Looking for a great cup of coffee or a coffee drink served with a real smile? Looking for breakfast or lunch served with the same smile? And, how about a warm and cozy place where you can relax in an easy chair while you enjoy your drink or sit outside on a shaded patio and watch the passing crowd while you satisfy your thirst or hunger.
Well, that place is J & J Java Coffee Shop and Restaurant, at 2650 Cameron Park Drive, #370 (on the south west corner of Cameron Park Drive and Green Valley Road), and the smiling face is none other than the owner, Jennifer Hoff.
Jennifer purchased J & J Java about four years ago and has been working ever since to show people that there is a real difference between coffee from a big chain restaurant and one where the owner is your neighbor.
Russ Salazar and I stopped by for lunch a couple of weeks ago and introduced ourselves to Jennifer. She immediately said to me, “I know you, I went to school with your son Steve,” which explained before I could ask her why my son was a friend of hers on her Facebook pages.
“As a new owner,” she said, “I had to overcome some bad comments that one of the earlier owners had received. I’m working on it and more and more people are telling me what a great job I am doing and how good my coffee and food are.”
Russ is a coffee drinker, so while we were choosing what we wanted to sample, he tried her coffee. He is a man of few words, so I was lucky to get “It’s good,” out of him.
After much discussion, we decided to try the Sunshine Sandwich and the Breakfast Burrito, from the breakfast menu.
The Sunshine consists of honey ham (or turkey) Applewood bacon, Swiss (or cheddar) cheese with an egg cooked over medium served on a flaky croissant. The Breakfast Burrito includes eggs in a fresh cracked pepper and cream mixture, made fresh to order with a pinch of sea salt, marinated artichoke hearts, Applewood bacon, Yukon gold potatoes, baby portabella mushrooms sautéed in fresh garlic and wilted spinach.
I loved the Sunshine from the start. The croissant was flaky and buttery and together with everything else made a great tasting breakfast sandwich. The Breakfast Burrito was really special and came with Sriracha sauce (Russ asked for more sauce). Like really good dishes we have shared before, both of us slowed down so we could really enjoy the taste.
I asked Jennifer what her secret is, promising to not tell anyone (?). “ I caramelize the cheese and use only the best ingredients, including baby portabella mushrooms.” she said. “When something contains potatoes, I use only Yukon gold potatoes. You can’t skimp on quality.”
The breakfast menu also includes bagels, with and without cream cheese, muffins, croissants, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, oatmeal, toast, French toast, blueberry pancakes, bacon and eggs and more.
For lunch you can get a cheese or chicken quesadilla, a grilled cheese sandwich (also available on a croissant) the Homestyle sandwich, consisting of honey ham, smoked turkey breast or roast turkey, lettuce, tomato Swiss cheese, mustard and mayonnaise. grilled or on a croissant and more.
In addition to the hot and iced coffee drinks, she also serves frozen mochas, chai tea, fresh brewed teas, iced teas, hot chocolate, Italian sodas, milkshakes (ice cream or ice and fresh milk), smoothies, and ice cream.
J & J Java, which is tucked in behind what used to be the Taco Bell Express, is an ideal place to meet customers, clients, prospects or friends. It is a pleasant place for coffee, breakfast or lunch. The hours are 6 to 6, Monday through Friday, 7-3 on Saturday and 8-2 on Sunday.
For more information, call (530) 672-2528 or visit J & J Java on Facebook, where she has posted the menu.
Drop in and say “Hi” to Jennifer. I will bet she will remember your name the next time you come by.
Almost forgot. Look for a coupon right here in the Windfall.