Jerk Center Bakery

This place has the most authentic tasting jerk chicken. When you eat it, you feel like your back in Jamaica. It’s a little small mom and pop shop with amazing food. The brown stew chicken is amazing as well and not too sweet like most places. I highly would suggest this place for authentic jamaican food.

Authentic Jamaican cuisine served in copious amounts, at a price that is commensurate with the serving. This is especially true during lunch, which is served daily from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The taste of the Jerk Chicken (and Jerk Pork) prepared at Jerk Center conjures images of the oil drum grills that line the strip on Red Hills Road, in Kingston, every night. Every bite provides evidence of a lengthy marination process that ensures flavour resides in every morsel, not just the skin.
Jerk Center lives up to its name by perfecting this common street food staple in a way that is uncommon, to produce a flavour that is common only to those who reside in the Commonwealth of Jamaica.

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
: 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
. 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»
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:

Small little Jamaican bakery with the regular Curry items menu. Its right on 441. There is hardly any place to sit so be prepared to take out. The Patties get sold out pretty quickly so gotta be there at certain time. The music is loud and people are friendly. The prices are cheap and they like other Jamaican places have cheap lunch specials which I don’t I will make it given the work schedule and how far these places are.
Since there are other places in the area that have decent Caribbean food, would prefer them over this place.