Note from Editors: This restaurant has since closed. 8/23/07

Can You Handle It?

To let you in on a little secret, The Jerk Pit is not where to send your least favorite friends, though the restaurant name may fool you. The word jerk alludes to the spicy “jerk” sauce, unique to authentic Caribbean cuisine. Rest assured there are no jerky people on staff to bully you into ordering the hottest dish on the menu, however it is worth the dare. Consider this your warning, though: Jerk Pit food is not for bland taste buds, so an extra glass of water may be required.

The interior of this casual, BYOB eatery is a medley of warm hues with a lively mural of peppers to stimulate your senses. Opposite the painting are three shadow boxes housing watercolor paintings alongside an African mask. He appears to be there to ensure all guests are happily fed. The menu offers salmon burgers, wings, red snapper, peppered-shrimp, jerk pork ribs and oxtail stew, all slathered in Jamaican-style seasonings. And there’s a fridge full of tropical juices to wash down all that flavor.

I sat down to a colorful plate of jerk shrimp with the jerk chicken across from me. Each dish came with a choice of two sides and either barbeque, jerk or spicy sauce. I opted for spicy, which was a step down from Tabasco. The meat was a bit overcooked but I had to take the sides home to savor the next day. I sampled the creamy macaroni and cheese, heavily salted and peppered green beans and fried plantains, sweet enough for dessert. Everything on the heaping plates was filled with enough flavor to knock you off your chair. The Jerk Pit isn’t shy with the pepper-shaker and a perfect place to dine for those who like it hot. I told you to get your water ready!

There is one minor complaint I have. Since there was no menu on the wall to order from and no nearby server or sign that read Seat Yourself, it was unclear whether to order from the counter or the table. (When dining out, I guess I like to be taken care of.) However, the tastiness of the food took over and I soon forgot about that small gripe. After reading this, now you can walk in The Jerk Pit with full confidence that you can just pick a table and someone will come for your order.

When the check came, which was about $20 for two, more than just the reasonable prices satisfied me. Atop the receipt were two Lifesavers and two wet naps to wipe away all evidence of spicy color left on our fingertips. In my opinion, it’s always the little things that make people come back for more and I would gladly return to The Jerk Pit.

Should you find yourself bored with your usual restaurant hangouts, I’d recommend braving The Jerk Pit, open every day except Monday. You don’t even have to leave the house because they deliver and cater for special occasions. To experience a taste of Jamaica, it is nice to know you don’t have to fly straight to the islands. Just go to The Jerk Pit and celebrate how much money in airfare you just saved!

The Jerk Pit
446 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair
(973) 509-JERK

— by Michele Santo
Michele, a NJ dweller for twenty-four years, takes exit 120 off the Garden State Parkway. She fears leaving the house without a pen and is known to put way too much ketchup on her food.

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