Restaurant
Scotchies
Coral Gardens, St. James
An open air jerk centre east of Montego Bay where the cooking is done outside, over pimento wood, in front of you.
Why go
The jerk is cooked over pimento wood on open pans under a roof, which is the method rather than a style of restaurant. You order at the pit and watch it come off the fire.
It is the difference between eating jerk and seeing how jerk is made, and that is most of why it is worth the short drive out of the city.
Where it fits
It sits on the main road at Coral Gardens, east of Montego Bay on the way towards Rose Hall. That makes it a natural stop on the way to or from anything in that direction rather than a trip of its own.
It is a lunch or an early evening rather than a night out. Open sided, wooden tables, no ceremony.
Good to know
Pimento wood is the point
Jerk cooked over pimento wood is the traditional method and it is what gives the smoke its character. It is why this tastes different to jerk cooked over charcoal.
You order at the pit
Meat is cut to order at the pans rather than plated in a kitchen, which is part of the experience and also why it is worth going hungry.
It is outside
Open sided under a roof. Pleasant most of the time and worth knowing about in heavy rain.
Our take
Our view: if you eat one thing in Montego Bay that you could not eat at home, make it this. Go at lunch, sit outside, and do not order anything that is not off the pan.
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