Summer in London for me is heat, spice and outside drinking. Of course, interspersed with the monsoon rainstorms and occasional flash floods customary to our fair isle, but in general as soon as that tarmac starts baking my step gets tapping along to the nearest open air bar for cocktails and something scrummy to eat. The spice? In a city inhabited by over 270 different nationalities speaking 300 different languages (and in my inability to afford a holiday), it would be rude not to…and let’s be honest…who actually wants to eat a summer’s salad? Over something spiced? No competition. Accordingly, set just off the common and with a decently priced menu, open front, deftly handed barmen and an August Jamaican pop-up, The Jam Tree in Clapham South has hit a most niche spot for me in London’s short summer of 2013.
Jamaica Jamaica is a temporary Jamaican food (no shit) pop-up taking place in The Jam Tree’s two locations in Clapham and Chelsea. Bringing island food to the south west, plus a rum orientated cocktail list and frequent Reggae bands, it is happening from August 6th-20th.
I went down last week to check out its opening. Having not eaten much Jamaican food before, whilst the opposite being true with the rum, I was psyched to get those greedy chops of mine around some good island grub. And indeed, I was not to be dissatisfied. Reasonably priced, toweringly massive mounds of well spiced, tasty food awaited me.
Jamaica Jamaica is a temporary Jamaican food (no shit) pop-up taking place in The Jam Tree’s two locations in Clapham and Chelsea. Bringing island food to the south west, plus a rum orientated cocktail list and frequent Reggae bands, it is happening from August 6th-20th.
I went down last week to check out its opening. Having not eaten much Jamaican food before, whilst the opposite being true with the rum, I was psyched to get those greedy chops of mine around some good island grub. And indeed, I was not to be dissatisfied. Reasonably priced, toweringly massive mounds of well spiced, tasty food awaited me.
 Salt cod fritters |  Goats Cheese, Jerk Pineapple |
Jerked pineapple with glazed goat’s cheese and roasted red peppers was my first surprise. Namely because it sounded ghastly (a tropical version of that horrid 80s cheddar and pineapple hedgehog canapé). But persuaded by the trustworthy looking maître d’, I took the plunge and was pleasantly surprised. Salty, moist goats cheese with the sweetness of pineapple….yep, it works and a bit of spice only tied it together more. Salt cod fritters, which I had been dying to try, went down red lane rapidly as did the jerk chicken with plantain, rice, peas and gravy. The chicken was on the bone which kept it uber juicy, the spicing was balanced and the gravy was flavoursome. My favourite dish of the evening was the curried goat with rice and peas. Deep, meaty nanny-bleating-goat in a thick sauce, hot with pepper, and tasty rice; indeed, a compliment from someone who has never regarded rice with anything but apathy.
 THE GOAT |  rum me up, scotty |
All washed down with a rather exciting cocktail menu, clearly centred on rum but utilising things like Jamaican Sorrel (a native flowering plant), coconut milk and even peanut butter. I’d probably go back just for the drinks alone!
And so, for an evening with friends, an evening of spice and probably entirely too much rum, check out Jamaica Jamaica at The Jam Tree this August while it’s still on. Whaa gwaaan.
http://www.thejamtree.com/clapham
13 – 19 Old Town, Clapham, London, SW4 0JT
020 3397 4422
And so, for an evening with friends, an evening of spice and probably entirely too much rum, check out Jamaica Jamaica at The Jam Tree this August while it’s still on. Whaa gwaaan.
http://www.thejamtree.com/clapham
13 – 19 Old Town, Clapham, London, SW4 0JT
020 3397 4422
