When choosing a restaurant for a recent celebration dinner in San Juan, Puerto Rico, one restaurant cropped up so frequently that I began to grow suspicious.
I mean, quality tends to decline as demand increases, right?
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Yet over and over, Marmalade appeared in every guide and travel blog, and being one of the few fine dining restaurants open on a Tuesday, my decision was an easy one.
A few clicks on OpenTable, and we were booked! Now that I’m home and have had a little time to digest this experience, I thought I would share my own honest thoughts on this now-classic San Juan fine dining restaurant.
¡Buen provecho!
ABOUT MARMALADE
Q: How does an Iowa-born chef come to run one of the hottest restaurants in San Juan?
A: By way of Baltimore, Ireland, Oxfordshire, New York City, northern Italy, and Singapore.
A journey of a career led Chef Peter Schintler to Puerto Rico to open Marmalade, a tasting menu restaurant in Old San Juan. Chef Schintler’s passion for food and adventure has shaped the restaurant’s identity, blending Caribbean ingredients with global influences for a menu that is ready to accommodate most special diets (we have his daughter and wife to thank for this, as they both observe a plant-based diet).
Marmalade has appeared on many “best of” lists in the nearly two decades since it opened for its innovative approach to cuisine, modern hospitality, and exceptional wine list. With a focus on sustainability, Marmalade has transformed Puerto Rico’s culinary landscape by setting the bar for conscious dining in the Caribbean and ultimately becoming a destination in its own right.
MARMALADE DINING EXPERIENCE
Marmalade embraces a holistic approach to hospitality, beginning with a phone call on the day before you arrive. Michael’s phone rang with a confirmation call on the afternoon before our visit, but it was so much more than just a “Are you still dining with us tomorrow?” call. The staff on the line wanted to make sure everything went smoothly for our visit, inquiring whose birthday it was and checking the pronunciation of our names. This thoughtful touch set the scene for the following evening when we made the short walk around the block from our hotel to the restaurant.
Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by name and led through a chic bar area to our table in an eclectic and modern dining room. The spacious room is rendered lounge-like with sofas, pillows, curtains, and tables lining the walls are tucked away behind arches. Our two-top table looked out over it all, giving us a sneak preview of the experience to come.
Our server introduced himself shortly after we were seated, and we were asked for our water preference and given a tour of the menu. Rather than a set menu, Marmalade offers a selection of five courses for groups of five or fewer people (groups of 6+ receive a seasonal 14-course tasting menu for a slightly higher price – but more on the price later). This could lead to confusion, but the restaurant’s menu is thankfully easy to navigate, with diners selecting one item per page of the menu.
Michael and I conferred over our course options, taking turns guessing which item the other chose (and guessing correctly, I should add – after fifteen years together, I guess we’ve grown to know each other pretty well!). As a general rule, we try not to order the same menu items when we travel so we can have the chance to try multiple dishes.
When our server returned, we declined to order a cocktail or add on the wine pairing as our hotel included an open bar and we’d already toasted the occasion with a bottle of bubbles. Unlike at many restaurants lately, the staff didn’t seem disappointed by us not adding a beverage. The ordering process was swift, and afterward, all that was left for us to do was sit back and relax.
This gave me time to steal a look at other diners’ outfit choices. As Puerto Rico is an island destination, the style ran the gamut, from casual t-shirts and shorts to elegant dresses and heels. I felt grateful to be somewhere in the middle, with a cotton dress and flats.
Our first course arrived soon (but not too soon) after, the Ceviche and Paella. My ceviche has set the bar for how I want all ceviche to be moving forward, ultra-fresh red snapper in a swirl of tartness with a hit of spice tamed by creamy avocado. I particularly appreciated the local touch of adding tostones instead of tortilla chips or crackers. Michael’s dish was reminiscent of hako sushi, with rice, chicken, peas, and peppers pressed into a mold and topped with a saffron foam. Silky, comforting, and though it’s not elegant to say, poppable, it would be easy to devour this dish many times over.
The second course is one of the most beloved dishes on the menu and is automatically served to everyone. The creamy Tiny White Bean Soup arrives in an eye-catching ceramic bowl, studded with even more appealing shavings of black truffle and pancetta dust. One spoonful is enough to see why this dish has captivated so many diners. Who knew that a bean soup could be so unctuous and delightful?
Marmalade’s soup is a tough act to follow, but our remaining courses did their best. The pasta in the Saffron Linguini is made in-house and twirled into a nest of blue crab and littleneck clams, spiked with chili and offering the reminder that we were just steps from the coast.
If my dish tasted of the sea, Michael’s Black Garlic Gnocchi was firmly rooted in the earth. Taro and beets lay the foundation for deeply rich braised beef ribs and pillowy gnocchi, all peppered with sharp greens and horseradish.
A savory sorbet intermission refreshed our tastebuds, and I appreciated that we were each given a different flavor in our coupes, though I regret not pausing to write down the ingredients they contained. From what I recall, mine was tomato-based and flooded with jellies and champagne. Michael’s sorbet was more fruit-forward (though yes, I know tomato is technically a fruit), topped with violet and pomegranate arils.
Our main dishes arrived next, with more flavors of the sea and land (to borrow a phrase from the title of the menu page). Predictably, but endearingly so, Michael ordered The Three Pigs. This sweet, savory, and smoky dish combined some of the island’s favorite flavors: pork and rice, though in this instance, the rice was made with morcilla sausage. My Pacific Sea Bass was perfectly cooked and tasted of destinations further afield, swimming in its sea of coconut and lemongrass.
Never one to skip dessert, I appreciate that it is included in Marmalade’s tasting menu format as not every restaurant chooses to do so. All of the desserts sounded delicious, but there was really no contest when it came time to order: I only had eyes for Choco-L8. Eight different textures and flavors of local chocolate combine into one heavenly dessert. Something so decadent runs the risk of being too rich, but tart raspberry and crunchy hazelnut bring it back down to earth.
Michael went the liquid dessert route with Nocturno, an espresso, scotch, and mezcal cocktail. A sip was all the jolt I needed to wake me up enough to walk out into the San Juan night when the incredible experience was over.
HOW MUCH DOES MARMALADE COST?
If you’re new around here, I don’t shy away from talking about money (travel and budget go hand-in-hand, after all).
The price per person at the time of my visit was $135 for five courses. After tax and a 20% tip, the total came to $346.68 (just a reminder, we didn’t add on any wine pairings or cocktails – if you decide to, your total will be higher).
If the total seems steep to you, I should reassure you that a $350 dinner is something we rarely indulge in – years will likely go by before we do so again. I should also mention that San Juan is not an inexpensive dining destination; unless you’re seeking out ultra-casual restaurants, you shouldn’t be surprised by $100+ restaurant checks across the city.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON DINING AT MARMALADE
From start to finish, my experience at Marmalade surpassed all expectations and was a beautiful finale for my culinary journey through San Juan. Each meticulously crafted dish and carefully considered presentation reflects the passion and creativity I witnessed throughout my time on the island.
If I had to name one thing that would improve my experience in any way, I would have liked the opportunity to order my meal on two occasions rather than all right at the start. The island setting persuaded me to take a seafood-heavy route, and while it was incredibly delicious, I admit my palate felt a little fatigued by fish toward the end. If given the chance midway through, I think I might have selected alternative third and/or fourth courses.
But at the end of the day, Marmalade’s exquisite flavors and warm ambiance will linger in my mind for good. Perhaps in a few years, when the time is right for another splurge-worthy travel meal, I’ll find myself savoring another experience of dining at this San Juan gem.
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Questions for you
What was your last fine dining experience?
What dish in this post caught your eye?
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