Street Food Saturdays

Street Food Saturdays

Jamaican Street Food with a twist

I had first heard about the event Street Food Saturdays on a feature on local TV programme Entertainment Report (ER). The chef, Simone Walker-Barrett, is originally from the Mt. James district in rural St. Andrew. On the last Saturday of every month, she hosts a pop-up event- Street Food Saturdays. The concept essentially revolves around gourmet Jamaican street food. Many of the dishes on offer are those that we are essentially familiar with, but have added twist and flair here. The event also allows her the opportunity to provide work experience for some of her students as they assist in the kitchen. Check out  the video below for the ER feature giving a feel of the atmosphere and an overview of the concept for the event.

I was quite intrigued by the idea and decided to check it out. I had been meaning to go since February, but only finally managed to get there this past weekend.

Getting There

When we were setting out, dark clouds had started to roll in over the city. By the time we got to Manor Park, it had started to rain and for a split second I was having second thoughts. However, I had had several failed attempts at going, and since we were already on our way I was determined to see it through. I also figured that the weather conditions might be different at our destination anyway. Turns out that the weather was in fact quite fine at the venue. It seems there had been some rain earlier but by the time we got there the sun was out.

From Manor Park, it should take you about 25 minutes to get there. Once you get to Golden Spring, take a right at the Total Gas Station, and it is about 12-15 minutes more from there.

Please see the map below:

Directions to Street Food Saturdays

There are no other turns off after that. There is a point where you come to a “Y” in the road, but bear left. There is also a sign there pointing you in the right direction.

The simple set up is a cook-shop at the side of the road beside which they place a tent with a seating/dining area.

Set Up at Street Food Saturdays

The surrounding area is quite pleasant and if you walk  just a few steps from the seating area you can see this view.

View at Street Food Saturdays

I love going to places that aren’t that far from the city, but still give you an out of city experience.

What I Ate

You place your order at the cashier, pay and then you are good to go. Check out the day’s menu below ( I apologize if the prices aren’t clear but it had been rained on 😉 . If you have any queries let me know in the comments section). We did not have very long to wait and soon we were digging in.

The Menu

The prices and proportions are as such that you can easily mix and match and order multiple dishes for variety. Stef and I ordered the Oxtail Soup, the Jerked Corn Pork Slider, Pan Chicken and Garlic Noodles (pasta), Tamarind Glazed Pigstail and Shrimp Fritters. As sides we had the jerked potato wedges and the cinnamon festival. Unfortunately, one of the dishes I really wanted to try, the Rum Fire Shrimp was not on offer that weekend. Our friend Jhenelle’s order overlapped with ours; we probably should have been more adventurous and tried more dishes now that I think about it. The menu changes every month so I think I’ll be back to sample some more.

(L-R) Tamarind Glazed Pigstail, Pan Chicken and Garlic Noodles, Jerked Corn Pork Slider and Jerked Potato Wedges

Now I am not usually a pigstail fan, but that dish was actually one of the standouts for me. The smoky flavour of the meat layered with the sweetness of the sauce was definitely a win. The other standout for us was the Pan Chicken with pasta. The chicken had a unique taste (for pan chicken) and went very well with the flavours chosen for the pasta sauce. I am also now fond of the cinnamon festival. The Shrimp Fritters were a little disappointing to be honest. Too much fritter and not enough shrimp for my tastes.

What it Cost

What Stef and I ordered (Oxtail Soup, Jerked Corn Pork Slider, Pan Chicken and Garlic Noodles, Tamarind Glazed Pigstail, Shrimp Fritters, Jerked Potato Wedges, Cinnamon Festival- One serving of each) came up to JMD $3400.

Tips

• The Menu changes every month, so follow them on social media to keep abreast
  • [icon name=”facebook-official” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Street Food Saturdays,  [icon name=”instagram” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] @streetfoodsaturdays,  [icon name=”twitter” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] @streetfoodsat
• Take into account the travel time  so that you are not super hungry when you get there

Has this post inspired you to check it out? Let me know in the comments below!