Jaqbo Cafe delights with tasty tapas, atmosphere

Jaqbo Bakery and Cafe is perhaps the best possible place in the immediate area to take a date. This is, of course, assuming that one can find a date, but that’s neither here nor there. It’s cozy, romantically lit, and it’s just this side of impossible to make a pig out of oneself without making a conscious effort. On top of that, it’s within walking distance, so all of you vast multitudes without personal transportation don’t have to worry.

Located on Hemphill Avenue near the intersection with Northside Drive, Jaqbo is a European bakery specializing in tapas-style cuisine. The prices are cheap, but deceptively so, as the portions provided would barely pass for appetizers at most restaurants. But then again, that’s what tapas are all about, you can pick and choose.

The decor is straight out of a real-life European cafe, complete with three huge drapes-red, green and white-covering almost the entire ceiling, along with cartoonish depictions of European life.

Also, on Fridays, one can expect live music from local bands.

The night that I went, a band called Problem Thomas was playing a Counting Crows-esque set that, needless to say, felt out of place in a restaurant that seems to have gone to such great lengths to shoot for authenticity.

The fare is mostly tapas, small dishes intended to be ordered en masse to make for a satisfying meal. The prices hover in the range of about five dollars per item. I would personally recommend the oven-roasted lamb.

The food is excellent, but don’t expect to leave with a full belly. Though high in quality, the dishes are decidedly lacking in quantity and the low price tags on the individual items could very well add up to a hefty bill before you even know it.

However, where Jaqbo really shines is in its desserts. I had a tiramisu that had me fighting the urge to lick the plate when I was done. If you have nothing else at Jaqbo, you absolutely must have dessert.

So, next Friday night, work up what little courage you have, and ask that special someone that you’ve had your eye on from afar (read: stalking) and ask him or her if they wouldn’t like to join you for some of the best damned tiramisu on the face of the earth. If this place doesn’t get you a girlfriend, nothing will.