Monday, October 24, 2011

Jam on Hawthorne

Jam on Hawthorne is a breakfast-and-lunch bistro located at the corner of SE 23rd and Hawthorne in Portland, Oregon.


 For starters, there are actually two "Jams" here, side by side: "Little Jam" and "Big Jam." "Big Jam" is (obviously) the larger of the two establishments, has a contained play area for children, and a bar in the back. Little Jam is a cozier place, but can have a much louder atmosphere. I went into Big Jam on a Saturday morning, and basically the place was packed.




I decided on a small takeout order just to sample a couple of their standout breakfast items. I ordered two side orders: one lemon ricotta pancake with blueberry compote and a side order of their vegetarian chorizo ($5.50 total).






Lemon Ricotta pancake w/Blueberry Compote (Jam on Hawthorne)
Veggie Chorizo (Jam on Hawthorne)
The chorizo was very good. Excellent savory flavor that didn't make me miss the real thing at all. It wasn't necessarily appealing in terms of appearance (looked like overcooked pebbles of meat at first glance), but the taste matters more to me. And the fact it's house-made scores major points with me.

I really enjoyed the lemon ricotta pancake. A light, fluffy pancake here. I got a hint of the refreshing lemon in the cake, and the blueberry compote was an ideal complement. In my opinion, the ricotta seemed to get lost in the shuffle here, and I'm not sure what that necessarily contributed to this pancake.

Regarding the compote, I liked the intact (yet cooked-down) blueberries to give the compote more of an identity. I would definitely prefer the compote that Jam gave me over some pulverized chunky compote or a blueberry syrup any day.

I will have to return in the future for some of the other menu items, including:

Ty's Big Breakfast ($8.75): "Two eggs any style & two vegetarian sausage parries on an open-faced English muffin. Smothered in vegetarian sausage gravy, topped with green onions. Served with hashbrowns."

Grand Marnier French Toast ($8.50): "Two slices of braided challah dipped in Grand Marnier infused batter then grilled. Drizzled with house Marionberry reduction & seasonal berries. Served with real Maple syrup."

Oatmeal Chai Blueberry Pancakes (vegan, wheat free; $8): Two pancakes with Bob's Red Mill oats, spelt flour, whole blueberries, chai tea, & spices. Served with real maple syrup. (Earth Balance Vegan Butter available on request)"

Jam on Hawthorne also makes their own corned beef, and I was tempted to get that as well. But I'll save it for another day. I'm a fan of Jam...check them out for yourself! 7.75/10

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