St. Germain's Unveils French, Asian Inspired Creations

Do you smell that? It’s the scent of French cooking with Asian influences and it’s available in increments for a limited time at a local restaurant.

St. Germain’s launched their earlier this year, which features a different guest female chef every quarter. But to keep customers satisfied in between the guest chefs, the restaurant’s executive chef, is cooking up something exotic to keep the taste buds of eaters dancing.

Ramos has created a new French Exotic dinner menu that features Asian influences, with a focus on Vietnamese flavors. This dinner menu will only be offered in the months of April, June, July, September, October and December, as other months will be host to Lady Chef creations.

Ramos, who grew up in Mira Mesa, says Vietnamese cuisine is her soul food, and felt there was a natural progression in taking St. Germain’s existing French-inspired menu and adding an Asian twist to the dishes.

Some items you can expect on this inspiring menu are shrimp and mango spring rolls, broiled Thai basil mussels and Korean flank steak crostini. Dressing enthusiasts will drool over an Asian sesame salad with a chili sesame vinaigrette.

Entrees off this new and exciting menu include:

• Galbi-gui marinated flank steak with Asian pear puree, scallion mashed potatoes and chile garlic green beans
• Banh Mi burger made with American Kobe beef, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro and chile aioli
• Grilled tamarind lamb chops with a Thai Basil-Mint Sauce, roasted red and purple potatoes and rainbow chard

All-in-one meals that will be featured on this fusion menu include two new “bowls,” both built on lemongrass-scented jasmine rice. The Garden Bowl is vegetarian but promises to fill you up and the French Exotic Bowl is served with sautéed spinach, Vietnamese chile sauce, cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon and your choice of chicken, steak, Ahi tuna, salmon or grilled tofu. 

If you’ve got any room leftover for dessert (and isn’t there always room for dessert?), Ramos is whipping up some strawberry mango shortcake paired with vanilla ice cream, chocolate coconut banana bread pudding, or vegan rice pudding, made with Jasmine rice, raisins, cinnamon and toasted coconut.

Are you hungry yet? To try out some of these culturally-blended dishes, visit St. Germain’s Bistro and Café every other month from April to December. And be sure to check out what are cooking up on the months in between.