Since 2020, Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. has been happily supporting local food spots by spotlighting a new one each month. The trust and estate planning law firm is sending us out to great local restaurants like Toast 'N Jam, with owners who want the very best for their customers.
We love a great breakfast place and so when my friend Pam suggested we check out a new one, we were excited. The fact that it was called Toast N' Jam made it seem even more fun. We called them up, spoke to Stephanie Sykes and set up a time to visit.
It's on the edge of New Bedford, almost into Acushnet and already humming with regulars, after just a few short months of being open. Jason Brooks and Curtis Medeiros, childhood friends who grew up in New Bedford, launched it after each owning separate spots in the area. It's a great partnership. They have that easy camaraderie that comes with childhood friendships, each giving the other a little flack as they man the kitchen. 
As Curtis gets ready to flip an omelet, he gives credit to Jason for teaching him how to do it. What's the secret? "I just told him he had to do it," Jason jokes. Curtis flips it in front of us perfectly.
It's kind of like what is coming out of the kitchen. Done perfectly.
Waffles, pancakes, eggs, hash are all cooked and then plated with care. What's unique is that they have a kitchen expo whose purpose is to garnish the plate and make it picture perfect before it heads out of the kitchen. Everything arrives at your table with style and panache.
The expo adds a touch of this or a dash of that, she may add some garnish and wipe some unruly sauce. Watching it all, you get the feeling you're in an upscale dinner place. "Yes," says Jason, as he rhythmically cracks open endless eggs. "That's what we're trying to go for. Make breakfast more like dinner. People often are in and out at breakfast stop, we want a place where people hang out. I have no problem making people wait for food. I'm for quality. Breakfast is already fast-paced. I don't want to sling food."
The menu is filled with delightful -- and sometimes decadent -- ways to start the day. We tried the Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast. It was different from any other. It's flash fried to make it light, crunchy, and crisp! It makes it so much better than regular french toast. A couple of scoops of ice cream on top added a delightful twist. All of the menu has creative touches, from the Chicken and Waffles Eggs Benedict to the Pancake Tacos.
Their goal is to be the breakfast place that people drive from all over to treat themselves. And it seems to be working. They've got customers filling their tables from as far away as Plymouth and Fall River. They're cycling through 40 and 60 dozen eggs a DAY!
Jason comes to the restaurant business naturally. His grandparents owned New Bedford's Hot Diggity Dog where his grandfather famously liked to stack 15 hot dogs on his arm. Jason says, "I was the kid sleeping on top of the ice cream case."
He's no longer sleeping. He's busy building the business. "I'm trying to leave a footprint in the city," says Jason, as he keeps cracking those eggs.
Toast N' Jam, 2331 Acushnet Ave, New Bedford. 7 am to 3 pm daily.
Photos by Liam Connor.
We hope you enjoyed this post, which is part of a series of blog posts celebrating local food spots, sponsored by Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., the premier estate planning and elder law practice serving clients in Southeastern Massachusetts. Surprenant & Beneski can help you prepare the foundational documents needed to facilitate healthcare, financial and legal decisions should a medical crisis occur. Early planning can save money, heartache and angst during a temporary bout of incapacity or a long-term care event. Getting your estate plan in order gives you peace of mind. Find out more about Surprenant & Beneski here.
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Last post in the series: Step into an enchanted setting to enjoy lunch and weekend brunch. From the mimosa flights to the dried flowers adorning the smoothie bowls and salads, you'll feel like you're really getting away and treating yourself at Ansel's Cafe in Marion! Find out more here.
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Looks amazing,can’t wait to go
Not many places make stuffed fried French toast my wife’s favorite
Do they offer any gluten free options? Couldn’t tell from the article.
Hi Barbara,
There’s plenty of options that I think would not normally contain gluten — like the omelettes, eggs and the hash, etc — but I think you’d have to check with them!
loved it when was what’s cooking. haven’t been to toast and jam yet. looking forward to going. would sure like to see more seize the deal offers for us seniors, who kind of appreciate these deals.