Comments on: Queen West’s newest Jamaican spot http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot Toronto's new weekly city magazine Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:43:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: oldskool http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-43848 oldskool Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:46:16 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-43848 After receiving a recommendation about the jerk pork special from my barber, I decided to give this new place a try. Now I have tried quite a few West Indian restaurants downtown... they start off pretty good but usually the food can be inconsistent as in taste at times. I ordered the large jerk pork as recommended and couldn't wait to dig into it. The portioning was reasonable for the price I paid, around $10... but when I bit into the pork, I was VERY disappointed with the texture... it was TOUGH! I thought it might have just been the one piece I had but in fact it was pretty much most of the pork serving! Mind you, the flavor of the jerk pork was a little different from what I am accustomed to but it was delicious. My co-worker wrote a review about receiving her jerk chicken overdone and I am a witness to that. I know most jerk chicken can have the appearance of being "burnt" (and I do prefer my chicken well done) but this one was burnt… the bone was actually charred. As a West Indian, I'm all for supporting great Caribbean restaurants (which are usually in the West or East end of TO) but the ones downtown... especially the franchises are usually a disappointment starting off good but then sometimes lacking consistency in taste. After receiving a recommendation about the jerk pork special from my barber, I decided to give this new place a try. Now I have tried quite a few West Indian restaurants downtown… they start off pretty good but usually the food can be inconsistent as in taste at times.

I ordered the large jerk pork as recommended and couldn’t wait to dig into it. The portioning was reasonable for the price I paid, around $10… but when I bit into the pork, I was VERY disappointed with the texture… it was TOUGH! I thought it might have just been the one piece I had but in fact it was pretty much most of the pork serving! Mind you, the flavor of the jerk pork was a little different from what I am accustomed to but it was delicious.

My co-worker wrote a review about receiving her jerk chicken overdone and I am a witness to that. I know most jerk chicken can have the appearance of being “burnt” (and I do prefer my chicken well done) but this one was burnt… the bone was actually charred.

As a West Indian, I’m all for supporting great Caribbean restaurants (which are usually in the West or East end of TO) but the ones downtown… especially the franchises are usually a disappointment starting off good but then sometimes lacking consistency in taste.

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]]> By: Matt http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-43638 Matt Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:53:18 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-43638 " I do not recommend this to nobody" means you recommend it to everybody! ” I do not recommend this to nobody” means you recommend it to everybody!

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]]> By: Nim http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-43228 Nim Sun, 06 Jan 2013 21:52:42 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-43228 Hi Ackee Tree Have you tried selling Roti Wraps in your restaurant. Filling can be vegetarian or meat. Good Luck Hi Ackee Tree

Have you tried selling Roti Wraps in your restaurant. Filling can be vegetarian or meat. Good Luck

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]]> By: Kris http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-43144 Kris Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:55:37 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-43144 I've been here a few times now and the food has been great and the portions have been good too. Service is good, especially compared to other Caribbean restaurants I've been to. I would recommend this place to anybody. I've also literally just eaten my coleslaw and it was not watery at all.. very good. Wish I had more! I’ve been here a few times now and the food has been great and the portions have been good too. Service is good, especially compared to other Caribbean restaurants I’ve been to. I would recommend this place to anybody.
I’ve also literally just eaten my coleslaw and it was not watery at all.. very good. Wish I had more!

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]]> By: Oh no nomnomnom http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-42561 Oh no nomnomnom Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:30:57 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-42561 I had ordered the small jerk chicken and rice and peas. No gravy and the side of coleslaw. The jerk chicken was way overcooked and burnt. Very dry meat. The rice and peas were also overcooked. The coleslaw was very watery not creamy as it should be. This lunch also left me with a horrible tummy ache. I do not recommend this to nobody. I had ordered the small jerk chicken and rice and peas. No gravy and the side of coleslaw. The jerk chicken was way overcooked and burnt. Very dry meat. The rice and peas were also overcooked. The coleslaw was very watery not creamy as it should be. This lunch also left me with a horrible tummy ache. I do not recommend this to nobody.

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]]> By: Sharon Slacks http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-42223 Sharon Slacks Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:44:49 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-42223 Attention S - thank you for sharing your experience and we're disappointed when we don't live up to our reputation. We have many customers who come in on a regular basis for the Jerk Pork and this dish is one of our biggest sellers. We chose to only provide small and regular size meals and have all our rice dishes come with coleslaw which is included in the price. Please feel free to come by and try another dish. Ask for me ...Sharon Attention S – thank you for sharing your experience and we’re disappointed when we don’t live up to our reputation. We have many customers who come in on a regular basis for the Jerk Pork and this dish is one of our biggest sellers. We chose to only provide small and regular size meals and have all our rice dishes come with coleslaw which is included in the price. Please feel free to come by and try another dish. Ask for me …Sharon

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]]> By: Brian http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-42044 Brian Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:03:26 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-42044 ATTN: POOKI BEAR* You start the your pathetic attempt at trying to write some experienced food blogger review( which in most cases are nothing more than attention seeking wannabe chefs who hold zero merit in the professional culinary world, nor do they hold a credible resume as a chef, to even speak of food.) you sound like one of them. What? because you went to jamaica you are a jerk expert? Excuse yourself and peanut gallery comments, I have been to Jamaica too, and I am a chef, I wouldn't dare talk the trash that you do. You say that you went in with a bias, expecting subpar jerk, and! underwhelming service? Why don't you just say that you are a racist ugly person, who feels better talking down to people who are working day in and day out just to pay the bills, yet smile and strive for a better life via small business. And just what culinary skills do you possess? Oh yeah...None! ATTN: POOKI BEAR*
You start the your pathetic attempt at trying to write some experienced food blogger review( which in most cases are nothing more than attention seeking wannabe chefs who hold zero merit in the professional culinary world, nor do they hold a credible resume as a chef, to even speak of food.) you sound like one of them. What? because you went to jamaica you are a jerk expert? Excuse yourself and peanut gallery comments, I have been to Jamaica too, and I am a chef, I wouldn’t dare talk the trash that you do. You say that you went in with a bias, expecting subpar jerk, and! underwhelming service? Why don’t you just say that you are a racist ugly person, who feels better talking down to people who are working day in and day out just to pay the bills, yet smile and strive for a better life via small business. And just what culinary skills do you possess? Oh yeah…None!

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]]> By: acv66 http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-41953 acv66 Sat, 24 Nov 2012 21:49:39 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-41953 great place , put maybe they should invest in a sign on queen st ,so people know that this place even exist great place , put maybe they should invest in a sign on queen st ,so people know that this place even exist

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]]> By: S http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-41848 S Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:18:43 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-41848 It was my first time going to this place and I wasn't too impressed. I ordered a large jerk pork after seeing the size of the small. When I received it, the container was 2/3 white rice and 1/3 pork. The price ($10+) in comparison to what I was expecting was incredibly skewed, I didn't expect to pay that much for mainly white rice. The container was not even full and I thought with the large I would have leftovers for later. I don't usually eat much but I wasn't even full when I was finished. The coleslaw comes in a small Dixie cup I am guessing whether you order a large meal or small meal, you will be receiving the same tiny portion. Most of the meat was fatty and I would skip getting the onions because by the end of it, they mainly turned into charred black pieces. The meat had a good flavour (a little salty) and so did the coleslaw but skip the gravy. It tasted like soy sauce on white rice. They ran out of rice and peas due to someone making a bad batch. Overall I was really disappointed and hesitate going back. It was my first time going to this place and I wasn’t too impressed. I ordered a large jerk pork after seeing the size of the small. When I received it, the container was 2/3 white rice and 1/3 pork. The price ($10+) in comparison to what I was expecting was incredibly skewed, I didn’t expect to pay that much for mainly white rice. The container was not even full and I thought with the large I would have leftovers for later. I don’t usually eat much but I wasn’t even full when I was finished. The coleslaw comes in a small Dixie cup I am guessing whether you order a large meal or small meal, you will be receiving the same tiny portion. Most of the meat was fatty and I would skip getting the onions because by the end of it, they mainly turned into charred black pieces. The meat had a good flavour (a little salty) and so did the coleslaw but skip the gravy. It tasted like soy sauce on white rice. They ran out of rice and peas due to someone making a bad batch. Overall I was really disappointed and hesitate going back.

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]]> By: Pooki Bear http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/queen-wests-newest-jamaican-spot/#comment-41773 Pooki Bear Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:21:42 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82758#comment-41773 To say my expectation for this place was exceeded would be an understatement. I went to The Jerk Joint with a little bit of bias, expecting sub par jerk chicken and underwhelming service. I have recently just returned from Jamaica so knew what Jerk Chicken should taste like. The more i ate the more memories of Jamaica came rushing back. The jerk chicken is the best I have ever had in Toronto. I ask the owner how they were able to so accurately, duplicate the authenticity of real Jamaican jerk chicken. I was told it was a combination of the Chef's secret ingredients, marinating techniques and the smoker that they use. I highly recommend the Jerk Joint for anyone who wants a true representation of what Jamaican food is suppose to taste like when done right. So far i have been back three times, and i am torn as to what my favourite is the jerk chicken wrap, the jerk burger the jerk pork i love it all... To say my expectation for this place was exceeded would be an understatement. I went to The Jerk Joint with a little bit of bias, expecting sub par jerk chicken and underwhelming service. I have recently just returned from Jamaica so knew what Jerk Chicken should taste like. The more i ate the more memories of Jamaica came rushing back. The jerk chicken is the best I have ever had in Toronto. I ask the owner how they were able to so accurately, duplicate the authenticity of real Jamaican jerk chicken. I was told it was a combination of the Chef’s secret ingredients, marinating techniques and the smoker that they use. I highly recommend the Jerk Joint for anyone who wants a true representation of what Jamaican food is suppose to taste like when done right. So far i have been back three times, and i am torn as to what my favourite is the jerk chicken wrap, the jerk burger the jerk pork i love it all…

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