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J'TM Resto Bar
101 Clarence St. , 514-814-2442, jtm restobar. ca
Hours of Operation: The kitchen is open until 5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 11am to 5pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Prices: Small plates $14-$21, Mains $20-$45
Access: Stairs to main entrance, 2nd floor washrooms,
There is one wheelchair accessible washroom on the ground floor. Keeping up with the turmoil of Ottawa's restaurants is tough. It is constantly changing the composition of the streets lined with restaurants in the city. During COVID-19 and the Ottawa winter, many nights are better spent at home.
This summer I was blown away by the opening of a restaurant on Clarence Street. Clarence Street remains a pedestrian street lined with courtyards, making it especially attractive during the ongoing pandemic.
This month, I dined at his J'TM Resto Bar, which opened in late May, twice. This is his complete transformation of what was Patty Boland's pub for nearly 20 years until it closed in the fall of 2019.
J'TM is dark, sleek and minimalist, with a rose mural near the entrance, alluding to a floral logo and a love theme.
In addition to about 180 people inside the restaurant, he has 30 people on the front patio, from which you can watch the Clarence Street Humanity Parade. Sound and R 'n' B boom.
His David Amar, one of his four young co-owners, J'TM is upstairs Fridays and Saturdays with his service in bottles and music by his DJ. It has become a destination for late-night revelers who are drawn to the club atmosphere of the city.
That said, let this geek stick to food critiques. When J'TM opened, the description of the food was Haitian fusion cuisine. This is in the tradition of chef and co-owner Octave Leconte, a recent graduate of Algonquin College's culinary program. But Amar says the ever-changing menu has become more international and less Haitian-inspired for wider appeal.
"We didn't get a lot of customers. We only got one kind of customer," he says, Amar.
Today, the food served from the large central open kitchen where Leconte and his team work is combined with upscale Caribbean-influenced items. It's a fusion style combination of small plates.
During our visit, the top was his two appetizers and his two main courses.
Of all the appetizers we tried, our favorite was the Crunchy Flavorful Spiced Chicken Wings Plate ($18) with a side container of punchy sweet It was served with a pineapple habanero sauce and a more traditional smoky sauce. I recommend re-ordering the well-seasoned tuna tartare ($25), except it was off the menu and replaced with beef tartare.
The Lamb Chops ($47) were more cooked than we would have liked, but were still tender and well enhanced by the marinade. The blackened chicken breast ($32) was moist and, like the winner above, offered an appealing flavor. We also liked the sides of this main. This included rice colored with rich flavors and dried mushrooms (a Haitian preparation), some crunchy plantains, and some sharp coleslaw.
Other dishes felt more ordinary and correspondingly expensive. The tuna ceviche ($20) sacrificed flavor—at least if, like me, you like your ceviche to deliver plenty of acid, salt, and heat. The caramelized onion and smoked cheddar burger ($23) was well done, but the jerk seasoning was more aggressive and the beef needed more salt.
The three mains we tried in early August were J'TM's disappeared from the menu. The Short Ribs ($29), thinly sliced across the bone, were grilled and had good flavor. The gnocchi ($25) was ok and the extra pesto shrimp ($4) was needed to elevate the dish.
The blackened chicken was the number one pick, but the blackened pickerel ($28) was noticeably less palatable due to its overwhelming saltiness. Pescatarians will find an alternative to this dish is the Miso Marinated Cod Nabeyaki ($26).
For Byward Market restaurants serving desserts, his August night, especially in the sweltering heat, presents a challenge. Murray Street ice cream makers always have great gelato. I skipped J'TM's desserts because the quick-chill gelato was too appealing. At
J’TM, classic and house cocktails occupy a significant amount of menu space. Old Fashioned Smoke ($18) arrived under a fragrant cloud-filled cloche. When this fancy drink was served, it needed more oomph, but after that cloud cleared, the cocktail had a bit of a smokiness to it. The gin and elderflower liqueur concoction ($17) was balanced and refreshing.
opens him anything but an Irish pub.I may miss Patty Boland's, but I think I have to give J'TM good marks for their uniqueness, ambition and promising cuisine.
phum@postmedia. com
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