We had been eagerly awaiting the opening of Jamaican Grill since we first heard about it. Thus, it is refreshing to learn that not only is the main force behind the restaurant Jamaican but he is also a trained chef. He brings a little bit of Caribbean cuisine into the heart of Jeddah.
Jamaican Grill is easy to find, in fact it’s hard not to miss if you’re driving down Hera’a Street; the bright neon lights are a dead giveaway — lights that have been attracting the youth of Jeddah like moths to a flame for the last month or so. All were turned away with flyers detailing the forthcoming menu and they may be happy to know their wait is now finally over. The restaurant had its soft opening on July 2, 2009.
Traditional Jamaican food is served in this carefully decorated restaurant; shoots of bamboo cover the walls from floor to ceiling while photos from Jamaica are on the walls. Elsewhere it’s easy to spot Jamaican memorabilia decorating the walls along with ornate boards detailing humorous takes on the Jamaican alphabet and even Jamaican slang!
It is obviously a help having a true Jamaican at the helm, managing director Rasheed Muncey. The restaurant was his idea and has been in the planning stages for over two years. Members of staff trot up and down the restaurant, dressed head to toe in Caribbean gear, from oversized straw hats to colorful shirts and loose shorts. It’s great to see every effort has been made to ensure the Jamaican theme runs across the board,
As for the food, all the dishes are authentic Jamaican which is an eclectic mix of the country’s history, for Jamaica was inhabited by the Arawak Indians, Dutch, Spanish and British, making a truly unique cuisine that blends flavors and spices from across the globe.
Dishes include the world-famous jerk chicken (tender chicken breast marinated then grilled with special jerk spices). Curried chicken, BBQ chicken, along with other mixed meals with apt names such as Reggae and Irie meals. Home-made burgers are also available for those wanting something a little more 21st Century, and its great to see the chicken burger is actually a pure chicken breast and not a mash-up of processed chicken.
Rice ‘N’ Peas, curried goat, and fish tea are some of the more curious additions to the menu. For those inclined to seafood, Jamaican Grill has made the most of its location in Jeddah and offers some great fish dishes which also feature on their regular menu, including jerk fish fillet and jerk shrimp.
African and Indian influences can be found in many Jamaican dishes, and curries also feature in Jamaican cuisine. The story of their arrival on the island is an interesting one. African dishes and cuisine actually came to the Caribbean with slaves brought by European powers. Their cooking was further influenced some time later by Indian laborers who followed them and brought their own cooking styles and dishes, particularly the curry.
We tried the jerk chicken, which was fiery hot, but somehow left us wanting more; once you start, you can’t get enough of the spices. We also sampled the BBQ chicken, but preferred the jerk as it really is quite different from anything we know of in Jeddah.
Mashed potatoes and seasoned rice were also tried, along with curried chicken and vegetables. The curried chicken was particularly good, and very similar in appearance to a curry you might find in an Indian restaurant though without the copious amount of oil.
To drink, we ordered the Reggae Splash which is a light and refreshing mix of juices infused with ice and ginger. Desserts are also available but we really didn’t have room for any but the homemade banana cake sounds fine.
Prices are reasonable and we were happy to see no service charge was included — a first for Jeddah! Also great to find the place is a no-smoking restaurant! Two thumbs up for this!
If you have a chance, make sure you have a look at the back of the restaurant downstairs and see the enormous rotisserie grill rotating in the kitchen. A large converted oil drum is also worth seeing; painted with the Jamaican flag, it sits on one side waiting for any grilled burger orders. Catering services are also available, and upstairs, there is a family section with curtained partitions for extra privacy.
So if you fancy a bit of Jamaica, or are looking to ‘Turn up de spice’ of your meals, check out ‘Jamaican Grill.’ It was well worth the wait.
Telephone: 050340613
Location: Hera’a Street beside the Al-Nahda Gas Station
Opening Times: After 8 p.m till 1 a.m.
(WE had been eagerly awaiting the opening of Jamaican Grill since we first heard about it. Thus, it is refreshing to learn that not only is the main force behind the restaurant Jamaican but he is also a trained chef. He brings a little bit of Caribbean cuisine into the heart of Jeddah.
Jamaican Grill is easy to find, in fact it’s hard not to miss if you’re driving down Hera’a Street; the bright neon lights are a dead giveaway — lights that have been attracting the youth of Jeddah like moths to a flame for the last month or so. All were turned away with flyers detailing the forthcoming menu and they may be happy to know their wait is now finally over. The restaurant had its soft opening on July 2, 2009.
Traditional Jamaican food is served in this carefully decorated restaurant; shoots of bamboo cover the walls from floor to ceiling while photos from Jamaica are on the walls. Elsewhere it’s easy to spot Jamaican memorabilia decorating the walls along with ornate boards detailing humorous takes on the Jamaican alphabet and even Jamaican slang!
It is obviously a help having a true Jamaican at the helm, managing director Rasheed Muncey. The restaurant was his idea and has been in the planning stages for over two years. Members of staff trot up and down the restaurant, dressed head to toe in Caribbean gear, from oversized straw hats to colorful shirts and loose shorts. It’s great to see every effort has been made to ensure the Jamaican theme runs across the board,
As for the food, all the dishes are authentic Jamaican which is an eclectic mix of the country’s history, for Jamaica was inhabited by the Arawak Indians, Dutch, Spanish and British, making a truly unique cuisine that blends flavors and spices from across the globe.
Dishes include the world-famous jerk chicken (tender chicken breast marinated then grilled with special jerk spices). Curried chicken, BBQ chicken, along with other mixed meals with apt names such as Reggae and Irie meals. Home-made burgers are also available for those wanting something a little more 21st Century, and its great to see the chicken burger is actually a pure chicken breast and not a mash-up of processed chicken.
Rice ‘N’ Peas, curried goat, and fish tea are some of the more curious additions to the menu. For those inclined to seafood, Jamaican Grill has made the most of its location in Jeddah and offers some great fish dishes which also feature on their regular menu, including jerk fish fillet and jerk shrimp.
African and Indian influences can be found in many Jamaican dishes, and curries also feature in Jamaican cuisine. The story of their arrival on the island is an interesting one. African dishes and cuisine actually came to the Caribbean with slaves brought by European powers. Their cooking was further influenced some time later by Indian laborers who followed them and brought their own cooking styles and dishes, particularly the curry.
We tried the jerk chicken, which was fiery hot, but somehow left us wanting more; once you start, you can’t get enough of the spices. We also sampled the BBQ chicken, but preferred the jerk as it really is quite different from anything we know of in Jeddah.
Mashed potatoes and seasoned rice were also tried, along with curried chicken and vegetables. The curried chicken was particularly good, and very similar in appearance to a curry you might find in an Indian restaurant though without the copious amount of oil.
To drink, we ordered the Reggae Splash which is a light and refreshing mix of juices infused with ice and ginger. Desserts are also available but we really didn’t have room for any but the homemade banana cake sounds fine.
Prices are reasonable and we were happy to see no service charge was included — a first for Jeddah! Also great to find the place is a no-smoking restaurant! Two thumbs up for this!
If you have a chance, make sure you have a look at the back of the restaurant downstairs and see the enormous rotisserie grill rotating in the kitchen. A large converted oil drum is also worth seeing; painted with the Jamaican flag, it sits on one side waiting for any grilled burger orders. Catering services are also available, and upstairs, there is a family section with curtained partitions for extra privacy.
So if you fancy a bit of Jamaica, or are looking to ‘Turn up de spice’ of your meals, check out ‘Jamaican Grill.’ It was well worth the wait.
Telephone: 050340613
Location: Hera’a Street beside the Al-Nahda Gas Station
Opening Times: After 8 p.m till 1 a.m.
(Rashed Islam is a food critic who hosts Jeddahfood.com) is a food critic who hosts Jeddahfood.com)
