Menu at Jerk Center authentic but just okay
The dated brick building is unassuming and untidy with a plywood window and a handwritten sign taped to the door. While nothing stood out as great on our lunchtime visit, most of what we sampled was flavorful.
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The Jerk Center at 193 N State Road 7 in Margate offers value for diners looking for traditional Jamaican fare. Chef Wayne said his recipes have been handed down by generations and each day offers guests a sizeable meal. Lunch specials range in price from $4.99 (Jerk Chicken or Pork, Fried or Stew Chicken) to $5.49 (Curry Goat) and are served with traditional steamed cabbage, rice and peas (AKA beans) and plantain.
Like most dishes at the Jerk Center, rice and peas came from the steam table - hot and fluffy and salty. Fried plantains were fresh, firm and not too greasy and steam cabbage a la carrots and corn was bland, but with a nice crunch and formidable nutrition.
Arriving early in the day the oxtail we came for wasn't ready so we opted for Jerk Pork and Chicken - two dishes that were prepared in batches.
The chicken was overcooked, the meat dry and bones brittle. To our delight, marrow from the carcass had seeped into the chicken for overall flavor. The dry rub jerk spice on the pork was well-balanced and not overly piquant and extra sauce added a zip of spiciness. Unfortunately the pork too was overcooked and dry and tasted from the day before. Whereas starches dominated the meal, protein portions were small, but value was evident in prices.
To wash it down we dropped big bucks ($3.99) on a Jamaican super drink http://amazingsoursop.com/ : Soursop. A yummy tea of soursop leaves sweetened with honey and energized with ginger, the beverage had a bold citrus flavor and the creaminess of banana. The drink distributor is a Margate business at http://amazingsoursop.com/contact. Common to cultures in South and Central America and the Islands, soursop is called kowosòl in Creole, guanábana in Spanish and graviola in Portuguese.
In terms of ambiance, the Jerk Center might be what you expect from a roadside eatery on the Island - not too much to look at, in particular the dead plant in front. Inside, dark wood panels clad lower walls and in-your-face pink walls scream bold and out of place.
For sure the Jerk Center isn't fancy, but was busy during our visit. The clientele largely local Jamaicans out for a quick meal at a fast food price that doesn't break the bank.
Chef Wayne, who was welcoming and friendly, recommended we come later in the day next time when most menu items are ready to serve.
Jerk Center
"SIMPLE THE BEST FOOD HOME AWAY FROM HOME"
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerk-Center/166255533455055
193 N State Road 7
Margate, Florida
(954) 972-8422
(Below: All food served in takeout containers. The dining area at Jerk Center seats a total six guests)
ORIGINAL STORY LINK: http://www.margatenews.net/5626/90958/a/menu-at-jerk-center-authentic-but-just-okay read more