REVISED REVIEW: See addition at the end of the original review. We visited Jacoby's for the first…read moretime on a hot Friday night and were not disappointed. Friends had rated the place numerous times so we went to try it out. The building itself is lovely, and dates back to the 15th Century. The square that it's within in Ware is set back from the High Street and is a lovely location, in the shadow of the Church and nestled among other restaurants, pubs and a dentist!
As it was so hot we elected to sit outside, and were glad we did. There is a tapas menu should you just want a light-bite and a full menu for those who are hungrier. We were starving! There is a good variety of dishes for you to choose from, from different parts of the world but a general leaning towards Spanish. It's all very well presented, if a little on the meagre side for some dishes. My chicken provencale for example was listed as coming with sautéd potatoes. In place of a separate dish which I assumed I would get were 4 or 5 small half-potatoes sitting underneath my chicken! That said, the chicken was delicious, cooked to perfection and with a beautiful sauce. My co-diners chose steaks, and they had a veritable mountain of crispy fries to go with it, so I guess it depends what you have as to how much of it you get!
The starters were delicious too - my caesar salad was crunchy and fresh, and the warm ciabatta with olive oil and balsamic vinegar was gorgeous.
I had a vanilla cheesecake afterwards which was light, fluffy and tasty with some large strawberries. Other ice-cream based deserts were well received by others.
Beverage-wise, we started with a jug of homemade Sangria, and the mix was perfect. Followed by an acceptable Pinot Grigio we were quite happy!
Inside, the restaurant is beautiful - the history of the building really shows through, and they have decorated and furnished it in a way that complements the ages, although puts a contemporary shine on things too. Perfect for a romantic meal or a get-together with a few friends.
While they welcome children here, be aware that it is not really a family restaurant as such. They do not have a childrens menu but they are happy to cook half portions of most of the menu options. The chef very kindly prepared a tomato sauce to go with our little boy's pasta, all fresh and beautifully presented too.
It is pretty pricey here, although much of the cost was on the alcohol as you would expect - you do get what you pay for though, all of the food was delicious and cooked perfectly.
The staff were all very friendly and attentive, and courtesy of our waiter my wife now knows how to say hello in Yugoslavian and Albanian! I'm afraid I was too drunk to remember how to say them myself, but I can live with that!
If you are looking for somewhere slightly different to eat in East Herts I can highly recommend Jacobys, and with the excellent Restaurant 22 just opposite you have another option should you have not booked and find yourself unable to bag a table.
ADDITION:
02/07/10
Went here again for a meal on a very hot summers evening. All the tables were taken outside so we took one inside, but they had the air-con down to sub zero temperatures. We ordered some drinks, and they arrived with the wrong beer. I had a burger and fries and I have never been served with food as salty as that, I couldn't eat it. When the waitress asked if everything was OK I told her that it was too salty. She returned from the kitchen to say that the Chef said that as I'd asked for my burger to be well done the moisture had been cooked out of the meat and made the salt taste more noticeable.
I have never been told such bunkum in a restaurant before. They offered me a free drink. I had just had another beer brought to my table so I said I'd have the same again for my wife, a large Shiraz. They brought out a small house red.
There was no real apology or effort to redress. Unfortunately, it's put me right off going back there again.
