Food review: Jack ‘O’Bryan’s, Dunfermline

Jack 'O' Bryan's Dunfermline interior

Family-owned restaurant with a Mediterranean influence

We previously wrote about the opening of Jack ‘O’Bryans’ in Dunfermline and now we were visiting to experience the food and drink for ourselves.  The restaurant is family-run, Bryan & Michelle Coghill are working with their son Jack and future daughter-in-law Sarah across both the front of house and kitchen.

Jack ‘O’Bryan’s can be found just beside Pittencrief Park on Chalmers Street in the centre of Scotland’s newest city.  There is an outdoor seating area to the side, beside the park, for those sunnier days.  Seeing as this is Scotland, in August, we headed inside!

jack obryans dunfermline

Inside Jack ‘O’Bryan’s

The interior of the restaurant is a mixture of rustic and modern decor – wood and velvet mix seamlessly together with traditional stone walls.

jack obryans dunfermline

Throughout the space, you will no doubt notice the family at work not only around you but on the walls as well.

jack obryans dunfermline

Lunch Menu at Jack ‘O’Bryans, Dunfermline

jack o'bryans dunfermline lunch menuWe ate from their lunch menu which consisted of bread, two plates and a side for £18.

jack obryans dunfermlineWe began with two cocktails, Peachy, which was very peachy; and Wild Tea, which was like a French Martini.

jack obryans dunfermline

There are lots of Spanish influences on the menu starting with the bread, which came with a creamy aioli and a zingy Mojo Verde, which almost made us think we were back in the Canaries.

jack obryans dunfermline

The dishes came out as and when they were ready, so a flurry of dishes kept us going.  First up, staying with Iberia, we have Patatas Bravas – fried potatoes with mojo picante and aioli.  The mojo could have been a bit spicier for our liking, so would have benefited from some more pimenton.

jack obryans dunfermlineSweetcorn ribs with house Mexican seasoning, honey glaze and aioli.  For us, this is the best way to eat sweetcorn as it seems to result in less sweetcorn stuck in your teeth, and it’s a lot more dainty to eat than dribbling kernels all over the place! These were crisp ribs with a rich cumin taste.

jack obryans dunfermlineWe also ordered the day’s special, which was halibut tacos – big meaty chunks within a crisp batter and surrounded by drops of flavoured sauces and fresh ingredients.

jack obryans dunfermline

Cauliflower and pesto – roasted cauliflower with basil pesto and parmesan.  Cheesey umami tastiness.  We will certainly be trying this at home.

jack obryans dunfermline

Burnt ends roast beef – tender meat on top of chargrilled bread, crispy onions and pepper sauce making this a sandwich worthy of ‘Desperate Dan’.

jack obryans dunfermline

Monkfish – crispy monkfish tempura, straw fries and curry sauce.  More huge chunks of fish.  Big meaty slices of monkfish coated in a light batter atop addictive straw fries and a suitably mild curry sauce.

jack obryans dunfermline

Morcilla black pudding – Spanish black pudding with caramelised onion and apple.   The sweet sauce brings out the best in the black pudding.  Moist black pudding with a hint of spice, if you can, keep a slice of bread from earlier for scooping some of the sauce.

jack obryans dunfermline

Funnily enough, there is always room for dessert.  I was struggling so I limited myself to the coffee/chocolate combo.  Jack’s chocolate box is a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate with either 4 or 6 handmade chocolates.

As you can see below, it is indeed served in a box and I enjoyed flavours of cinnamon bun, mint after dine, sticky toffee pudding and lemon and blueberry.

jack obryans dunfermline

Mark picked the Burnt Basque Cheesecake straight away.  A proper cheesecake served with plentiful Scottish strawberries, strawberry sorbet, mint and shortbread.

jack obryans dunfermline

P.S. you can also buy their artisanal chocolates to take away…

jack obryans dunfermline

 

jack obryans dunfermline

 

Verdict

Dunfermline recently became Scotland’s newest city so it is befitting that it should now have a restaurant to rival the best from the other cities of Scotland.

Jack ‘O’Bryan’s is a classy affair with a modern unpretentious air, great service and food that looks too good to eat. We enjoyed every course, all well-cooked and tasty. The cocktails were excellent as well. The only things to improve on were the patatas bravas, which could have had more of a kick and the bread was simply fine but not amazing.

Spanish food is one of our favourites, having spent many happy holidays there, but it tends not to get the same love as Italian food here so it was unexpected and welcome to find things such as mojo picante and aioli on the menu, amongst a number of other Spanish-influenced dishes.

Both male and female toilets were checked on our visit and were in good working order.

We would happily return for a meal here again.

Where to find Jack ‘O’Bryan’s

Jack ‘O’Bryan’s, 5 Chalmers Street, Dunfermline, KY12 8AT

www.jackobryans.com

&nbs

emma

Emma

Hello!

I am Emma and with my husband Mark write Foodie Explorers, which is a food and travel website.

I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

We have a wide range of judging experience covering products, hotels and have judged, for example, for Great Taste Awards and Scottish Baker of the Year.

Along the way Mark gained WSET Level 2 in Wine and I have WSET Level 2 in Spirits as well as picking up an award with The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards.    

Usually I can be found sleeping beside a cat.

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