When my grandson Patrick identified an authentic Jamaican restaurant on line, I was anxious to consider the food. Immediately after additional than 20 many years of likely to Jamaica, the hottest mission has been canceled since of the COVID pandemic, so a taste of Jamaica sounded superb.
With my son Michael, daughter-in-law Linda and grandsons Phillip and Patrick, we headed for Boardman, Ohio, to Tebo’s Caribbean Cuisine.
When I walked into Tebo’s, I shut my eyes and just inhaled the aroma of Jamaican meals. I desire I could describe it to you, but I can only say that it is truly Jamaican.
Due to the fact Tebo’s is set up primarily for get-out, it was not excellent on environment, but owner/chef Gaeton Thompson’s smile and friendliness created up for any lack of island ambiance. He defined each and every assortment to enable my loved ones select and comprehend the foods, and when they picked he heaped a massive helping onto their plate.
Given that I experienced been eating Jamaican for a long time, I chose the jerk rooster, cabbage, plantains, rice and beans, meat patty and coco bread. In Jamaica, the rice with small dim beans is identified as rice and peas and is a staple, served with pretty much something.
Yes, I could tackle all that. I have a healthful hunger.
I experienced to have the fried plantains, which glimpse like bananas and are sweet but do not style like bananas. Michael in contrast them to sweet potatoes.
The meat patty, frequently known as juicy patty, is a meat-loaded pastry that includes different fillings and spices baked within a flaky shell, normally tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk combination or turmeric. It is built like a turnover but is savory and loaded with meat. It is my favourite. In Jamaica, it is usually road food and offered exterior the universities at lunchtime at about $1 American.
There have been a number of selections of salsas and coleslaws including pineapple coleslaw and Jamaican design and style that is created with a cider vinegar brown sugar base.
Coco bread served warm is designed with coconut milk, and is just a very little sweet, and absolutely everyone in my family members loved it.
Thompson explained he calls the cafe Tebo’s because that was his father’s nickname for him.
We ate at one of the tables and watched a constant stream of people coming for just take-out.
The jerk chicken was much too sizzling for me. I had eaten it in Malvern, Jamaica, in the Santa Cruz Mountains exactly where they make it with just a hint of hot. I instructed Thompson that it was fantastic, but as well scorching for me, and he promised to make it to suit me if I would give him a contact and I will do that.
Due to the fact I won’t be able to pay for to consider my family to Jamaica, having them for a style of Jamaica was the finest I could do. We all experienced a wonderful time having fun with relaxed dining and reliable island flavors. I won’t be able to afford to pay for to acquire all of you to Jamaica or to Tebo’s so all I can do is notify you about it.
Maybe you have been to Jamaica and liked the regional delicacies, or if I have manufactured you curious about Jamaican fare, you can delight in the serious factor at Tebo’s.
Thompson claimed he has been in the states for 30 many years and worked in the meals marketplace, but when the pandemic came he resolved to open up a Jamaican get-out with his brother and they are performing nicely.
“I am generating a residing and using treatment of my household which is all that I needed,” Thompson mentioned.
He mentioned there are a several other Jamaican eating places in the Pittsburgh/Youngstown space.
This write-up at first appeared on Ellwood Town Ledger: Carroll: A style of Jamaica delicacies