Foodie Review: Jack Rabbits (totally floats my boat)…

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I don’t know about you, but eating out is always a treat for me. It doesn’t have to cost the earth; as long as the place ticks three out of four boxes, I’ll happily re-patronise. Whenever I eat out, I tend to keep four main categories in mind; food, ambience, service and cost (FASC for the sake of simplicity). As a self-confessed foodie and frequent diner in Manchester, Derby and any place that I happen to be passing through, I’ll try my best to check out the local cuisine. Because I love spreading the word about delicious food and cool places for you guys to check out.

Now, it is a rare thing indeed for an establishment to have excellent food, incomparable service, spot on ambience and be purse-friendly. I finally had the pleasure of dining at Jack Rabbits during one of my jaunts to Derby. I had spotted it (out of hours) a few weeks ago and had earmarked it for my “Must Check Out List” because it looked like a pretty quaint place. I wasn’t disappointed.

Jack_Rabbits_The_Peoples_Grocer1It is a café, delicatessen, take-away and bonafide grocer all rolled into one, stocking fresh, local produce from Holbrook’s Barry Colenso to The Loaf in Crich. From the chalkboard menus with cheerfully swirly handwriting, to the traditional French rustic vibe, everything about this place puts you at ease straight away and welcomes you into a warm-hearted bubble of conviviality. Don’t be put off by the somewhat limited wine list; the Rosé was perfectly nice and complemented my dish very well. Which brings me nicely to the food.

20130803_155745I’m hot on presentation. I love food and think it should always be treated with deference. Always, always respect the food. It doesn’t have to be served on platinum platters with a plethora of fancy cutlery, just showcased well to augment the whole dining experience. Jack Rabbits’ artisan platters are heavenly smorgasbords. Just a simple wooden slab was the perfect backdrop to the positively scrumptious food piled high for appreciative diners’ delectation.

20130803_155736My main of warm chipolatas served with caramelised onion chutney was luscious, each morsel of the warm meat charmingly unctuous. The house salad was understated and perfectly seasoned, whilst the doorstop bread was fluffy and moreish. I love the attention to detail and this is what sets Jack Rabbits apart from the rest. That little parcel of salted butter served at room temperature made me devour the bread as if I was a crazed zombie, but I knew I had to leave room for dessert. On this occasion, my dining partner in crime (Dude D) demolished his antipasti cold meats and cheeses platter with equal gusto. Bread studded with sun-blush tomatoes, generous wedges of cheese and vials of refreshing olive oil and zingy vinaigrette went down nicely for him too, alongside his creamy (with a subtle kick) Chai Latté.

20130803_164210We couldn’t decline dessert, because that would be nothing short of blasphemy. Be prepared to be spoilt for choice, because these guys have everything under the sun, from Deconstructed Berry Crumble to Malteser Bakes. I plumped for the Bakewell Tart to be served warm and it promptly arrived with a drizzle of cream. The pastry was mouth-wateringly short and the moist almond filling sticky and scrummily sweet. Casa Jack Rabbits love what they do – and it shows. I had the pleasure of chatting to Naomi, who provided superb service with a smile and was happy to snap a few pics and make time out for me. I cannot praise this place enough. I’ll be seeing more of Derby in the future and I cannot wait to frequent this place again. Hop on over to Jack Rabbits for a cool time. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Love RAxx

PS It’s Jack Rabbits’ birthday this month. I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy many more birthdays to come. Keep rocking guys…