JAM: A FINE DINING BELGRADE RESTAURANT THAT PRESENTS AN EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THE PRICE
The Cost -$20 per person
The Atmosphere – Set in a residential neighborhood of Belgrade, JaM has a pretty outdoor area to go along with its modern interior that gives off contemporary French vibes. It is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion or to have a nice dinner with family or friends. One of the incredible things about JaM is that it is one of the only fine dining restaurants in town that does not permit smoking inside – something that most visitors might find shocking. So if you are someone who doesn’t like to eat great food in a smoking environment, take note. Reservations are accepted and are recommended for peak nights and times. While shorts and a t-shirt is not the way to go with respect to attire, nothing formal is required either and there is nothing pretentious about the atmosphere or the environment.
JaM, which stands for Just a Maestro, is one of Belgrade, Serbia’s fine dining restaurants. Chef Milan Jovanovic leads the kitchen and prepares a variety of Mediterranean and European dishes, pulling from his experience working in kitchens around the continent. After a large number of very traditional Serbian meals, we went to JaM to change things up a bit.
The Order – Pâté Du Chef, Sea Bass, and Homemade Sausages.
The Fantastic – One of JaM’s signatures, the Pâté Du Chef is a duck liver pâté that comes out looking a bit like a dessert given the cinnamon-looking ginger crumbs atop the dish. The appetizer is served with slices of brioche and a celery slaw. The brioche was good but it was just a vessel with which to eat the pâté and the slaw was nice too; however, the only thing you really need here is the pâté itself. The rich, creamy pâté with the ginger crumbs and the aged balsamic was wonderful and it was so nice that there was such a good portion of it. The pâté was an excellent, shareable appetizer that should definitely be ordered.
The Great – Speaking of good portions, the Sea Bass was one of the two entrees that were ordered and it also came in a very nice portion. The filet of fish was served with some sauteed vegetables which were nicely done. The thin piece of white fish was nicely prepared and cooked, with skin that was crispy and nearly burnt. It had great flavor and was a lighter and healthier meal option than is more typically found in Serbia.
The last dish that was ordered was the second of the two entrees, the Homemade Sausages. This dish consisted of two large sausages comprised of a mix of different pork meats. They were accompanied by a small salad as well as a potato puree. The sausages sat in an oil and were very tasty. They were not spicy but were bold and had great flavor. The salad was made with pickled vegetables and it went very well with the sausages unlike the potato puree which was tasted fine on its own but didn’t combine well with the rest of the dish. The entrée was definitely more in-line with the typical Serbian style menu item and it was well worth ordering.
The Verdict – Overall, the meal at JaM was really enjoyable. Each of the three dishes that was ordered is a dish that we wouldn’t hesitate to order again and that, combined with the nice dining environment and good service, made it a very positive experience. JaM presents a great value for the price and should be on your list of restaurants to visit if you find yourself in Belgrade.