Little Jack Horner, Sat On The Corner

By Dining Dave on February 17, 2015 in Food

What does a little English boy sitting in a corner, messily eating a Christmas pie and partaking in a bit of self-aggrandisement have to do with a hip, new bar/restaurant in Coogee, right off the beach? Apart from a bit of rhyming slang, absolutely nothing, and thank goodness for that.

Little Jack Horner is so new (it only opened in late-December) that they don’t yet have a sign for the place, but given how packed it was on the Thursday night that I visited, I’m not sure they even need one. Taking the name of the English poem to accentuate the fact that the café is located on probably the best corner in Coogee – the intersection of Coogee Bay Road and Arden Street – sitting there you’ll not only have the cool, breezy, Bali-like atmosphere to soak in, but also the bustling streets and the beach beyond.

Co-owned by Sauce Bar and Grill owner BJ McHatton and his wife Brooke, the pair spent months decking the space out and dressing it up in wood imported from Bali, palm fronds, festoon lighting, colouful tiles and bamboo-cage chandeliers. A large common table sits in the center of the open room, and there’s a long L-shaped bar off to the one side, as well as a wall-of-wine and a brightly-colored mélange of shutters (a la Potato Head Beach Club) catching the eye in one of the back corners near the kitchen. Apart from the smartphones everywhere, a beachside café in the Bahamas circa 1986 wouldn’t feel much different.

My companion and I sat at a high table towards the back of the venue and were taken care of immediately by Olivia, the assistant manager, with a yummy margarita and a Colombian beer called Aguila, which ain’t easy to find. The menu is not large at this stage (there is only one salad and no desserts yet), but it will grow soon. The concept here is ‘approachable’ food, so share places of varying sizes abound.

We started with two tacos and two sliders, all of which were fresh and delicious. The wagyu beef slider was a melt-in-your-mouth delight, while the Portobello mushroom slider worked well and the fried onion ring on top was a nice touch. The tacos were even better, laid out on a long plate and bookended by small cups of salsa and guacamole. The salmon taco was a surprise hit, while the pulled lamb variety topped with gremolata left me wanting more.

Next we were wowed by a plate of five succulent seared scallops on tahini yogurt sprinkled with pomegranate and peas – truly something to see and devour – followed by five little lettuce cups with fresh fish ceviche and watermelon (the watermelon was the real her o here) and some spanner crab served on a huge bed of squid-ink angel hair pasta that nearly put us past breaking point.

Seeing as there’s no dessert yet, we took down a few more beers and some homemade fish fingers and tartare sauce, which were more like spring rolls than a typical fried fish finger, and about ten times better than you might expect.

Given that it’s early days at Little Jack Horner, there will be changes to come, including a breakfast menu and desserts, which I’m sure will be just as impressive as what’s on tap for dinner.

Bring your mates, bring your significant others, relax, enjoy the cool breeze and let Little Jack Horner wash you away.

Little Jack Horner

Address | 270 – 274 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
Phone | (02) 9665 5160
Website | www.littlejackhorner.com.au
Open | Sun – Tues: 11.00am–9.45pm; Wed – Sat: 11.00am–10.45pm
Prices | Tacos/sliders – $7; Raw dishes and small plates – $20; Medium plates – $28-$40
Seats | 60
Cards | All major cards
Licensed | Yes