Started during the lockdown last year, Jackyard Burger House endeavours to satisfy your hunger pangs and have you coming back for more. NT BUZZ gets details
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ
Starting something of his own, either a cafe or a pub, has always been Datson DeSouza’s dream. While the initial plan was to work abroad for a few years and then come back and turn this dream into reality, the Calangute-based youngster shifted gears during the lockdown. Having just quit his job with a social media company before the lockdown began last year, the youngster admits that he found himself broke and with ample time on his hands.
“My friends and I used to have BBQ nights where I grilled burgers. And so, I thought of selling them because I was sure that just as we craved for a burger during the lockdown, there would be others too,” he says. DeSouza began by posting his offerings online and got a “mad” response. On the first day he sold out 18 burgers, the next day 20 and the numbers went up and down accordingly.
“When the lockdown was lifted, we got a call from a small bar called Figos to run the kitchen there, that is where I opened Jackyard Burger House to dine in. Yet again the response was really good. People enjoy our food and vibes at the café,” he says.
Aided by his friends, who help him in cooking and delivery, the outlet currently offers six different types of burgers right from regular burger (comes with bed of coleslaw, patty, cheese mustard and ketchup); American Charger (comes with bed of coleslaw, patty, double cheese mustard and ketchup); Humongous Fungus (a creamy mushroom relish burger); Bloody Boar (Goan chorizo relish burger); Triple C (crunchy chicken burger) and the boss of all is the Slowpoke, a bacon jam burger. All the burgers come along with french fries and they also serve chicken wings.
And everything is kept simple, from the buns to patties to relish. “We make everything at home with good quality products. We charcoal grill our patties. None of the restaurants or cafes in Goa do this. Our burgers are smoked the right way and are pretty reasonable, we start our regular burgers from `150 and the highest priced is the Slowpoke at `300,” he says.
Prior to the second wave of COVID-19, they also hosted local jam sessions every Friday, where any local could come with their instrument and jam along with others. They also hosted Goa’s first Streetwear brand 98art pop up store, they had stand-up comedy as well. “Basically, it was all for the locals and to grow a hip-hop culture in Goa, so Jackyard is an entire package of the best burgers in Goa and entertainment. We had celebrities like team Beyounic jamming at our local jam session and Nasty Ninja and crew for our hip hop meet,” he says, adding that however, now owing to the current situation, they have gone back to home deliveries (free), and they still get their local customers. The delivery areas include Mapusa, Guirim, Parra, Anjuna, Vagator, Porvorim, Calangute, and surrounding areas.
Besides this, Jackyard also does food drives for people in need of food. “We do this every four months to celebrate any festival/occasion with orphans. Last time we did it during Diwali at ASRO, a community care centre for HIV/AIDS children,” says DeSouza.
As the business prepares to complete its first year on July 1, the youngster has big dreams for Jackyard. “I want to open a cafe where everything happens under one roof, from serving the best food in town to hosting workshops for different creatives to putting up shows. And the goal is to make every burger from Jackyard known by the people. Everyone who comes here should always remember us and come back again,” he says.