Little Jumbo

Please note: There's been a change of management at Little Jumbo, so none of the below applies. It has been removed from my favourites list.

Address: 102 - 506 Fort St. (down the hall
Phone: (778) 433 5535
Website: http://littlejumbo.ca/
Price: ~15 main + ~$5 side; ~$11 for a cocktail
Notes: Small mix & match plates and smart cocktails

I have been anticipating the opening of Little Jumbo for ages now. I've heard little bits and pieces — mostly rumours and gossip — and then my recent podcast recording with owner Shawn Soole really made me wiggle with anticipation. On the opening day (quietly announced minutes before the doors opened) I phoned my partner-in-food-and-life and rearranged our evening plans to accommodate a potentially long evening of sampling and schmoozing. We've been back several times, but the lighting kind of makes my photos turn out horribly, so I haven't really had enough content I'm happy (enough) with to post until my latest few visit when I convinced my table mates to lend me some light.  

Shawn is definitely a master of constructing an entire experience. His attention to detail is pretty — for lack of a better term — geeky. Everything from the coasters to the swizzle sticks to the water in your glass has been thought through on a level that boggles comprehension. The staff's casual attire (again, intentionally) balances out fine dining menu to provide a welcoming vibe. Shawn is running the floor, taking a step away from the bar and leaving space for his former compatriot from Clive's, Nate, and Adam, formerly of Ulla, to step up and develop a cocktail list grounded in a combination of history and creativity that changes regularly. This former chef from Clive's has joined him, along with some support staff formerly at the Black Hat to create a really solid kitchen crew. The staff team seems to be gelling more and more every time I visit. 

The space is actually licensed food primary, and the food is highlighted front and centre over the cocktails that the founding staff are typically known for. The food menu is "a la carte" so mains and sides are presented as stand alone dishes that can be paired together at your own preference. If you wanted to visit and order a full meal with a few cocktails you are approaching a $100 night out, but for a few small bites shared between a few people and a cocktail or two you could have a Little Jumbo experience for closer to $40. Personally I wish the price the price point was a hair less, because if it was lower I could budget a proper visit more often! The cocktail menu, however, is very reasonably priced, with most cocktails coming in at the $10-12 range which is fantastic value for drinks that are not full of juice and filler flavours. The small selection on the cocktail list is contrasted with a full "admirals list" of every bottle on the very extensive back bar that could be used to create the cocktail of your choice. 

One thing worth noting is that stilled or sparkling water is charged at $1.00 per table. This is unusual for Victoria considering we have massive pride in our delicious local tap water, but I suspect Shawn's need to have perfection and geekiness in every single element overrode local convention: a single machine triple filtrates and carbonates both the sparkling and the still. I was reading a blog post from a fantastic local blog on the history of Victoria drinking establishments in which the owner charged 15¢ a glass in the 1800s, so if the geek factor doesn't appeal to you, you can also consider it to be historical accuracy. 

The space itself is drop dead gorgeous. You walk down the hall and hear only a faint buzzing of voices. The door opens into a small room with small tables running along the left edge and the bar straight ahead is grounded by two original wood pillars. The brick wall is painted with the logo, but slightly distressed like the original signs from Victoria businesses of long ago that still decorate the brick buildings around town. Industrial lights hang over each table, casting a low, warm yellow glow over the room. It's good a fantastic balance of modern and old that really appeals to my aesthetic. 

Overall Little Jumbo adds nicely to the fine dining scene in Victoria. It's only downfall is that the size (which is in itself is a nice thing) and its instant popularity has leant itself to long waits for a table. However, the staff are happy to take your phone number and call you when a table comes free so that you can head to a nearby restaurant for a pint or go for a walk along the inner harbour while you wait. 

Food:
September 27, 2013

Bone Marrow

We were out to dinner with a group of enthusiastic and adventurous food friends, so we decided to be team brave and order the bone marrow, as none of us had ever had it before. They graciously loaded us up with a large serving and little bit of extra crustini so that we had enough for everyone to try it. It was nothing like I had expected. I anticipated something with a bit more of the strong taste found in organ meats. Instead it was simply pure savoury and saltiness. In retrospect that makes total sense, but it certainly was surprising to everyone at the table! It was an exceptional umami flavour, and I would absolutely have it again. 

Gnocchi, kale and roasted tomato

I decided to try out a bunch of smaller sides instead of going for a full main. I chose three very delicious options. 

The gnocchi was cooked to absolutely perfection: soft, but a little bit of resistance and crispiness from pan frying. Although my initial impression was that it looked small, once I put it in my mouth I was not worried. Sometimes the dollar per bite value is surpassed by the taste value, and this is one of those occasions! 

I had had several people recommend the kale to me, so it was a natural choice. Sometimes kale can be bitter and chewy, but this was ultra crispy and almost fell apart in my mouth. The sauce it was pan fried in was vinegary and strong. 

The balsamic tomato was a bit of a surprise - I don't think I had seen anyone order it yet. A roasted tomato was served in a bowl with a balsamic vinegar 'soup' and some crustini to soak it up. Paired with the vinegary kale it was a bit too much vinegar, but if it had been paired with another menu item like the pork belly and scallop I think it would have been a nice balance. 

B&S Table Rose

As the table we went with a bottle we spotted in the rack behind us that I had sampled during our wine tour in the Okanagan. It is a "table rose" that was made at the OK Crushpad in Summerland. This was the coolest of all the wineries we visited on our trip. They are an experimental winery that play with wine making techniques to try to do innovative things. They do small batches of custom wines for winemakers, as well as producing several of their own brands. The B&S are the initials of the two founding owners. Our tour leader informed us that this line of 'table wines' was intentionally labelled this way to try to just create something completely unpretentious. Although I liked their pinot gris better than this rose during our tasting I really enjoyed it during our dinner. I know that the winery produces custom wines for restaurants, and given the ambition and creative drive behind Little Jumbo (who already have their own rye) I wouldn't be surprised to see some collaboration between the two in the future... 

September 20, 2013

Tea 

This tea is a complimentary 'amuse bouche' on arrival. It is carbonated with a custom blend of green teas from Silk Road with local honey. It is a nice refreshing palate cleanser, very balanced and not to sweet. 

I do note though that for people who have complaints about the cost of water may feel a little confused as to why they are being given free tea... but then charged for water. I can see by the way the staff team are handling both that they are working on this messaging for diners, but it may be a tricky sell. 

I'm Cumin' for you

This drink was not quite what I had expected with the headline of a cumin taste. I shouldn't maybe have been so surprised, the inclusion of absinthe is always kind of an overpowering liquorice taste, but I had anticipated a little more balance to the cumin flavour. It kind of ended up reminding me of an absinthe margarita with a hint of cumin spice. 

Porchetta

Porchetta seems to be the new trendy food on Victoria menus. It is essentially a whole stuffed pig, rolled and cut in slices. Often I have seen it sliced paper thin, but the way they serve it at Little Jumbo means that you get a bit of everything - skin, meat, fat and stuffing, in every slice. For those who love meat it is certainly worth trying, but for those who haven't yet discovered that fat adds flavour and a little should be sliced into every bite... perhaps view it as a choice for when you are feeling adventurous!

Cauliflower Gratin

I finally had a chance to try this for myself! I had snagged a bite on opening night from my friend. This might be my favourite thing on the menu. It tastes like the most delicious macaroni and cheese I have ever had, but it is cauliflower instead of macaroni. It is a small dish, but its richness leaves you completely satisfied. 

August 22, 2013

branded schwag

I finally got a decent photo of the branded swizzle sticks! Since this photo was taken there are also branded coasters (complete with a Lord of the Rings quote about drinking on their reverse) to complete the fully branded schwag (and if that's not good enough for you, ask to see the owner's tattoo)! 

Fernet Branca with House Kola ice cubes

I am a sucker for fernet branca and the kola that Shawn & Nate made when they were at Clive's. Although they don't have the Kola on tap they do have it in ice cube form, which suits me just fine!

We also had the duck frites with house sides, but my photo is so terrible i won't subject you to it! They weren't quite as magical as I was hoping (I've had people telling me of the magic of duck fat for years) but I would definitely try them again in future Just To Be Certain. I liked the fact that the two sides - a mustard aioli and ketchup - were made in house.

August 14, 2013

Cocktail (Unknown)

I have to confess, I wasn't paying super close attention to which cocktails I have ordered and which ones I haven't while I've visited. Partially this has been a terrible laziness on my part, but partially also that with the glorious changing of the list I also feel guilty about teasing of things gone past. Still, I can comment on the overall state of the cocktail list: Shawn has said several times he does not want it to be a Clive's 2.0. The menu reflects this. The overall list is pulled much more from classic cocktails of days old, with a few of their own "right here, right now" creative contributions. Unlike 95% of the other cocktail menus you see in the city the base spirits are mostly brown liquor (rye, bourbon, whiskey), herbacious spirits and vermouths (so... there are still no crantinis). 

Fernet Branca jelly donuts

I do love me some Fernet (and donuts!) so seeing these on the menu made me smile. The difference between what I tasted the first night and this photo (which I took at a later date) were quite different. The first batch were almost like fritter style, where as these looked more like a traditional jelly donut (although I did not try them).

Service:
September 27, 2013
We were back to the same fantastic server we had on opening night. She does a great job of being interested and educated about what she is serving without any air of condescension. She made sure we had everything we needed, and checked in frequently.

September 20, 2013
Our server today was decent, although not quite the level of finesse that I expect when someone is being supervised by a manager who is quite so particular about things. To be honest though... I was too distracted by the extremely amusing conversation happening between the two patrons next to me to actually make full notes on our service. I swear I could write a hilarious book about the awkward dates I have observed while eating out in restaurants!

August 22, 2013
Sat at the bar today and had a lovely chat with Adam, formerly of Ulla. This is the first time I have sat at his bar, although we have sat behind the bar together at Clive's ages ago. Although I am used to seeing the dynamic and banter behind the bar between Nate & Shawn it was nice to see the same kind of teamwork starting to develop between Nate and Adam.

August 14, 2013
It was the first night out, and the expectations were high. My partner-in-food-and-life was joking with our server who said "you made eye contact with me and I nearly ran away!" On my side of the table the server, who is an alumnus of Prima Strada, handled herself with less self-deprication and despite all the craziness that was going on across the board we had a good experience.