A Review of Jacob’s Pickles Upper West Side, NY, NY
We arrived earlier than the 25 minute wait time quoted when we called ahead to Jacob’s Pickle for a brunch reservation at this small popular upper west side eatery. The place was packed, with little room indoors, to await the text indicating our table was ready.
We went to the bar to stay warm and bide our time. I ordered the Jacob’s Pickle signature cocktail, a Bloody Mary with a stalk of romaine lettuce and two slices of perfectly crispy bacon. The barkeep said he was sure that their blood Mary had its own internet fan page so I was excited to sample their version of this favorite traditional brunch libation. With two slices of bacon as garnishment, how could they go wrong? The flavor had a distinct taste of horseradish which I rather fancy in my bloody. The body was more watery-icy than “beefy” suggesting less tomato juice in their mix. It’s moderately spicy bite had no hint of lemon or celery lacked any sweet or saltiness. I’m sure it has many fans, but I will not be on that list. Maybe I ruined the experience by declining the traditional pickled egg but I just couldn’t wrap my brain around that ingredient in my cocktail. The crunch bacon was a delightful addition but be forewarned to remove the submerged slice and eat it quickly unless you like cold soggy bacon.
Our private table (I understand some seating is ‘shared’) was ready in short order and we were seated directly across from the bat in the main body of the restaurant. We were quickly given menus by a professional and pleasant server. The menu was filled with decidedly southern style comfort food selections ranging from omelette to buttermilk pancakes and fried chicken. Background music (pleasant 80-90’s soft rock) was on the loud side but so was the crowd so it was not overwhelming nor did it interfere with our conversation.
Our group ordered 3 different dishes so we could sample one another’s choices. The chicken and buttermilk pancakes order was HUGE and impossible for a single person to eat (leftovers were happily brought home), The portion of fried chicken was generous and the flavor was wonderful moist inside with a light crunch outside. The buttermilk pancakes were the size of a salad plate, light and fluffy. The homemade maple syrup was dark, rich and flavorful. My companions western omelette and home fries appeared to be generous portion but nothing outside of the ordinary to recommend. I was not too hungry so I ordered something a bit smaller in scale – soup and eggs. My carrot ginger soup was generous in portion with an excellent creamy texture served at the perfect temperture. I found the flavor somewhat bland, preferring a stronger flavor of ginger spiciness myself, but a good introduction for the new initiate. the side dish of two scrambled eggs was unremarkable.
Judging from the crowds and wait to get into Jacob’s Pickle I would sumise the rest of the menu is also a crowd pleaser. I would certainly return to order the mouthwatering fried chicken and if I’m feeling adventurous, maybe even a “flight” of pickles.
Note: When we checked prior to posting this article on 4/27/2017, due to a recent fire in the building next door, the restaurant is under renovation/repair from water damage.
Review Jacob’s Pickle , 509 Amsterdam Ave, Upper West Side, NY, NY
Visited: January 28, 2017
More Informaton: http://jacobspickles.com/
