Don’t you just love food and drink businesses that do something a little different? I certainly do.
However, there are a lot of restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and bars out there, so standing out from the crowd must be challenging.
After reading an article last month – written by my colleague and fellow Food and Drink Journalist Andy Morton – on new Inverurie street food truck JP’s Kitchen, it is clear the business is aiming to do just that.
This is down to its offering being “proper Scottish home cooking”.
I don’t know about you, but having stovies and mince and tatties served from a mobile food trailer is something I would consider rare – and fantastic.
The look of and menu at JP’s Kitchen were intriguing to me and Julia so we decided to visit for the latest installment of Drive-Thru Diners.
JP’s Kitchen: What is it and what’s on offer?
If you fancy heading to JP’s Kitchen, then you’ll find the trailer at Burghmuir Circle in Inverurie.
For those unsure of the location, you’ll be able to spot the eye-catching orange vendor from the main door at Morrisons.
Run by John Paul (JP) Johnston and his wife Jenny, the menu is something to shout about, to say the least.
Expect breakfast rolls, burgers, and home-cooked classics including stovies and macaroni and cheese, with prices ranging from £3 to £7.
It is open for breakfast from 8am to 11am Monday to Friday, and for lunch from 11am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.
For more information, visit JP’s Kitchen on Facebook or email info@jpskitchen.com.
The order:
The verdict: Blaggis burger
We kicked things off with the burger – a staple item on the menus of food vans. But with there being so many out there, the competition is fierce.
We went for the blaggis option, which features a steak burger topped with black haggis and homemade mustard mayo.
Julia is undoubtedly a burger lover (while I’m slowly getting there), so I was keen to hear her thoughts.
The bun, black haggis, and patty ratio was perfect. And while we expected the light and airy bun to fall apart given how soft it was in texture, it didn’t.
As for the contents, the burger and haggis melted in the mouth. There have been few times where I have been left wowed by a burger from a food truck, but it happened on this occasion.
Julia continued to praise the homemade mayo after our taste test, too, saying it was the highlight of the dish for her.
Could the dish be improved slightly with the addition of fried onions? Yes. But this is a solid burger.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 4/5
The verdict: Stovies
It was a toss-up between the mince and tatties and the stovies, but the stovies prevailed. The words “tender steak pieces” on the menu had us sold.
The homemade stovies were served with beetroot and oatcakes – an iconic trio.
The only downside to this dish was the oatcakes. We agreed they would have been better served in a separate tub as, by the time we tried them, they were on the soggy side.
Nevertheless, the stovies and beetroot unsurprisingly married well together. The beef was tender and there was plenty of it.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 4/5
The verdict: Spicy mac and cheese
Have you ever had macaroni and cheese served with jalapenos and chillies? The pair of us certainly hadn’t until trying the spicy mac and cheese from JP’s Kitchen.
Skeptical at first due to the unmelted coating of cheddar cheese, we decided to try this last to give it some time to melt. It was definitely the dish I was most excited to dig into.
The macaroni cheese itself was everything you could hope for – creamy, gooey, and rich. But the spicy ingredients took this dish to a whole new level by adding a fair amount of heat.
They were juicy, refreshing, and JP certainly wasn’t holding back when it came to the amount he added.
Julia loved the variety of cheeses in the mix, as well.
This is a ‘Scottish home-cooked classic’ with a unique twist that will leave you wanting to head back to JP’s Kitchen for more.
Presentation
Julia: 2.5/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5
The stovies came out on top at JP’s Kitchen in Inverurie, racking up a score of 14.5/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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