It smells like something much more familiar to this born and bred Donkey.‌

The Bean Jar offers just what you think. Its limited menu is only matched by its limited seating. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing - and compared to its predecessor this café offers a lighter, softer, and cozier environment to sit and chow down. 

The staff are certainly warming, happily striking up chatter with customers over how they’ve prepared the dishes, and where each and all originally hail from. 

Pictured:  A ‘biscake’ from The Bean Jar.

Among the options in this earthly toned space are classic toasties, daily soups, and revolving homely specials like pies and stews. There are classic sweet options too, like Gâche and Gâche Melée. Familiar sights that Harry very much likes.  

But, of course, many will simply want to try the namesake main event.  

Bean puritans might be in for a fright when they see there are two options for Guernsey’s national dish served: one with carrots, one without. 

‘Cursed is he who spoils thy beany broth with orange discs’, some could passionately argue. 

It may make me a heathen in their eyes, but I’m not so protective about extra plants sneaking their way into a dish which is literally named after a plant.  

This bean jar is a winner, and winners can include carrots.  

There’s no skimping on the pork here. Tender chunks swim freely in a comforting gravy with equal amounts of beans and carrots. The consistency may struggle to win fans with the puritans as some versions resemble more wallpaper paste than stew after cooking down for hours. This soupier edition is undoubtably more appetising for a proper lunch. 

Pictured: A slightly spicy mushroom soup from The Bean Jar.

It’s always disconcerting when something you didn’t expect to be spicy turns out to be quite spicy indeed. Mushroom soup seemed like a safe bet and it was in turns the safest of bets and yet also a culinary surprise.

It was served in a coffee cup, giving the entire soup experience an abstract performative art aura. Was this coffee? Was it soup? What would it taste like? I was about to find out.

I decanted it into a bowl and understood pretty quickly that this was more akin to a cup a’soup than a hearty, well deserved January broth. It tasted like mushrooms. Which is fine. But it also tasted spicy. 

Which is strange.      

I was lost, but then I was found...and it was an apple and cinnamon slice that saved me.    

It wasn’t a cake, not quite a biscuit, something in between... a ‘biscake’ perchance, with just the faintest of sweet appley goodness permeating the smooth cream topping.

It put a smile on my face after some momentary confusion.

VERDICT 

Two victories, one battle. 

The mushroom soup wasn’t for me, but as it’s on the specials board it may not be for you either. 

At least the beans will be consistent. 

Harry Smiles is the anonymous and unpaid food critic for CONNECT, Express' sister publication.

The latest edition of CONNECT can be read HERE.