The Flavour Report with Derek Goforth: Busting preconceptions at Geraldton’s Jar and Platter Keto Cafe

There are diets that come and go. Cabbage soup, Atkins and the Grapefruit diet, just to name a few. But there are a few that seem to stand the test of time, and Keto is one of them. Keto is essentially a low carb, high fat diet that is designed to produce ketones in your system and encourage your body to burn fat as fuel, although it’s much more complex if you really get into it. So why am I rattling on about a Keto diet in a food review? Well, my visit for this Flavour Report was to Jar and Platter Keto Cafe on Durlacher Street. We have been meaning to try their savoury food since sampling their Christmas fare in December. First of all, the service is nothing short of exceptional. The staff cannot do enough for you. I suppose there is a mystery surrounding the word keto that puts some off from trying the cafe and the staff are always happy to explain and recommend food combinations. Parking is either out the front if you are lucky or in the small car park adjoining IGA. There always seems to be a spot or two available no matter what time you go. After a couple of recommendations, we opted for the buffalo wings, notato salad (cauliflower), lasagne, and beef Hokkien noodles. All low carb, gluten free and made fresh in the store. At just under $50 and considering the portion sizes this was really good value. We literally could not get through all the food in one sitting as a couple and had leftovers for lunch the next day. I was initially expecting the taste and quality to suffer. If I ever see “gluten free”, “sugar free” or something similar I just assume the taste is going to be lacking. But nothing could be further from the truth with what we had from Jar and Platter. The buffalo wings were fall of the bone tender and had a real flavour punch to them. The noodles were fragrant and spicy and so filling, you could never tell they were not made with traditional flour. I could have done with a bit more of the beef, but the mixture of veggies was an interesting combination of flavours. But the highlight for us had to be the combination of the lasagne and notato salad. The salad had so many different flavours it was a new experience with every bite, with tender cauliflower, tangy mayo and a dozen other ingredients. I could tell the lasagne was a different type of pasta but to be honest I think I may have preferred it. It was utterly delicious and so filling. The meat and tomato sauce were delicious and had just the right level of seasoning. I consider myself a decent cook but the food we tried from Jar and Platter beat anything I could make, hands down. It was filling, tasty and had a real home-cooked feel to it. If you follow a keto or low carb diet, you must try Jar and Platter and if you just like good home-cooked food with some interesting twists, you must try Jar and Platter. With great service, food and value I cannot recommend them enough.