Jamaica Comes to LIC

I detest cafeteria food. For the most part, it's a smorgasbord of menu options that are unappealing, unappetizing, and at least for the one in my office, unhealthy.

I currently work in an area of Long Island City, Queens where there are few lunch options to enjoy. I prefer to brown-bag my lunch, but lately I haven't been as committed to the practice as I should be.

So, I’m stuck with cafeteria food (yes, I have only myself to blame). On most days, I settle with a soup or salad because the rest of the offerings are just unacceptable.

But this afternoon, the cafeteria surprised me with a Jamaican feast! There was jerk chicken, rice and beans, beef patties, collard greens, and barbecued corn. Guess what I had? Yup, a little bit of everything. Well, okay, more like a healthy helping of each!

The chicken was spicy and finger-licking good, the rice and beans were well flavoured and satisfying, but the greens and corn were real disappointments – they were just greasy and way overcooked.

The apex of the meal, of course, was the beef patty. It was flakey and spicy, just like I like it! Beef patties have always held a special place in my heart. First, they’re just damn good – I enjoy them toasted so they are crispy on the outside and warm on the inside. Second, they always remind me of my first childhood neighbourhood.

When I was very young, my family lived in Little Jamaica in Toronto and my brother, Big D, used to treat me to a beef patty every now and then. On days that I was exceptionally good (or more likely, he had a dollar and a craving for a patty), we used to stop in to a little shop on our way home from school and order a spicy patty to go!

Today's patties didn't match the authetic, homemade patties of Eglington Avenue West, but they were yummy!

Way to go LIC caf! Maybe you can do it again sometime!