Jacks Tapas Bar, Castlegate, York

TREASURES are often hidden away from prying eyes, and York may have found its newest prize in Jacks.

Judging by the rows of empty tables when my partner Kathryn and I walked into the new bar, in Castlegate, it seems that not many people have yet caught on to the city's second dedicated tapas venue.

But if quality of fare is a yardstick for popularity, then Jacks may soon find itself catering for much bigger crowds.

It would be a mistake to assume that Jacks is a restaurant. It may call itself a "tapas bar", but step inside the door and what becomes clear is that Jacks is more bar than tapas.

There is no menu, the tapas is listed on a 'specials' board. And, for a tapas bar, there is not a huge amount of choice.

Patrons can pick from only a dozen dishes and have their choice limited further because of similarities in some of the options.

So we can say that Jacks is not the place to enjoy a 'big meal out', but if it's a light bite you are after then it's definitely worth a visit.

Limited the tapas may be, but the dishes are of a very high quality.

We chose four of them comprising of garlic and tomato chicken, Tuscan chicken, Mediterranean potatoes and a feta cheese salad.

One of the great things about Jacks is that the tapas is on display at the bar, so you can see what you are buying.

Our dishes were served promptly with a dazzling array of breads. Sun-dried tomato, crispy, wholemeal, or just plain white - something for all tastes.

The individual dishes looked small on arrival but were deceptively deep.

In any case, with every dish served at once and a sizable bread basket, there is scarcely enough space on the small caf-type tables for two plates.

The garlic and tomato chicken was very rich, but delicious in a number of ways. The garlic was evident, but subtle, and failed to disguise the taste of sun-ripened tomatoes. The chicken was very tender and cut into easy-manageable strips.

Moving on to the Tuscan chicken, this came in its own salad of lettuce, celery and small peppers. This time the chicken was slightly tougher, but the pieces were smaller and the delicate flavouring of the sauce, lightly dusted with peppercorn and herbs, made it as appetising a dish as the garlic and tomato chicken.

Tapas is renowned for being light and easy on the digestion, and nowhere was this seen more than in the feta cheese salad.

The cheese may have been rich, and almost chunky, but it was superbly garnished with lettuce leaves and croutons. It was an ideal accompaniment to the chicken dishes. As were the Mediterranean potatoes. These were cold, new potatoes garnished in a spicy tomato-based sauce with the now familiar lettuce leaves and green and red peppers.

The potatoes were firm, well-cooked but not starchy. The garnish had a sharp, almost bitter taste but worked well and left a welcome tingle on the tongue. It was good to taste a vastly different dish to the three which had gone before.

Each tapas dish weighs in at £3.95 each, so, although the choice may be limited, the more determined among you can devour the menu at a cost that won't empty your wallet.

Jacks may not be a full-blooded restaurant. But, if you are looking for a light snack, in a relaxed venue, then Jacks could be just the ticket.

- Jacks Tapas Bar, Castlegate, York, (01904) 622600.

- Steve and Kathryn visited on July 11, 2003.

Food: very good

Service: quick

Value: reasonable

Ambience: empty

Disabled facilities: No

Restaurant reviewers aim to be fair and accurate. Any comments on this review should be addressed to Chris Titley, Features Content Editor, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or e-mail features@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 15:43 Friday, July 18, 2003