Jamaican Jerk Center serves saucy oxtail, curry chicken in Chapel Hill | Local Flavor

Everybody’s got to eat.

It’s a delicious fact of life.

It’s also one of the reasons Keegan Johnson began serving authentic Jamaican cuisine from a former Arby’s in Akron’s Chapel Hill neighborhood in August.

“No matter what you do, at the end of the day, some way somehow you're going to find yourself back in the kitchen,” the owner explained.

That certainly tracks with his upbringing. Johnson recalls his transformation from a young boy in Queens, New York, begrudgingly prepping chicken and vegetables from his mom’s Saturday grocery trip to a teenager that frequented family members’ home kitchens and restaurants.

Later, he worked in the kitchen of a nursing home and transitioned into the auto mechanics industry, eventually moving from New York City to Atlanta and then to Akron.

Now, he’s back in the kitchen and it tastes like he never left.

Dining at Jamaican Jerk Center

New businesses getting their footing always encounter hiccups and hurdles before settling into their own skin. Sure, there may not be a sign outside yet broadcasting Jamaican Jerk Center’s existence and its dining room needs a trash can, but Johnson’s food more than makes up for these missing elements.

My friend Alexander and I quickly learned that getting that scrumptious food is all about timing.

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I came in wanting Bar-B-Jerk chicken with fry dumplings and Alexander was looking forward to having mac and cheese and a couple other sides, all of which are on the menu and advertised on Jamaican Jerk Center’s Facebook page.

When we tried to order, we were told the restaurant was only serving three entrees — oxtails, curry chicken and brown stew chicken — with rice and cabbage as sides. The cashier informed us that they offer a limited menu during the week, but more items are available towards the weekend when business picks up.

“Monday through Thursday are my slow days…we cook everything fresh, nothing is [stored] overnight, so it’s kind of hard coming in, baking a whole pan of mac and cheese, and then it just doesn’t even sell for the day,” Johnson explained. “On the weekends, when I have the church crowd and I have people that's off work, I see that it does better.”

We pivoted; I ordered curry chicken and Alex got what sides were available with the entrée he had his eyes on: oxtails. Both were medium-sized portions and, with a bottled drink each, our meal came to $31 total.

All our food was steaming hot, well-seasoned and cooked to such a tender state we needed little effort to pry it off the bone. While the simple side of rice and kidney beans complimented the meat’s sauce, it also brought its own flavor profile to the table. The cabbage was yummy too, though a bit oily.

“Overall, I could definitely taste all the different spices they had,” Alex said. “When I was eating it, I didn't think it was just some random comfort food, I felt like this is Jamaican food.”

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Personally, I was ready to lay down and go to bed halfway through my meal as though it were Thanksgiving. Wake up, take a few bites, fall back asleep. Repeat as needed or until plate (or Styrofoam to-go container in this case) is empty.

More Jamaican food to come

As Akron’s Jamaican community frequents Johnson’s business more often, he hopes to integrate more traditional Caribbean dishes into the menu, like cow foot, goat and tripe and beans.

Right now, Johnson is in the midst of opening another Jamaican Jerk Center in South Euclid with his uncle, who also owns Pin Pin’s Kitchen in Cleveland. Eventually, he wants to expand to more locations, but for now his hands are full making the Akron spot reach its full potential. Building a customer base that permits him to have the entire menu available daily, opening the drive-thru and making kitchen upgrades are just a few of his plans.

Got a restaurant recommendation? Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans. And follow her food adventures on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal.

Details

Place: Jamaican Jerk Center

Address: 1231 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron

Phone: 330-849-2344

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday

Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550217942796

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jamaican Jerk Center's cuisine is bursting with flavor in Chapel Hill