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"Known for its sweet potato waffles and accompanying live jazz, the brunch spot Sweet Jam specialized in soul food—serving Southern-fried catfish or chicken on waffles, cheese shrimp grits with bacon, Creole jambalaya with shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken, plus biscuits and Benedicts. I reported that restaurateur Frank Taylor opened the first location in 2016 and later started serving Sweet Jam from the former Horn of Africa space on NE MLK Jr. Blvd this fall, bringing on Jerry Nottage, who had cooked for R&B greats like Aretha Franklin. Within two weeks the owners closed both Sweet Jam locations: first the recently opened MLK location (announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page), which initially directed fans to the spot near Beaverton, and then, 10 days later, they announced the Beaverton closure as well, making Sweet Jam part of a recent wave of Portland brunch spot closures that included The Big Egg and Flapjak Creperie." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden