Jamaica Day

Happy Independence Day, Jamaica!

Between the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence from Great Britain and Usain Bolt's victory at the Olympics, it was a perfect day for a Jamaican lunch.  There are only a few options for Jamaican lunches near me - patties from Golden Krust, the Jerk Pan truck on Park Avenue (that I tried last year for the 1st time), and the Jamaican Dutchy truck (a cart I frequented on 51st & 7th before they upgraded to a truck and were kicked out of their spot by the cops).  I remember when Usain Bolt visited the Jamaican Dutchy, so I decided to track them down for lunch.

The truck moved around for a bit after having to leave 51st (A visited them last year in Midtown South when they stopped there one day) but seems to have settled on 43rd and 3rd.  (Their twitter wasn't updated so I was taking a chance.)  It was a bit of a trek from the office but I felt like a Jamaican lunch today was just the right thing to do.

I planned to get the stewed chicken (which is what I had always gotten back when they were at 51st and 7th), but they sold out 2 people ahead of me in line.  Second choice: curry chicken!

What's great about the Jamaican Dutchy is that their portions are extremely generous.  That box is their "mini meal" which was only $5.  Really affordable and filling.  The base is a mix of rice and beans, which is topped with steamed cabbage and multiple pieces of chicken.  I love that the stewed and curry chicken dishes at the Jamaican Dutchy are boneless, and that's probably the biggest difference for me between them and Jerk Pan.  Both make good food but bones in a small box of food make for a big mess.  I was so hungry when I got back to the office after my long walk (and had a conference call coming up) so I devoured the mini meal faster than I would have preferred, but I was still able to taste all the great flavors.  I wish the Jamaican Dutchy were still at their old spot at 51st and 7th, so I could go more often, but at least they're still within walking distance!