Cheap Eats - All in jest
Light nibbles, fun atmosphere brighten up Jester’s Cafe
Despite the endless sheets of rain outside, I almost want to put my sunglasses on when I step inside Jester’s Cafe. The walls and counters scream neon shades of green apple, mango and watermelon. Twin disco balls radiate beams of searing light. A door leading to the restrooms is marked “The Throne Room.” I almost expect a hand-shaped chair to squeak like a rubber toy when I sit on it. Service is a bit sniffy the second go-‘round, but the soup of the day is chicken and dumplings on both my visits, and I’d weather any amount of attitude or bold color choices for a bowl of it.
Heeere, chicky, chicky: Even with Jester’s audacious colors and ’80s disco feel, the booths lining one wall offer a quiet space to enjoy a cup of soup and a magazine. One measly dollar buys you an oversized coffee cup of the aforementioned soup. Thick from dumplings that have melted into the broth, and chock full of white meat chicken, the soup seems made for sandwich dunking. The $2 bowl is enormous and calms an upset stomach beautifully. Chicken salad ($5.95) is moist, chunky and dotted with just the right amount of celery crunch to mayonnaise creaminess, though the bland, bready croissant it’s served on is forgettable. A good croissant is hard to find anywhere, but the sandwich would be better served on toasted white or wheat bread.
Just say no to pimiento: I ashamedly admit that I’ll chow down on pimiento cheese sandwiches every day of the week — I’ll even eat the grocery store tubs of the stuff if it’s in front of me. I didn’t think there was such a thing as a bad pimiento cheese sandwich until I had Jester’s version ($3). Having it grilled seemed like a keen idea, and when it arrived, the sandwich’s toasty, marked exterior made my mouth water. The cheese looked delightfully oozy and creamy and it tasted like ... honey. Some folks like to add a pinch of sugar to their pimiento cheese, even though I prefer the sweetness to come solely from the peppers, but the overly sweetened spread rendered the snack inedible. A sizable wedge of coconut cake ($2.95) made up for the sandwich missteps, however, with its buttery crumbs and fluffy icing.
Wrap it up, gang: The turkey and bacon wrap is nearly identical to the club melt (both $5.95), and both are great savory treats. Thinly sliced turkey, romaine lettuce, slices of tomato in prime ripeness and strips of bacon are swaddled in a blanket of lavash bread for the cold wrap. Take these same ingredients, add cheddar cheese, then squash in a sandwich press and you’ve got a scrumptious club melt. Dipped into a cup of soup, the melt made for a lunch sized just right to satisfy without overwhelming.
I’m not sure why Jester’s is all but completely empty each time I’ve passed by it — and during two visits when nearby cafes are packed. Offered with a drink and cup of soup for just $6.95, the sandwiches may not change your life, but the kaleidoscope of psychedelic interior paints will certainly bring a smile to your face.