"Little Jamaica" in Boca Chica

Jun 18, 2007
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www.rentalmetrocountry.com
In about a week or so, 2 Jamaicans who have been living in Boca Chica for awhile now, James Palmer and Chef Brian Rattray are opening a new restaurant called "Little Jamaica".
The food that will be served will be authentic Jamaican cuisine such as curry goat/chicken, ox tail etc etc.
I've tried Brian's food before and I loved it!!!
The restaurant is located on Dominguez 21, a block away from the park and half a block from la Duarte.
More info and pics will follow.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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............... are opening a new restaurant called "Little Jamaica"........

Funny you mention "Little Jamaica".. I don't go too often but I was in Boca on Sunday for lunch at Village on the Beach and never actually paid much attention but there are quite a few Jamaicans living in Boca Chica.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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One of the factors in my coin toss over whether to go to Jamaica or the D.R. over the past years has been the food (in JA Island favor). Now I can have the best of both worlds in Boca Chica. I love Village on the Beach for the food and the view and had breakfast there almost daily. I shared a plane ride out with one of the owners who lives in Houston and they have a great business model going. I love talking to young people who know what they're doing....and can cook.

The new restaurant will add even more flavor and I look forward to patronizing them soon. Bland or Italian should not be the only gastronomic choices in a tourist beach town.
 

TP666

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Sep 6, 2005
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Has to be 1000x better than Dominican food. Count me in. Hope they make Patties AKA (Bruces)
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Has to be 1000x better than Dominican food. Count me in. Hope they make Patties AKA (Bruces)

ok, since you mentioned Jamaican food, there is spectacular Jamaican food to be had in POP. as a matter of fact, i just this afternoon spoke to Cindy from Costambar Monthly, to place an ad in the July edition. at this point, the food is to order, as the guy is still looking for a spot. this very week, we will be shipping out some oxtails to bigbird. he also has wonderful beef and chicken patties, and a pizza patty, which is mozzaerlla, pizza sauce, and pepperoni, and which can be stored in the refrigerator, and reheated.

i have always wondered how it is that there are so many foreigners in this country, and they are still looking for the same old American and European food, while living in the caribbean.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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ok, since you mentioned Jamaican food, there is spectacular Jamaican food to be had in POP. as a matter of fact, i just this afternoon spoke to Cindy from Costambar Monthly, to place an ad in the July edition. at this point, the food is to order, as the guy is still looking for a spot. this very week, we will be shipping out some oxtails to bigbird. he also has wonderful beef and chicken patties, and a pizza patty, which is mozzaerlla, pizza sauce, and pepperoni, and which can be stored in the refrigerator, and reheated.

i have always wondered how it is that there are so many foreigners in this country, and they are still looking for the same old American and European food, while living in the caribbean.

Jamaican Calzone. I could go for one of those.
 

RG84

Bronze
May 21, 2010
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In about a week or so, 2 Jamaicans who have been living in Boca Chica for awhile now, James Palmer and Chef Brian Rattray are opening a new restaurant called "Little Jamaica".
The food that will be served will be authentic Jamaican cuisine such as curry goat/chicken, ox tail etc etc.
I've tried Brian's food before and I loved it!!!
The restaurant is located on Dominguez 21, a block away from the park and half a block from la Duarte.
More info and pics will follow.


I hope they have Coco bread. Outstanding news, always wonder why there isn't more Jamaican restaurants here. Is it because the food is too spicy for Dominicans?
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
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I hope they have Coco bread. Outstanding news, always wonder why there isn't more Jamaican restaurants here. Is it because the food is too spicy for Dominicans?

Dominicans can tolerate spicy foods. It's HOT (hot peppers) foods they do not like. Or should I say the majority.

There are many Dominicans who do like hot food such as chivo picante. I myself looooove both
hot and spicy foods especially Jamaican and Indian cuisine.

Spicy and hot are two different things.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
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Dominicans can tolerate spicy foods. It's HOT (hot peppers) foods they do not like. Or should I say the majority.

There are many Dominicans who do like hot food such as chivo picante. I myself looooove both
hot and spicy foods especially Jamaican and Indian cuisine.

Spicy and hot are two different things.

absolutely right, bronzie. i watched a Dominican guy wipe his brow with napkins while he drank my conch soup. the pepper was killing him, but he refused to give up. i got that recipe from one of Conchman?s guys from the Bahamas.
 

kapitan75

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Jun 3, 2005
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There is a small movement of dominican rastas in the DR, but because of the differences, spanish speaking vs english speaking carribeans, customs just wont mesh to well.
Im a big fan of golden crust! And of jerk chicken, but estillo criollo always wins with the dominican taste buds.
Dominican empanadas and pasteles fried or baked are the best as well.
Jamaica does have many dishes that are universally popular, a signature that says jamaica , but to catch on in the DR? Too much resistance.
The gift shops are very confusing cause they sell rastaman items. Did we forget what island we on? Its like buying an i love ny t shirt in orlando.
Are all these carribean visitors so ignorant , they cant tell the difference?
So spots like cabarete, the capitol, santiago , etc might tolerate 1 location as a novelty, but i doubt it will be very succesful.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
488
83
There is a small movement of dominican rastas in the DR, but because of the differences, spanish speaking vs english speaking carribeans, customs just wont mesh to well.
Im a big fan of golden crust! And of jerk chicken, but estillo criollo always wins with the dominican taste buds.
Dominican empanadas and pasteles fried or baked are the best as well.
Jamaica does have many dishes that are universally popular, a signature that says jamaica , but to catch on in the DR? Too much resistance.
The gift shops are very confusing cause they sell rastaman items. Did we forget what island we on? Its like buying an i love ny t shirt in orlando.
Are all these carribean visitors so ignorant , they cant tell the difference?
So spots like cabarete, the capitol, santiago , etc might tolerate 1 location as a novelty, but i doubt it will be very succesful.

My favorite eatery in Sint Maarten is "The Jerk", a Jamaican restaurant with two locations in P'burg.

My favorite restaurant in Aruba is "Jamaica Me Crazy" where I met India Arie and Doug E Fresh tearing up a mess of curried goat my 1st time there.

Nobody in the D.R. complains about the Chinese eateries or the Italian eateries or the German eateries. Having a Jamaican eatery there simply adds to the variety to be found in the country and should be celebrated rather than feared. Their success will depend upon their adaptation to doing business in the D.R. and the flavor of their cuisine.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
There is a small movement of dominican rastas in the DR, but because of the differences, spanish speaking vs english speaking carribeans, customs just wont mesh to well.
Im a big fan of golden crust! And of jerk chicken, but estillo criollo always wins with the dominican taste buds.
Dominican empanadas and pasteles fried or baked are the best as well.
Jamaica does have many dishes that are universally popular, a signature that says jamaica , but to catch on in the DR? Too much resistance.
The gift shops are very confusing cause they sell rastaman items. Did we forget what island we on? Its like buying an i love ny t shirt in orlando.
Are all these carribean visitors so ignorant , they cant tell the difference?
So spots like cabarete, the capitol, santiago , etc might tolerate 1 location as a novelty, but i doubt it will be very succesful.

if you say that Dominican empanadas are the best, then you have never had a good Jamaican patty. people might say that i am biased, but you cannot compare a baked empanada with a fried one. in the first place, you cannot reheat a fried empanada the next day. it would spit grease like a walrus.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
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My favorite eatery in Sint Maarten is "The Jerk", a Jamaican restaurant with two locations in P'burg.

My favorite restaurant in Aruba is "Jamaica Me Crazy" where I met India Arie and Doug E Fresh tearing up a mess of curried goat my 1st time there.

Nobody in the D.R. complains about the Chinese eateries or the Italian eateries or the German eateries. Having a Jamaican eatery there simply adds to the variety to be found in the country and should be celebrated rather than feared. Their success will depend upon their adaptation to doing business in the D.R. and the flavor of their cuisine.

my buddy catered a housewarming a few weeks ago. it was a few foreigners, and lots of Dominicans. they all went crazy over the jerk chicken, which was mild, and the curried chicken. the important thing is that it is not like introducing them to a new meat, like antelope. it is chicken, and beef, and fish, and goat, which they all eat. it is just the difference in seasoning.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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488
83
my buddy catered a housewarming a few weeks ago. it was a few foreigners, and lots of Dominicans. they all went crazy over the jerk chicken, which was mild, and the curried chicken. the important thing is that it is not like introducing them to a new meat, like antelope. it is chicken, and beef, and fish, and goat, which they all eat. it is just the difference in seasoning.

Exactly. There are only slight variances in the foods eaten throughout the Caribbean but the style of seasoning differentiates them. Strong (East) Indian influences in Jamaican dishes are a key to the popularity of the food there. If these guys sprout an ital menu and pour "roots" I'm moving in.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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one particular guy bought 5000 pesos of beef and chicken patties for a party last saturday. he is Dominican, and this is his third time ordering from my buddy. seems like someone likes them.