Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Jack & Co @ Dato Keramat, Georgetown, Penang.

 ** Jack & Co has since relocated to Icon City at Bukit Mertajam, Penang.**

It is easy to miss Jack & Co, the first shipping container restaurant cum bar in Penang. Tucked within the shop houses along the bustling Dato Keramat Road, Jack & Co may be inconspicuous to many. The restaurant uses a modern-eco design; shipping containers, old tires on the wall and pallets are some of the solid evidences. Seats in the shipping container are very limited (by reservations only), guests are encouraged to sit at the al-freso pallet-furniture patio. The tables and chairs, however, are made of the flimsily stacked pallet tables; a good place for a drink but not for dining. Menu is rather limited as the restaurateur focuses on the alcohols while the prices are on the higher side. There were some hits and misses on our visit but since the place is very new and the menu is constantly changing; it is worth a second look. Jack & Co is located on Dato Keramat Road, facing Federal Cinema and the famous Ah Leng Char Koay Teow. 



A pretty odd name- Chicken Boneless (Rm 25) comes with a juicy slab of Chicken Thigh atop of Deep Fried Wedges, creamy Mushrooms and fresh Arugula/ Rocket salad (with Dried Cranberries). The Chicken was juicy and especially tender but it barely registered any flavors on its own. The side- Creamy Mushroom stole the spotlight. Shimeiji Mushrooms were used and as a result of that, the earthiness of the Mushrooms stood out and the cream sauce was gorgeous. The Rocket Salad was not shabby either, the dressing was somewhat sweet and it has a hint of alcohol infused within. Refreshing and toothsome on its own but even better to enjoy together with the Mushroom and Chicken as a whole. Albeit decent, I did not find it mind-blowingly good. 


Sweet ending was a confused one. We were intrigued by the combination of Mango Basil Cheesecake (Rm 15) but we were muddled with the presentation. A dollop of whipped Cream Cheese was added on top of crushed Cookies and served with diced Mango, finished with Blueberries and julienned Basil. You need to scoop every single bit of it to fully enjoy the flavors. However, we did not like the peculiar acidic of the Cream Cheese which tasted somewhat like Yogurt. Also, unripe Mango was used and as a result of that, sweetness was being compromised and overshadowed by the disconcerting sourness. The only source of sweetness was the measly amount of crushed Cookies. The idea of infusing Basil into Mango Cheesecake was creative and refreshing but some refinement is definitely needed to the recipe. The price may be on the steeper side for that portion. 


A slightly better option will be Apple Crumble (Rm 15), a generous amount of caramelized Apple and a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream sitting on a lake of biscuit-crumb, garnished with Mint Leaves and Strawberries; completed with squiggles of Chocolate sauce. Inevitably sweet but I enjoyed the crumb which has a hint of ginger-herbs infused within and the caramelized Apple was nicely done, with a discernible Cinnamon flavor. 


Ratings:
Taste: 6.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Service: 6/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Price: 5.5/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)
Ambiance: 6/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Parking: 6/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Non-Halal
Service Charge: Yes 10%
Government Tax: No

Additional Information:
Address: 348, Jalan Dato Keramat, 10150, Georgetown, Penang.
Business Hours: 5 pm to 12 am on weekdays; 12 pm to 1 am on weekends and public holidays. Closed on every Monday.
Contact Number: 604- 229 7580

Map of 348, Jalan Dato Keramat, Georgetown, 10150 Pulau Pinang

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