After years of bouncing ideas around, the head chef at downtown St. Pete’s Cassis American Brasserie has settled on debuting a casual crepe haven called The Wooden Rooster.
A few hundred feet away from Cassis at 104 Second Ave. NE, the Beach Drive restaurant, which chef Jeremy Duclut is opening with his wife Liset this week, showcases the tasty French staple as its star. Healthy organic options in what Jeremy calls a “fun and enjoyable” environment are also planned; the Rooster encourages the motto “Eat, drink & be happy.”
“We want to keep it very casual,” says Jeremy, who decided he wanted to be a chef at 3 years old. “We want it to be a place where you come in with your family.”
Beginning his cooking career in the Burgundy area of France, Jeremy lived in Philadelphia for 17 years, working at several successful restaurants before coming to St. Pete. He moved to the area six years ago for Cassis, and his kitchen skills even earned him a win on the Food Network series Chopped in 2009.
The couple’s new 62-seat restaurant opens at 11 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. on weekends, but the Rooster’s morning crow can be heard throughout the day.
Feast from the Rise & Shine section of the menu, where breakfast crepes are offered any time, or choose between lunch crepes, salads, soups and sandwiches made without oil or grease. Gluten-free and buckwheat crepes are available as well. Ingredients used in the crepes and other dishes will change, always highlighting what’s in season, according to Jeremy. The chef likes to use fresh ingredients, and this allows him to get as close to farm-to-table as possible.
While craft beer and organic wine are on hand, there’s also a full coffee bar, allowing patrons to drink a selection of java from brands such as Kahwa Coffee. Indulgent dessert crepes — crafted in combinations that include the Berrylicious (mixed berries, honey, ricotta, toasted almonds, raspberry coulis) and a build-your-own variety with toppings like Oreos, espresso sauce and Nutella — fulfill the mantra’s "be happy" clause, too.
As it's done at fast-casual restaurant concepts, diners order their food at the counter, then wait for their names to be called before finding a place to sit inside or out. The Rooster’s rustic interior features a living wall with various salad greens in a mounted frame, as well as wooden benches, wooden tables with herb centerpieces and wooden decorations that reflect its name.
Capital letters displayed on the back wall summon what’s probably the most important part of the restaurant’s motto: “EAT.”