IN THE KITCHEN
When it comes to food, no matter what time of day it is — from 5:30 in the morning until midnight — 32-year-old Jacqui Berardi of Marshfield has you covered.
She has been running the Players Sports Bar & Grille on VFW Drive in Rockland since 2012, and when the adjacent breakfast restaurant went out of business she took over the space, renovated it, and opened the breakfast/brunch restaurant Jac’s Cafe in June 2015.
It makes the mother of a 2-year-old son a very busy woman, churning out six-day work weeks with a Tuesday respite. “On the weekends, I’m here pretty much from Friday morning until Sunday night,’’ she said. “But it was my dream since I was 12 years old to own my own restaurant, and I love what I do.’’
Her grandfather owned a restaurant while she was growing up in Newton. “Food is everything in my family.’’
She spent most of three years studying culinary arts in Barcelona and Florence, but when she came home she put her new skills on the side burner for six years, working as a bartender at the highly regarded Liberty Hotel in Boston, then as bar manager there. She took over Players in 2012.
THE LOCALE
The cafe and sports bar are adjacent to each other at 86 VFW Drive in Rockland. Players’ large wraparound bar hosts a bevy of high-definition TVs for the sports fan, and there are two pool tables and four dartboards, and other diversions such as live bands or a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays and a blues jam on Sundays.
Jac’s Cafe seats about 35 at tables, booths, and a breakfast bar with blackboard specials. The high-backed seats at the breakfast bar are upholstered and comfortable, as are the booths, and the restaurant is decorated in warm earth tones. The restaurants share a common kitchen area, although a section of the kitchen is set aside especially for Jac’s.
During our recent visit to Players, a number of families and couples were dining and youngsters had taken over the pool tables. “There weren’t many families coming around before I took over,’’ she said. “I’m happy they feel comfortable here.’’
THE MENU
There’s breakfast. And then there’s breakfast. Jac’s Cafe is open Wednesday-Friday from 5:30 a.m.-noon and Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m.-2 p.m., with all breakfast items made from scratch. There are five to six daily specials, which on a recent visit included eggs Benedict, a breakfast banana split, a breakfast taco, and chocolate cannoli flapjacks (pancakes). That’s in addition to cinnamon raisin French toast (above) and “Fit Five’’ options, breakfast sandwiches, omelets, egg combos, waffles, and many different pancakes.
On a recent visit, my partner, Susan, and I shared a steak-and-cheese grinder breakfast sandwich ($10), with the steak tips flavorful and cooked as ordered, two fried eggs, melted cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and chipotle mayo on a toasted grinder roll, with a huge portion of hash browns. The steak tips are also one of the mainstays of the adjacent sports bar.
We also ordered the eggs Benedict ($13) — fresh poached eggs, delicious ham, and homemade Hollandaise sauce on English muffins. The bottomless cup of coffee ($2) is fresh, hot, and comes in huge mugs, and our attentive server, Marielle Bouchard, made sure our mugs stayed full.
The hash browns also scream “fresh’’ and the seasonings add an extra kick. Jac’s has a value menu before 8 a.m. each day: $1 coffee, $2 coffee and fresh baked muffin, $3 egg-and-cheese sandwich, and $4 for two eggs, home fries, meat, and toast.
Portions are so large that the breakfast/brunch meal you ordered just might be lunch or dinner, too.
The sports bar opens for lunch at 11:30 a.m. and offers daily lunch and dinner specials, with a late-night menu from 9:30 p.m.-midnight and takeout available until midnight seven days a week. I decided the bar was the place to be on a Tuesday night, with a $2 taco special. The beef and chicken in the tangy tacos were well-seasoned and plentiful, and the Buffalo chicken wings ($10) were breaded, which I like, and warm, meaty, and not too spicy.
Meg, the friendly bartender, pointed to a $3 craft beer IPA special, among 20 beers on tap, with another 20 bottled beers.
Berardi said the restaurant has become known for its handmade burgers, salads, and bar pizza, adding that the two venues’ success to date has been a team effort, with much of the credit going to chef Dorraine Arena.
“We’re able to collaborate, and we almost think as one,’’ she said.
Players Sports Bar & Grille, 86 VFW Drive, Rockland, 781-681-9999, www.southshoresportsbar.com.
Jac’s Cafe, 86 VFW Drive, Rockland, 339-788-9917, www.jacscafe.com.
Rich Fahey can be reached at fahey.rich2@gmail.com.
