26 Roncesvalles Ave.
Toronto, ON M6R 2K3
416.534.5375
website
Nestled into a little strip mall just west of downtown Toronto, the spot is extremely and exceedingly simple on the outside, and the menu on the inside is equally to the point. It’s all about the jerk chicken, a Caribbean delicacy particularly in Jamaica that features they have a lease based, forward heat in all of the meat. You are certainly not going to find this place looking for the most hip restaurants in town, it might not show up on any popular dining websites, either. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a sample.
Jerk chicken is the main thing on the menu, and that’s what you should have first. Things to try:
- Jerk Chicken: Enormous cuts of chicken chopped bone-in and served covered in “jerk” spices. So there are two versions of the chicken: mild and hot. The restaurant rightly does not suggest you try that hot option unless you really know what you’re getting yourself into.
- Jerk Pork: Largely the same setup as jerk chicken but featuring slices of pork. This one is better with the hotter spice, and the moderating side dishes that sop up some of that wonderful heat: some cole slaw and rice and beans that fill it out and make it a very hearty lunch. Like it hot? Probably best with a lot of water.
The restaurant is extremely to-the-point, and that’s a wonderful thing. It’s more of a place where you grab some food and then go with it. And go you can—maybe it’s not immediately visible all the time, but it’s very close to a few bus lines and the 501, so you’ll have a pretty easy time getting food to go and jumping on the transit before you dig in. Which is good!
Food is cooked pretty much to order, which means it’s very easy and quick of an experience. The price points are pretty reasonable and the menu, while pretty small, is very focused on doing a small number of menu items extremely well. All told, a good stop for good food. Worth a try.
Recommendations
- This is best thought of as a grab and go place. You can dine in, but the accommodations are pretty spartan.
- You get two options: mild and hot. Be warned! Mild is very easy, but they’re not kidding around when they talk about hot food. Spicy enough you’re going to need some water unless you’re very experienced with this kind of food!
- There are lunch specials if you’re inclined to try something new.
Another Food Critic 