Condado Dinner

Jam Rum Bar, Condado

Jam Rum Bar Churrasco on bed of blended root vegetables

Jam Rum Bar

1400 Magdelena

Cas Bella Building

Condado

San Juan, PR 00907

Special Thanks to Ace Photog, Alex A. Torres

How incredible are those trips abroad when you fall into a night out and have a dining experience where you know no one and yet end up shutting down the joint with the chef and the shop manager? Condado’s Peter Schintler restaurant Jam Rum Bar is just that place. Short Jimmy and I were so sick of walking the ‘hood trying to find a dinner spot, and so when our friends were just lagging in their journey in to the restaurant, we decided to stay whether they showed up or not.

The menu is “seasonally- and locally-driven focusing on regional ingredients, local farms and fisherman using lighter cooking methods” than you get at the rest of San Juan’s comida criolla spots. The physical space has good energy, super great music (The Sundays, The Verve, The Cure’s “Why Can’t I Be You?!”), and attractive decor that places you in cool, Angie Dickenson-white leather banquettes. The menu is designed by Celebrity Chef-Owner Peter Schintler as a local nationhood favorite spot for the food lovers of San Juan, and is cooked by Amado Rivera, the “second” chef who has a flair for preparation and execution.

The incredibly knowledgable mixologist and general manager, Christina started us off with a full exploration of the many questions I had about the wine selections. Throughout my time in PR, I’d noticed limited wines-by-the-glass selections, but not here. With about 7-10 wines to choose from, I was struck by the Viognier option and Christina informed me that they have been champions of this cultivar in PR and have been featuring it here and at their sister restaurant, Marmalade.

Mango Salad Discussion

I had ordered the Mango Salad with coconut croutons, and I began slugging down the spirited Anakona Chilean Viognier, or was it the Leira Albariño from Spain? Maybe it was the Viña Esmeralda, a dry Moscato-Gewertz. Wow. Those selections just are not on the menu of the PR restaurants I went through; hell, for that matter, they’re not on my average restaurant here in Washington D.C.!

So while any of those would go beautifully with the Mango Salad–which was really a green salad with mango touches and these incredibly fun, unsweetened coconut macaroons that Amado cuts up into perfect cubes, just like a crouton, but sooooo not! And there was this buttery chicken in a cilantro foam that Short Jimmy had ordered that was a knock-out.

By the time JoJo, DanDan, and Mr. Torres trickled in by about 9:30 p.m., Short Jimmy and I had had a couple of fine drinks and polished off our starters. We were happy as clams and decided to hold off on ordering our mains until they sat down. Finally, I got the chance to get my mitts around my churrasco which came to the table in a smoky beef jus on a bed of yautia, malanga, namey, and batata. Diced root vegetables in butter and garlic never tasted so memorable. Christina brought our meals with a flourish, and said, “My great grandmother used to say, ‘Plan your meals, then look at your ingredients. Eliminate three of then and work with the rest. Never over do, and you’ll always make a great meal.”

The meals were simple, elegant, and yet somehow exquisite. that might be because the meat was locally sourced in Carolina (not far from Fajardo). While the price began to hurt all our pocketbooks as we tried to figure out how to divide up a five-way bill, it was well worth it.

Amado joined us at the end of the night while Christina regaled us with stories about the work they are doing there. And my Punto Final, 91 point red from Mendoza, refreshed my night as we wiled away the hours in Condado. I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else…and I think on it often.

Jam Rum Bar
Food Quality
Drinks
good quality for both whites & reds
Environment
Price
$80 per person, depending on what drinks you order

Overall
It got very expensive because we didn't pay attention to all the food & drink.