The long days of summer are with us and with the temperature rising, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (JFAT) has created a new line-up of summer drinks and new delectables to pair with them. My friend and I recently paid them a visit.
I enjoy visiting JFAT’s Santa Monica location because it is steps away from the beach on Ocean Ave. The interior is quite classy, and combined with comfy booths and folk art makes the tavern comfortable for a casual meal.
Chipotle-Bourbon Baby Back Ribs – meat that fell off the bone!
From their happy hour menu, we selected the Chipotle-Bourbon Baby Back Ribs – The ribs were liberally coated with a delicious BBQ sauce. Best of all the ribs simply fell off the bone. We were also impressed with the fries as they were crispy and hot.
JFAT’s summer drink additions reflect the fruits of summer. Below are a few drinks from the line-up:
- Raspberry Rain – Kettle orange vodka, fresh raspberries, lemon juice, sugar rim
- SoCal Sour – Bulleit Rye, fresh lemon and orange juice and topped with a Malbec float
- Gin Gin Mule – Nolet’s Gin, fresh lime juice, ginger beer and fresh mint
SoCal Sour – Bulleit Rye, fresh lemon and orange juice and topped with a Malbec float
The SoCal Sour was a great way to begin the evening. JFAT uses premium Bulleit Rye Whiskey which is bold with notes of honey. The craft cocktail was nicely tempered with the use of fresh fruit juices. The Malbec Float was visually stunning and a nice update to a classic.
The Pearfectionist – Tito’s handcrafted premium vodka. St Germain, pear nectar and agave
People that are fond of pears will enjoy The Pearfectionist. This is made with Tito’s handcrafted premium vodka. St Germain, pear nectar and agave. The use of Tito’s premium vodka made this drink extremely smooth.
JFAT Nachos with sirloin chili and house-made tortilla chips
JFAT Nachos – I almost never order nachos because they are usually served with stale tortilla chips. What made JFAT’s nachos exceptional was their use of sirloin chili and fresh tortilla chips that are made in-house. The chips remained crisp and the sirloin chili was addictive.
Seared ahi tuna with an Asian creamy slaw with fresh avocados
Usually anything served with seared ahi tuna is an afterthought and I was impressed that they paired this with a modern take on coleslaw. The use of napa cabbage made this much lighter and took out the bitterness that you sometimes experience with regular cabbage. The creamy dressing incorporated fresh fruit juice and was delicious.
Santa Fe Chicken flatbread pizza
The Santa Fe Chicken flatbread pizza is another item from their Happy Hour menu. In addition to grilled chicken, it also had roasted corn, tomatoes, avocado, pecans, honey chili pesto and topped with cilantro. For me, this is an ideal summer pizza because the crust was thin and crispy and I thought that the honey chili pesto added a nice element to this pizza.
Cucumber Cooler – Finlandia vodka, St. Germain, fresh cucumber and lemon juice
The Cucumber Cooler is made with Finlandia vodka, St. Germain, fresh cucumber and lemon juice. This combination of flavors is a great drink for the summer.
Peach Sangria – Simi Sauvignon Blanc, Sacred Bond Brandy, peach puree and peach schnapps
Even better for the warm weather is their line of sangrias. Simi Sauvignon Blanc, Sacred Bond Brandy, peach puree and peach schnapps made for a refreshing Peach Sangria.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken with mash potatoes and thyme gravy
Finally, the Buttermilk fried chicken was served with mashed red potatoes, thyme gravy and green beans. The fried chicken had a nice crisp and tasty exterior and was juicy inside. I thought that the thyme gravy was a nice flavor addition to this meal.
Happy Hour is Sunday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The Chipotle-Bourbon Baby Back Ribs and the Charred Brussels Sprouts are must orders. While I didn’t order the brussels sprouts this time, I think JFAT has a winning flavor combination with the char from the brussels sprouts and real maple syrup.
Parking is available in a lot immediately north of the restaurant.
JFAT’s other locations are in Dana Point, Woodland Hills and Brea.
Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, 1733 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://j-fat.com/