Note/General Review- Pardon most of the photos as they are either overexposed or very red. Dishes in general are well-flavored, though less spicy than you'd expect
I was at this small Jamaican restaurant and rum bar with a smaller group than usual a while ago. The service was friendly enough, and the music was audible, but not too loud, though this was also probably because there weren't that many people there. Along with another person, we each had a cocktail while waiting, with them ordering one of their rum punches, while I went with the Island Time, I believe. The drink for $16 contained rum, which was presumably Wrey & Nephew, along with lime, and coconut water, and judging by the cocktail menu, this was likely the drink I got, as I tend to avoid cocktails with a lot of fruit juices. Whatever it was, it was balanced nicely as I could taste the rum, but there wasn't too big a kick.
We got two appetizers. The first to arrive was the 'Stamp and Go' Plantain & Saltfish Fritters for $17 served with a scotch bonnet garlic aioli dipping sauce. There were plenty of fritters, and they were crispy on the outside with a soft middle. The aioli had a slight kick to it, although not as much as I expected for being made with scotch bonnets. While I liked the texture, I do wish there was more flavor from the saltfish, though I am more used to that being present during company parties, served with the more traditional ackee.
The other was the very tasty $19 Jerk Goat Ribs, served with a jerk BBQ sauce. The ribs had a great texture with the meat tender, but not completely falling off the bone. There was also a lovely extra crisp on the outside, reminding me a bit of bark from BBQ. The sauce had a mild sweetness with a little kick, and the side pickles added some extra spice and texture. It was also very tasty.
All of our main dishes were good as well. My favorite was probably the Sorrel Glazed Lamb Chops for $37, served with a side of our choice. The hibiscus flavor was there, but it wasn't too sweet or sour. Just like with the ribs, the meat, which consisted of four chops, was perfectly cooked. Our side choice was the festival, a fried dough that was new to our host, though not to me. It had a mild sweetness as expected, and for those who haven't had it before, you can compare it to a sweeter youtiao. There was also a pleasant side salad, which was served with the other main dishes.
Also very good were the $18 Jerk Mushrooms, with sauteed portobello mushrooms served with rice and peas. The jerk flavor was what you'd expect, though with less of a kick, which was similar to the other dishes, with the mushrooms being cooked down properly while retaining some texture. The rice and peas had a nice texture with a bit of sweetness.
There was also the Coconut Curry Oxtail & Spinnas for $36, consisting of braised oxtail cooked down in a coconut curry sauce with spinnas (small boiled dumplings), rice & peas. The oxtail was tender and fell off the bone, and the curry had a mild sweetness. The spinnas reminded me of mini gnocchi in terms of texture with some plumpness. This was again tasty.
This might be a pricier Jamaican place, but I can't complain much at all, outside of maybe the food lacking a bit of heat. The price and lack of heat reflect the neighborhood, though, and I guess I could always ask for their hot sauce or similar. I would go back and try more things. read more