We dined at Jam Rum Bar + Bistro Moderne on Monday night, walking about 15 minutes from the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino.
When fellow food-loving travelers we met in Chicago heard that we were visiting San Juan, they advised us to dine at Jam. The recent reviews we read online sounded terrific, including the fact that the restaurant menu was half price on Monday nights.
While the menu was not half price on Monday, we did enjoy the food at Jam.
We had an 8pm reservation made through Open Table. Despite the front part of the restaurant having guests at only two other tables besides ours , we were ignored upon being seated for at least 10 minutes. This got our visit off to a rough start, but when he did finally acknowledge us, we warmed to our waiter.
We started with a mojito made with coconut water and the Blind Bartender cocktail — a sweet and spicy ginger concoction garnished with a slice of fresh jalapeno. Both were tasty, light and delicious, without being overly sweet. Along with our cocktails, we ordering sparkling water, and were thrilled that it was reasonably priced for a glass with unlimited refills.
From the tapas menu we ordered two kinds of ceviche to share. Both were divine.
The tiger shrimp ceviche was served with plantain chips, a perfect mix of spice, starch and salt to accompany the shrimp.
The ahi tuna with sesame seeds was paired with light-as-a-feather crackers.
Next we each tried one of the soups.
True to the reviews that we’d read, the white bean soup with truffle oil is decadently delicious.
The mofongo soup with toasted coconut is Jam’s version of the local specialty made from plantains. We found it bland, especially compared to the white bean soup.
We split the tiger shrimp risotto entree, which our waiter graciously served as two smaller portions. It was creamy and delicious, with perfectly cooked shrimp.
Despite being stuffed, we were lured by the chocolate mousse with chocolate cookie, which we paired with a glass of port.
The bottom line: the food and cocktails at Jam are delicious, if a bit pricey. The service started very slow, but improved throughout the meal. While previously a sister restaurant to Marmalade Restaurant and Wine Bar in Old San Juan, we were told that Jam no longer had the same owner.
Jam doesn’t appear to have a website, but has some information on its Facebook page.
Have you dined at Jam Rum Bar + Bistro Moderne? What was your impression? Please share in comments below.
Other dining and drinking posts that you might enjoy:
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- A Taste of Barcelona in an Atlanta Wine Bar
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- Enjoying Modern German Food at Affäre in Kansas City’s Crossroads
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