Pint-sized jewel in Arnside's crown...

FOOD REPORT

FOOD                       PRESENTATION     SERVICE                   ATMOSPHERE         VALUE FOR MONEY

WE FIRST stumbled across Café J one bright autumn morning, after an exhilarating walk along the coast at Arnside. In need of a refreshing cup of coffee, we found this tiny gem of a restaurant up the narrow Pier Lane and instantly fell in love with it. The coffee was great too! We promised ourselves a return visit for an evening meal, and last Saturday we kept our word.

Small is indeed beautiful where Caffé J is concerned the tiniest of dining rooms (it seats only about 20 people) and a pint-sized kitchen. Such intimacy makes for the friendliest of atmospheres — diners chatting happily to each other and across the tables.

But what owner, chef, chief bottle washer and mein host James Foice manages to produce from such limited space is beyond belief. The menu is small but imaginative — a choice of four dishes for each course, with ample provision for vegetarians. Café J does not hold a drinks licence so we took along our own wine (£1 corkage charge).

James takes great pleasure in explaining each dish with such relish that it was almost impossible to make our choice. But decision time it was so we chose Goats Cheese and Grilled Pepper Tian with Fried Garlic and Coriander Olive Oil (£3.70); South-Western Chicken on a Black Bean Biscuit with Chilli Pesto and Créme Fraiche (£3.80); and Indonesian Prawn and Corn Flat Cakes (£3.90). It was all superb — the chicken perfect and the chilli not too hot to overpower other flavours; the pepper tian delicious; and my slightly sweet pancakes (using coconut milk in the batter instead of ordinary milk) were so very moreish.

Choosing our main course, to the accompaniment of some lively jazz music, we opted for Pan-fried Pork Tenderloin with a Cracked Black Pepper Cream, Winter Vegetables and Spring Onion Mash (£7.80); Chargrilled Lamb Noisettes with a Rich Garlic and Cheddar Sauce, Winter Vegetables and Wild Rice (£7.90); and Vegetarian Glamorgan Sausages served with Red Cabbage, Cheddar Mash and a Wholegrain Mustard Sauce (£7.50). Fresh steamed vegetables, perfectly cooked, were served separately. My sister, who hates mashed potato, raved about her pork (best she had ever eaten) and could not quite believe mash could taste so good. My husband’s lamb was everything it should be — moist and tender — but the wild rice was something else — sublime! I pride myself on my knowledge of vegetarian sausages (my staple food) but this really was a banger above the rest. A mixture of wholemeal breadcrumbs, vintage cheddar, stilton, mustard and herbs rolled in a herb and wholemeal crust.

The menu invites you to indulge in a pudding — which we were very pleased to do. Chocolate Sensation (£3.20) was so sensational it almost floated off the plate; New York Baked Cheesecake (£3.20) was excellent; and Grilled Pineapple and Kirsch Pot (£3.20) punched loads of flavour with its brulee topping.

As much coffee as we wanted, and a choice of teas followed (£1.20).

James is a charming and attentive host and his obvious pleasure in his delightful restaurant is infectious. He emphasises that the food is not just his own work — his partner Claire Tomalin plays a major part in the preparation, which takes most of the day as space is so limited. Currently the restaurant is only open for evening meals from Wednesday through to Saturday, plus Sunday lunch, but plans to serve morning coffee again are on the cards for later in the summer.

Local residents have not been slow to discover this little gem and it is a joy to spread the word further about this tiny jewel in Arnside's crown. AC

From the Westmorland Gazette

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