food&drink
The Cat’s Out of the Bag by richard Coupe
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Angeline Pinot Noir California 91 points - James Suckling | $14.79 This is very clean and bright with aromas and avors of sliced plums and lemons. Hint of watermelon. Medium body, ďŹ ne tannins and a crisp and dry ďŹ nish. A vivid and easy pinot noir. Drink now.
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These Are a Few of Dad’s Favorite Things.
Father’s Day is June 21 .PO 4BU B N UP Q N t t .BZXPPE .BSU t +BDLTPO .4 t OBOEZTDBOEZ DPN
June 10 - 23, 2020 • jfp.ms
Crazy Cat Eat Up
ometimes, passion for what you Lunch includes salad, sandwiches do can supersede a lack of experi- and quiche, along with some daily specials. ence. While Jon Lansdale never had Dinner features steak, seafood and more. formal culinary training, his appre“A lot of people wax poetic over the ciation for cooking provided the drive he philosophy of their food, more or less to needed to make his restaurant, Crazy Cat hear themselves speak, but at the end of Eat Up, a staple in the Jackson area. Lans- the day, it’s got to taste good. It’s got to be dale credits his success to this mindset of the end result,� Lansdale says. “We are here being passionate about one’s work. to serve the customer the best that we can “You’ve got to love what you do. If you’re just going through the motions, it’s just going to be average,� Lansdale says. “There are no more secrets to good food than in anything that you do. You have to want to do well. You’ve got to be driven to do well.� Lansdale’s introduction into the food industry began in 2005 when he had the opportunity to cater desserts for about 3,000 people at the annual Mistletoe Marketplace Preview Party. After an overwhelmingly positive response, Lansdale launched Crazy Cat Bakers in September 2006. Originally from northern Mississippi, Lansdale came to Jackson in 1987 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Crazy Cats Eat Up offers a number of dishes Millsaps College and later acquired for both lunch and dinner, including the a master’s degree in architecture Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna. from Mississippi State University. His culinary “schooling,� however, involved watching a lot of Paula Dean and because there is always somebody ready to working in restaurants on and off through serve the customer if you don’t want to.� college, learning as he went. Of the restaurant’s accomplishments, About four years ago, one of Crazy Lansdale is most proud of the relationship Cat’s most loyal customers, Gary Hawkins, between Crazy Cat and its customers. who was working as a chef at the Fairview “I’ve never seen people as attached Bed and Breakfast at the time, was want- to a business the way some people have to ing to venture out on his own. Meanwhile, us. It’s a very emotional attachment to the Crazy Cat had a strong need for a larger business and their desire for it to succeed. space and better facilities. We have an amazing group of customers,� Upon realizing they shared a vision the restaurateur says. for the restaurant’s future, the two moved Looking forward, Lansdale is hoping the business to its current location on Can- to return to a place reminiscent of how the ton Mart Road, transforming the bakery restaurant had been performing prior to into Crazy Cat Eat Up, which Lansdale de- the outbreak of COVID-19. scribes as a full-service restaurant that serves Crazy Cat now is operating at 50% modern, southern-inspired food. capacity to follow social-distancing proto“(Crazy Cat) is a prototypical neigh- cols, and offers curbside pickup. borhood restaurant—everybody knows Crazy Cat Eat Up (1491 Canton Mart everybody—we are southern-inspired but Road, Suite 12) is open for lunch from 11 not southern-limited. We take the local a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and culture and add a few twists and turns here dinner is served from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursand there,� Lansdale says. day and Friday. Visit crazycateatup.com.
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