FINELY J.P.’S CELEBRATES 16 YEARS BY BUILDING NEW RESTAURANT
A Dream Eatery Comes True with Wellfleet’s First New Restaurant Project in Decades
(Wellfleet, Mass…April 28, 2006) Once one of the best-kept secrets on Cape Cod, Finely J.P.’s restaurant on Route 6 in Wellfleet, Mass., has been quietly drawing crowds since 1991. Chef/owner John (J.P.) Pontius is known for his creative American cuisine featuring the best local seafood. Using distinctive herb and spice accents, he crafts vibrant and straightforward flavors and his customers have long-praised the delicious simplicity of his menu. Over the years, locals and visitors alike have become the most devoted of clientele. That loyalty is going to pay off this June when J.P. opens the restaurant he’s always dreamed of, a brand new Finely J.P.’s.
“We are finally creating the restaurant we’ve always wanted,” says J.P., a Cape Cod resident for 22 years. “We’re so fortunate to be able to keep the same great location and the same terrific staff, but this new space is an expression of what we truly thought the restaurant could be.”
After 16 years of “making do” with a small kitchen and a wood-paneled box-style dining room, owners J.P. and his wife, Betsy, decided to raze the old restaurant to the ground and start from scratch. Drawing from the beach and ocean surroundings, the new space juxtaposes yellow beige walls with dark blue exposed steel beams to create a striking atmosphere.
A comfortable layout allows different dining experiences in diverse areas. On the right, as customers enter the restaurant, a cedar-walled lounge with bar stools and a couple of high-top tables create a perfect hang-out for the evening or while diners wait for a table. Two split-level dining rooms give the restaurant a cozy feel, respecting the quaint town character. The lower dining room has large windows looking onto a small courtyard lush with greenery and herbs, while the airy upper dining room has a vaulted ceiling and a cut-away floor exposing the lower dining room below. A bridge leads over the entryway and out onto a roof deck with a raw bar, providing a congenial atmosphere where guests can mingle.
The Pontius’s drew from top local talent to undertake the first new restaurant construction project in Wellfleet in decades. Long-time customer Alan Dodge is the architect and Leif Johnson is the builder; this is the first restaurant project for Dodge. Wellfleet native Matt McPartland built the custom-made steel frame, while craftsman Derek Oliver created one-of-a-kind cast-concrete elements like the hostess stand, etched walls and, for the lounge, a dark blue bar in the shape of a fish. Such distinguishing characteristics make the space quite unique on the Cape.
“Not to worry,” laughs J.P., “All of the menu favorites are here. We know that the consistency of our dishes and down-to-earth ingredients are what made people fall in love with the old place, and we’re planning to keep that going in the new one.”
Signature dishes include Baked Wellfleet Oysters Bienville; Blackened Beef with charred pepper relish; J.P.’s Lobster Cataplana with half a lobster in a spicy tomato sauce with Wellfleet littleneck clams and Cajun andouille sausage over rice; and Sautéed Medallions of Pork with apples and goat cheese. A full menu follows. Reservations are not accepted, but there is a call-ahead waiting list at 508.349.7500. Finely J.P.’s is scheduled to reopen year-round in June 2006. Visit http://www.capecodchefs.com/clients/FinelyJ.P.s/ for more information.
Finely J.P.’s
Dinner Menu
Soups & Appetizers
New England Clam Chowder
a traditional favorite 4/6
Soup of the Day
made fresh daily 4/6
Wellfleet Oysters on the Half Shell
1/2 dozen served with cocktail sauce 10
Littlenecks on the Half Shell
1/2 dozen locally harvested clams served with cocktail sauce 8
Baked Oysters Bienville
5 Wellfleet oysters baked with garlic, mushrooms, green onions, white wine, cream, cayenne pepper, and topped with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs 10
Blackened Beef with Charred Pepper Relish
seared tender slices of beef with Cajun spices, served with herbed crostini and honey-mustard vinaigrette 8
Filled Pasta of the Day
served with a complementary sauce 8/14
Salads
Warm Spinach and Scallop Salad
sautéed sea scallops tossed with spinach, bacon and balsamic vinegar 8
Caribbean Jerk Seasoned Duck Breast Salad
mesclun mix greens and vine-ripe tomato with raspberry vinaigrette 10
Fresh Mozzarella Salad
with vine-ripe tomato, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil 7
Caesar Salad
romaine lettuce tossed with garlic croutons, cracked black pepper, Parmesan cheese and J.P.’s Caesar dressing 6
Fresh Green Salad
mixed greens with fresh garden vegetables 3
Entrees
J.P.’s Lobster Cataplana
a Portuguese dish made with a half or whole lobster, clams and a spicy Cajun andouille sausage, tomato sauce, served over rice – the house specialty 19/26
Wellfleet Paella
a hearty dish of clams, scallops, shrimp, linguiça and chicken over saffron rice 17
Grilled or Blackened Swordfish with Roasted Shallot Lime Butter
a fresh swordfish steak, grilled simply or seared with Cajun spice 17
Oven Poached Salmon with Ginger and Soy Sauce
ginger, scallions, white wine and soy sauce perfectly complement this delicate fish 16
Grilled Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts
boneless breasts of chicken grilled with a Marsala wine sauce 14
Sautéed Medallions of Pork with Apples and Goat Cheese
slices of pork loin, green apples and melting goat cheese – one of J.P.’s trademarks 16
Roast Duckling with a Cranberry Orange Sauce
1/2 of a semi-boneless duck slowly roasted 18
Grilled Delmonico with Portabella Mushrooms
this 12 oz. steak is served with grilled portabella mushrooms and caramelized onions 17
Cannellini Beans, Escarole and Plum Tomatoes over Farfalle
this vegetarian dish uses whole and pureed beans with a hint of garlic 13
Chicken with Prosciutto and Spinach over Farfalle
made with a tomato enhanced broth 13
Sautéed Shrimp Cappellini with Tomato and Garlic
fine pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, scallions, garlic and herbs; a popular choice 15
Grilled Scallops Linguine with Mushrooms and Cream
grilled scallops lend a smoky flavor to this pasta dish, a local favorite 15
Calamari Piquant Linguine
squid in a pungent sauce made of garlic, anchovies, spicy red pepper and cream 14
Red or White Clam Sauce Over Linguine
Wellfleet littleneck clams in either a white wine, garlic and herb sauce or a marinara sauce 14
Menu items and prices subject to change.
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Nancy Civetta
Civetta Comunicazioni
90 Hamilton Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
T: 617/577-8098
F: 617/876-9233
E: nancy@civettacom.com
Chef2Chef News Desk