WEEKLYPRESS.COM · UCREVIEW.COM · JULY 27 · 2011 Caribbean Staycation


By Maria Valetta Food and Wine Connoisseur


T


hwap, thud, whoosh! The sound of a rowdy crowd whistling and


cheering follows. I’m search- ing for a place to cool off. It’s 103 degrees as I ride my bike down South Street in need of a cold glass of water and a bite of good food before I spin through two more miles. That raucous noise I hear is a party happening on the side lawn of The Jamaican Jerk Hutnear the corner of 15th and South. “A Taste of the Islands” reads the sign out front, and oh how I wish I were on an is- land right now. Sure, it would still be hot but there would be a salty sea breeze blowing through my hair, and I could easily plunge into the gentle waves, drenching my body with the coolness of beautiful turquoise waters. Again I hear the laughter of the outside party, which pulls me out of my vacation daydream. Could these crazy people actually be eating outside? In this heat??? I pull my bike over and take


a closer look. I notice the cold beers in giant ice buckets, cups of rum punch in every- one’s hand, umbrella-covered brightly painted picnic tables and . . . a Slip-’N-Slide! One by one each “big kid” takes a turn–run, dive, slip, slide. Thwap, thud, whoosh! What a way to celebrate—in island style. One could call it an island oasis right in the middle of the city, complete with the authentic fixins of jerk-seasoned chicken, jerk spiced shrimp, heaps of rice and beans and the head-nod- ding beats of Reggae music pumping through the yard (yes yard, no beach here). I feel like I’m in Jamaica al- ready–yeah mon! I poke my head into the res- taurant; I smell spices. The air conditioner is pumping, and the Phillies game is on– now we’re jammin’! I think I found the cool-down spot I was looking for. Fresh Sorrel juice, a bright magenta hue, puts out the fire from the in- side out and instantly lowers my body temperature. That is until the Jamaican jerk chicken plate that I’ve ordered arrives. My mouth tingles with heat, intensifying with each bite of the saucy and moist chicken breast. I taste allspice and the heat of hot pepper. I put my bets on Scotch Bonnet peppers (the traditional pepper used in this Caribbean seasoning blend) but my server won’t confirm. Instead she makes it clear that this sauce is a secret. The well-caramelized plan-


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tains the color of the searing sun actually provide relief to my tongue with their rich sweetness. The side of rice and beans, fluffy and flavorful, fill my belly, and the sautéed cab- bage rounds out my plate with green goodness. I took a trip to North Philly on a recommendation in search of Rising Sun Avenue, where a decorative shack of a Caribbean restaurant called Caribbean Feast sits right off of Broad Street. Situated on a triangular shaped piece of land at the point of a triangle, it gives the restaurant the feel- ing that it’s on its own little island, only surrounded by asphalt instead of water.


More of a ‘take-out’ than a ‘dine-in’ type of place, Feast does get kudos for the large iron grill on the palm tree “planted” deck that stays fired-up with big meaty pieces of chicken grilling over char- coal all day long. It would be hard to miss the spice-scent- ed smoke wafting steadily through the outside air. But the jerk sauce here plays sec- ond fiddle to the smoky grilled flavor of the darkly charred chicken skin that is crisp and delicious. The stewed oxtail, meanwhile, consists of more fat and bones than meat, re- quiring a palate that prefers that sort of texture. Here, an order for two is enough to feed four, so my food-adventuring friend and I take our leftovers “to-go.” Boxing up our favor- ites: chicken, candied yams,


and a slice of the complimen- tary toasted cornbread. I thought the farther out from Center City I ventured the more authentic and bold the food would be, but this was not the case. I was very surprised by the pure qual- ity and rich flavors of The Hut’s hot dishes. In Jamaica, “jerk” refers to the traditional method of cooking spiced meat over an open fire. At the Jerk Hut the meat is cooked slowly over a charcoal pit in the kitchen instead of outside on a well-worn iron grill. In fact, the lack of smoke com- ing from the kitchen made me nervous—as I wondered if the chicken would be lacking that crispy darkly browned skin. But it was perfect. Not too smoky and with just the right amount of herbs and spices rubbed onto the meat before cooking. A balance of tangy, spicy, smoky flavors (and a whole lot of that addictive hot spice). Surprisingly, at a bet- ter price than what I paid in North Philadelphia, too. Further down South Street I thought I would try an- other typical dish—curried goat—readily found in the Caribbean’s West Indies, espe- cially on the island of Nevis, although you can find it in Ja- maica as well. On 1124 South Street sits Caribbean Delight, well known for its goat. Also on offer are chicken and beef patties. Not a regular round of ground meat, but more simi- lar to an empanada. These are best when piping hot out of the oven, so grab one at open- ing time. The best part of the curried goat plate? The coco- nut flavored rice and beans, only because I’m used to the


spicier curries of India and Thailand. This yellow curry is much more mild and is a bet- ter bet for those who can’t take the “heat.” I’ve been to Jamaica a few times and my favorite place for jerk chicken or jerk pork is Scotchies, a little roadside, local joint in Montego Bay. Named after the Scotch Bon- net pepper, of course, and used in heady amounts in their signature spicy rub. At The Jamaican Jerk Hut I may not be in Jamaica, but I feel like I am; the only thing miss- ing is a ‘yellowbird’ cocktail in my hand. I pick the last bits of meat off the scraps of bones from my chicken on my plate, and then pop a finger-full of sauce into my mouth for one last torturous but thrilling spice sensation. Glancing up at the wall in front of me, I notice a large space is painted with a stretch of sand, a bright blue water background and one perfect palm tree invit- ing me in for a dip. Out into the heat I go—hmmm, maybe I could just crash the party? A quick Slip ‘N’ Slide before finishing my bike ride sounds very cool.


Caribbean Delight Restau- rant, 1124 South St. 215-829- 1030


Caribbean Feast, 1338 Rising Sun Avenue, corner of Broad St. and Westmoreland Avenue (off Broad Street) 215-223-2740


Jamaican Jerk Hut, 1436 South Street 215-545-8644


Scotchies, Falmouth Road, Montego Bay, Jamaica 876-- 953-8041


EDITOR’S TIP: A few more


Caribbean dining suggestions in Philadelphia…


Alma de Cuba 1623 Walnut St 215-988-1799


Calabash Restaurant & Banquet 6208 Lancaster Avenue 215-879-1360


Cuba Libre 10 S 2nd St 215-627-0666


Gigi and Big R Truck


38th and Spruce Irie Caribbean


4091 Lancaster Ave. 215-220-0878


K & J Caribbean American Diner 5603 Greene Street, 215-849-0242


Little Delicious


4821 Woodland Avenue 215-729-4911


Reef Caribbean Restaurant 603-05 S. 3rd Street 215-629-0102


Rio Cobre Jamaican Restaurant riocobrejamaicanrestaurant.com 524 South 4th Street, 215-413-2500


Ron’s Caribbean Cafe 5726 North Broad Street 215-924-3966


Rum Bar


2005 Walnut St. 215-751-0404


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