Hidden on the gentle slopes of Duxton Hill is a new venture by Beppe De Vito, the man who had brought us Il Lido, Forlino and once a main player of the Garibaldi Group. Gastropubs had only been concepted since 1991- a mere decade-long existence in the F&B scene and definitely a rare commodity in Singapore. The Jackson Plan had the critics raving about their quality of food since their opening of last month.
The quaint little restaurant reminded one more of a british country-styled restaurant with its lively theme of yellows, blues and lovely posies in silver buckets than that of a gastropub.
The Brit-Indian influenced cocktail menu provided a refreshing choice of drinks with interesting ingredients. Their house cocktail- JACKSON PUNCH (Gin, Campari, Orange, Strawberries, Lambrusco @$13.50) was the perfect thing for washing away a day’s hard work in the terrace before dinner.
Famed celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay once said that crab cakes are the best way to find out if a chef knows how to please the palates. The three little CRAB CAKES served with quail eggs and anchovy cream($16.50) did not fail to excite with its crispy exterior and well blended and flavourful interior. Piquant flavours of celeriac & caper coleslaw may be too strong to be just for having on its own, but adds a great crunch to the CURED OX TONGUE ($11.50).
Equally amazing was the ROAST QUAIL ($25.50), nicely browned skin complete with trimmings, bread sauce and gravy on the side. The BEEF SHIN served with bone marrow and potato cakes ($25.50), though beautifully presented, was unfortunately outshined by the above mentioned dishes in terms of taste.
Savouring the meal with a fruity and medium bodied SHIRAZ-CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Elderton, Barossa, 2009 @$60) had Beppe easily forgiven for his misuse of the term “gastropub” sometime or somewhere in the midst of the meal. One does not have the heart to blame him who possesses the power of creating a venue which teleports the mind away from the madness of city life within the city itself.
