon and parsley.
They used a crusty bit of their baguette to mop the sauce up and appeared to be really enjoying it.
On a Sunday, Jacques offer a variety of roasts served French style, such as a half roast chicken, roast potatoes, seasonal veg, purée de pommes de terre.
However, we noticed a deal chalked on a blackboard, which offered their signature Steak Frites with a pint of beer or a glass of wine for just £15. It seemed too good of an offer to turn down.
We decided to choose a glass of house white and a glass of house red to go with our Steak Frites. The white wine was tangy and crisp whilst the red wine was fruity and bold.
The steak was cooked to our liking 'Medium rare' and was juicy, tender and succulent. The steak knife cut through the pan seared steak like butter and all the juices and flavour sizzled throughout the meat in a perfect haze of rouge.
The steak butter was absolutely delicious and we were later told it was a secret recipe, although it seemed to be a combination of bacon, paprika and sage sauce.
We were both given a generous portion of French fries and they were crispy and very morish due to a little hint of seasoning. We had a simple mixed lettuce salad on the side of both our plates.
We were too happily stuffed for dessert but could see that they offered choices such as lemon tart, served with shortbread and ice cream, salted caramel chocolate pot or cheesecake for around £9.
Instead, we sipped our wine and let our food go down as we were in no particular rush to leave. It reminded me of the perfect Parisian evening after a day of sightseeing and winding down with a glass of red.
I half expected a man in a stripy t shirt to cycle past the window with some onions over his shoulder.
Jacques wine bar has live music at the weekends and also put on a terrific roast. We saw notices for bottomless brunches for £25, which promised cocktails and chaos and a little French mischief for two hours.
Yep, this little laid back wine bar has a certain 'Je ne sais quoi' and will leave you feeling full, happy and perhaps a little bit tipsy.
The Facts
Steak Frites with a glass of wine £15 with a service surcharge of 10% (£3) bringing the total to £33
Atmosphere - Va-Va Voom
Car Parking - Limited Street parking or public car park just off St Peter's Square.
Service - Confident and laid backed.

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