Nestled off the Capital Beltway is a Jamaican Jerk Chicken shack that is serving up incredible food. Just Jerk, is a Jamaican lunch counter restaurant serving up authentic Jamaican cuisine at reasonable prices. When you locate Just Jerk you might be a little apprehensive, it’s located adjacent to a small strip of stores that could use some TLC. But march forward and ignore the exterior warnings signs, because what lies inside is what counts.
When you walk into Just Jerk you’ll notice a limited menu, which I think is by design, they stick to what they’re good at and don’t fuss around with crap that doesn’t need to be on the menu. Just Jerk offers jerk chicken, fish, and chicken or beef curry, beyond that you have some delicious sides to choose from to go with your meal. I went with the classic jerk chicken platter (dark meat) with rice & peas, fried plantains, and cabbage. To call this a feast would be an understatement, a platter is definitely enough for two people, but if you’re really hungry (like I was) you can finish a platter no problem.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that Just Jerk has local ice cream sourced from local favorite York Castle Ice Cream which has traditional style Jamaican ice cream and flavors. Along with the ice cream if you’re a fan of Jamaican soda you can get that here too with your meal.
But back to the food, the chicken is incredible. Not overly spicy but perfectly seasoned and prepared to a delicate perfection that the meat just melts in your mouth. Combined with the rice, plantains, and roasted cabbage and you have a Jamaican symphony of flavors dancing in your mouth. Everything about this meal was heaven, the side of coco bread is the perfect partner in crime as it sops up all the delicious juices that linger after the jerk chicken is in your belly.
Just Jerk needs to be in your life, it’s by far one of the best lunch meals I have had in a long time and I wish I lived closer so I could go here again, over and over.
