Jaspers Alsatian Bistro and Wine Bar

Closed. Now open as The Downtown Kitchen.

It's hearty food. Being Alsatian, the food here is influenced by both French and German. There's a heavier usage of cabbage and sauerkraut present in the dishes as well, reflecting the German history in Alsace, France. The food here is a bit pricier than most restaurants in the area, but the portions (depending on what you get) is on the large side, so evens out.

We tried the Jagerschnitzel, duck, choucroute garnie, and the beef stew. Each entree comes with a house salad that is lightly dressed in vinaigrette. The meal starts off with a complimentary bread basket (featuring flatbread crackers/lavash and sliced bread from Daube's) served with a compound butter and a pat of regular butter.

The duck breast was delicious, but looked frighteningly small compared to the other three entrees. It was a bit disproportionate to the large heap of braised red cabbage on the plate. I personally would have seen the breast cooked a tad rarer and the skin to be crisper. The other three entrees were quite hearty in flavor, in richness, and quantity.  The meats were quite tender and paired well with the accompanying vegetables and starches. The spaetzel was fun to eat. Overall, the food here is very easy to eat.

We tried two desserts: the Sacher torte and the almond pear tart. I've been to Hotel Sacher, originator of the Sacher torte, so I'm quite biased when it's just not the same. The cake itself could have been more richer in flavor and more moist. The texture seemed a bit off, making it seem that the cake had been cut and sitting for a few days. The almond pear tart could have been made a bit thicker, more generously made, giving the eater the chance to eat the frangipane filling with the pear. It was served warm, which was a nice touch.

This is a good place to try for date night, meeting with family, etc.

They also have a lunch menu here.

Pros: Interesting bistro menu (but nothing unique); Good prices for a large city, Nice store-front atmosphere/setting - liked the exposed brick and pendant lamps. Food - tasty and presented well, not outstanding though.
Cons: Wine selection can be food at the grocery store - dont call yourself a wine bar unless you have something special to offer. Service - SUCKED. Totally indifferent server who never smiled.  We had to ASK about everything - we not even offered coffee at end.  She was more interested in getting back to her texting.  It took forever to get our meal and the small venue was less than half full.  Plus I wanted to  bite her arm when she reached across my face to place a plate down on the opposite side of the table for my husband. Management - please train your staff!!!!!
That all said we had a flat bread starter of leaks and mushrooms that was crispy and well flavored.  I had the buchwheat crepes  - nice chewy texture and very flavorful. My husband liked his duck breast and our salads were fresh with a nice homemade salad dressing.
So if you want to take a chance on the service and are not picky about wine selection, then give this eatery a try because the food is good.