Well this JQ Gem has certainly come on leaps and bounds, since my first trip before Christmas last year, and is now well on the way to becoming an established and valued part of JQ Life.
It's a shame it's not on any of my regular walking routes or I'd likely be in every day. The range of goodies on sale is much wider than it was. There are lots of cupboard essentials that are less commonly available via a regular supermarket shop. So you can sex up your standard fare with some well chosen jars of this, that and the other.
I was in for a 3pm meet up and badly needed something to tide me over to dinner as I'd scoffed nowt since my 7.30am toast. The smashin' owner Chris suggested a sausage roll, made on the premises from prime sausage meat. Normally I'd refuse that kinda stuff ... I always wonder what's in sausages, but he seems so nice and trustworthy that I felt compelled to try it. Was actually just the job and after a rapid scoff I started to feel a bit more ship shape.
We had flat whites made with Quarter Horse coffee. Was entirely drinkable and certainly at £2.20 you can't complain compared to the local competition. Wasn't really the taste profile I enjoy, on the acidic/stewed fruit side, and wasn't fresh grind. Milk was a bit on the bubbly side too so it didn't infuse the espresso too much: a bit top and tail. Even so, this isn't targeting the coffee geek market specifically and so I was entirely happy.- serving it in a big mug was novel if nothing else! Most folks will be happy and decent coffee is a good addition, especially as traded locally.
So I'm increasing my score to a super solid 5*****. I'll be honest and say this place is everything I like an indi shop to be: fantastically different, great owner working the floor, super service and an absolute pride in offering customers the best possible, much of it local/regional, while making enough to live on! While we were in there was a steady stream of passing customers popping in for bits and bobs too: so felt very local and very communal, with everyone clearly 'regular'.
Highly recommended and so great to see such progress in such a short time. read more