Lancashire's new 'hidden' restaurant with a perfect TripAdvisor score and a Michelin star chef
A Preston-born chef who has worked in some of the best restaurants in the world has taken the helm of his own kitchen at the age of just 28.
Jamie Boon and his partner Bex Mckavett are the couple behind Café Mojo in Blackburn. The café, in the grounds of the Hare and Hounds pub, was purpose-built with £150,000 of investment from pub landlord Ian Robertson.
Jamie, who previously worked at the two Michelin-starred Moor Hall in Ormskirk, believes his brunch food will tap into an emerging foodie trend and just a few weeks after opening Café Mojo has already established a set of regulars.
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"I've always wanted to own my own restaurant," Jamie said. "My brother met Ian, the landlord, completely by chance and when he heard about his plans to open a café he put us in touch with each other."
Jamie's menu features an 'eight mile breakfast' (£10) which is made up of ingredients sourced from within an eight-mile radius of the café as well as Middle Eastern dish shakshuka - a comforting dish of eggs, beans, yoghurt, spices, coriander and toasted bread (£8.50).
Afternoon dishes, served from noon until 3pm, include a £14 Mojo burger, roasted mushrooms on toast (£5) and a Mojo salad made up of romaine lettuce, avocado, cucumber, apple, croutons and Green Goddess dressing.
"I love food and I love cooking, it's what I do best," Jamie said. "But I also enjoy going out to eat. It's a bit of a treat to be on the other side of the pass for a change."
Jamie revealed that his favourite celebrity chef is Michael O'Hare which helps to explain his focus on presentation. "His dishes are nothing short of beautiful," Jamie said. "It's like art and that's inspired my own cooking."
In just a few weeks Café Mojo has clocked up a perfect score on TripAdvisor with every review awarding Jamie's venue five out of five stars. One customer described the café as "absolutely spectacular" and added: "Best eggs benedict I have ever had in my life, service was excellent, staff are very friendly and they have great tasting coffee too."
The café, which is open from Wednesday to Sunday, is "just what Blackburn needed" according to one recent visitor, and offers something "a bit different". "Ian wanted to create something out of the ordinary and there's not really anywhere else like it round here," Jamie explained.
"Every single customer we've had through the door has been lovely and it's been so rewarding to get positive feedback."