About 225’s food critic: Benjamin Leger previously served as managing editor for 225 and was the editor of its Taste section from 2012 to 2021, editing, writing and steering the direction of its food coverage in print and online. He is passionate about all things food and food journalism, and has written about the greater Baton Rouge area’s cuisine and culture for nearly two decades.
THE BASICS: When the St. Francisville Inn finished its major renovation in 2019, it also overhauled The Saint Restaurant. Executive Chef Jaime Hernandez is now at the helm and has developed an upscale menu inspired by his Creole heritage, locally sourced ingredients and seasonal dishes. Situated in several rooms on the first floor of this historic home, the restaurant’s footprint includes the adjoining The Saint Bar, which bills itself as the area’s only craft cocktail bar.
WHAT’S A MUST: The burrata appetizer with heirloom tomatoes and shaved truffles is a decadent introduction. Another starter, the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake is slim on the breading, helping the luscious crabmeat shine in a beurre blanc sauce. Of the entrees, the Pork Chop and the Coriander Crusted Scallops are standouts for their quality meats and supporting ingredients, like corn and crawfish risotto and squash and eggplant ratatouille. Don’t miss dessert, including the light and sweet White Chocolate Bread Pudding.
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The draw of a St. Francisville weekend has become more and more enticing in recent years. Gone are the sleepy vibes, the usual antique shops and a few standby restaurant options. Now, the diverse and upscale shopping, elevated food and seemingly endless calendar of events, markets and festivals make it a chic getaway destination.
One of the hottest spots for a meal is The Saint Restaurant in The St. Francisville Inn. This historic 1890s home set on a gorgeous and shady property in the middle of town has long been a local hangout and boutique hotel.
New owners Brandon Branch and Jim Johnston debuted an extensive and stylish redo of the property in 2019 that included the introduction of The Saint Restaurant and Bar, which these days is buzzing most nights with well-dressed patrons and regulars who know the staff by name. On weekends, you’ll definitely need a reservation. We didn’t want to take any chances, even for a midweek dinner, and made reservations several days ahead of time.
That afforded us a prime table in the emerald green former porch-turned-Sun-Room overlooking a lovely courtyard.
With glasses of wine and cocktails in hand, we launched into Executive Chef Jaime Hernandez’s small but thoughtful menu. First up was a burrata appetizer with heirloom tomatoes, black truffle and a basil vinaigrette. I’m used to other restaurants using truffle oil, but this is one of few dishes I’ve found in the Capital Region with shaved truffles. It offered a deep and pungent flavor to mix with the creamy burrata. The huge chunks of heirloom tomatoes were bright green and peachy in color.
My only complaint was that the “toast” for this appetizer was four airy baguette slices that essentially amounted to a couple of thin crackers. Thankfully, upon the dish’s arrival, our server assured us she could bring more toast, and the slices were necessary to scoop up every bite of this delicious appetizer.
Our server also told us about the soup of the day, Turtle Soup. I immediately jumped at that option. A simple and unadorned bowl of the red-brown soup featured finely chopped turtle meat (much appreciated over bigger chunks) and a lovely sherry flavor.
For one of our entrees, we went with Coriander Crusted Scallops. Plump scallops were nestled atop a sweet corn and crawfish tail risotto that was oh-so-creamy and laced with chili oil and a buttery sauce. I lapped it up. The scallops were fresh and juicy, and seared slightly on top with a liberal layering of crushed coriander. But that seemed to be the only seasoning, and I had to shake some salt on top to impart a little more flavor to the buttery scallops.
The other entree was the Pork Chop, which sat on a mound of yellow squash and eggplant ratatouille as well as canestri pasta (a cross between large elbow pasta and ridged penne). The pork chop was a huge, thick cut cooked perfectly with a well-seasoned crust. The al dente pasta and flavorful vegetables added lovely and filling bites in between the robust meat.
Our server had us swooning when she listed the dessert options, and we ultimately landed on the White Chocolate Bread Pudding after much debate. Luscious yet not too sweet, soft and not too dense, this was one of the best bread puddings I’ve had in a while. It sat in a pool of white chocolate sauce and was topped with a jammy blueberry compote and whipped cream.
There was just enough for everyone to have a taste and feel satisfied rather than regretting the choice.
And truly, there were no regrets in our dinner at The Saint, nor any regrets about making the drive out to St. Francisville on a weeknight. The vibe of the entire property welcomes you to linger—to stay a little longer and take it all in. That feeling was aided by the impeccable waitstaff.
Our server, Angelia, made the experience all the better with her friendly demeanor and attention to detail. Her photo is prominently displayed in the entry hall as the restaurant’s employee of the year, and it doesn’t seem like she’ll lose that title anytime soon.
We wanted to stay longer, to have another glass of wine and stroll the grounds or meander around the creaking wood floors into the property’s classy bar, jealous of the visitors who could relax for the rest of the evening in the well-appointed spaces and then head up to their rooms for the night.
It made me want to plan out a long weekend in St. Francisville soon. Of course, that would include at least one, if not two, stops at The Saint to make the experience extra special.
louisianahospitalitygroup.com/the-saint-restaurant
5720 Commerce St., St. Francisville
Lunch: Wednesday-Saturday,
11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
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Dinner: Monday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m.
Brunch: Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.