Java and Jam gets makeover
Java and Jam, an upscale breakfast-lunch café open since February in downtown Fort Lauderdale, is already getting a makeover.
Well, two makeovers.
At 5 p.m. daily starting Tuesday, Nov. 26, Java and Jam at 301 E. Las Olas Blvd. will rebrand as J&J’s Diner and begin offering dinner service, late-night hours and cocktails. The rebranding, from owner the Restaurant People (S3, YOLO, Township), comes after the cafe announced plans to transform into the pop-up Christmas bar Miracle starting Nov. 26, decking out its diner with kitschy tinsel, Santa hats and rummy holiday cocktails (The yuletide pop-up will continue through Jan. 2.)
The diner will remain Java and Jam during the daytime and keep its existing breakfast-lunch menu of benedicts, pancakes and avocado toast, says Aaron Abramoff, director of operations for the Restaurant People. At 5 p.m., as J&J’s Diner, the café will switch to hearty dinner staples and a limited breakfast menu. Other changes will be purely cosmetic: Fresh J&J’s Diner decals will adorn the restaurant’s windows and menu, he says.
“It’s classic diner cuisine with a bit of Las Olas flair,” Abramoff says. “You’ll see Reubens and cheeseburgers, but we’re also adding things like roasted chicken and pan-roasted salmon and better quality ingredients that are typical on Las Olas.”
The menu, still not finalized, dishes comfort-food entrees such as meatloaf, short rib-stuffed meatballs and chicken-fried steak ($13-$20); and salads ($12-$13), including heirloom tomato salad with avocado, feta and roasted red peppers. There will also be sandwiches ($12-$15), including a double-patty cheeseburger with Dijonnaise, onion and housemade pickles; a crispy chicken