Review - Jacobs & Field, Oxford

I've been eager to check out J&F for AGES, but whenever I've tried in the past, it's always been packed - great news for J&F, bad news for me. Planning ahead this time, to meet my parents for a spot of brunch, I finally struck lucky.

Nabbing a table at the back of the Cafe, we quickly got ourselves settled. With barely any other diners at this time (Friday at 10am), I had the chance to take a few brief pictures whilst getting MiniF sorted with a high chair attachment. The interior of the Cafe is delightful - pretty red bunting, candles, vintage colours, enamel pots and pans, wooden furniture - very shabby chic and French country kitchen.

Attractive detailing - many items also available for sale

View from back of Cafe

Unfortunately, MiniF wasn't feeling at his best, so I only had chance to speed-read the menu, without taking a picture, but ordered myself an Orange Juice, Decaf Latte and Full J&F Breakfast with Scrambled Egg. DaddyF chose the J&F Full English as it comes and MummyF ordered Bubble & Squeak with Sausage & Eggs, plus a hot chocolate for each of them. The drinks arrived promptly and the food not terribly long after - just enough time to know it hasn't been microwaved and not so long so that you're ready to eat your own arm.

Bubble & Squeak with Sausage & Egg

Homemade J&F Sauces

So, food present and homemade sauce at the ready (oh yes!) we dove straight in. DaddyF had no qualms with his food, MummyF found hers enjoyable, although the vegetables in her Bubble & Squeak were a little too firm for her liking. 

As for my food.... the sausages were absolutely delicious - am guessing Cumberland - really well flavoured, herby, plump and cooked beautifully, a real star; the bacon was also perfectly cooked, just the right compromise between crispy and not, plus admirable quality - thick enough with a nice salty flavour; the mushroom, tomato and eggs all incredibly pleasant; the homemade baked beans a welcome upgrade from the well-known tinned variety; plus the homemade tomato and brown sauces carrying a beautiful piquancy. 

Overall, my plate of food was an utter triumph, each individual item a taste success, cooked with both high skill and loving care.

Full J&F Breakfast with Scrambled Egg

Whilst I couldn't fault my food, I did have a minor quibble about the service. Being a notoriously slow eater, my dining companions always have empty plates some time before me, which I appreciate can be somewhat annoying. It is a real bugbear of mine though, when empty plates are cleared from the table while I'm still eating - it makes me feel like I'm being hurried to leave. I also felt quite 'in the way' of the waitress while trying to explore the salad bar on my way out of the restaurant, so managed to snap a quick picture before hurriedly taking my leave - sadly, this also meant I didn't get chance to investigate the breads and deli at the front of the shop, although it did look very appealing.

J&F Salad Bar - wish I'd had time to explore further!

You see J&F is incredibly popular, but a little on the small side, so it fills up quickly (as it had while we were eating) and doesn't leave much room for perusing - especially with a buggy in tow. I will certainly be back for another visit (or two, or three), so hope to explore further then. In the meantime though, I'll keep my fingers crossed that one day, in the not too distant future, they'll open a larger site - preferable right on my doorstep - in which I can while away many hours.

Overall Score: 8.5/10 (a solid 9/10 for the food)

Jacobs & Field
15 Old High Street
Headington
Oxford
OX3 9HP
Twitter: @Jacobsandfield
Facebook: @jacobsandfield
Webite: www.jacobsandfield.com
Phone: 01865 766990