The first thing you notice when you walk into Linstead Market and Island Cafe is the pumping reggae music, which is fitting, given that the specialty grocery store is named after a Jamaican folksong.
Owner, Delcita Mitchell opened the store 15 years ago on Lexington to cater to Caribbean transplants and the local community. Last year, she moved Linstead to Central Avenue, hoping that the new location would be busier--and it has been, she says.
Mitchell carries a large selection of African and Carribean mainstays, including ackee, the national dish of Jamaica, callaloo, jerk seasoning, curry powder, pounded yam, plantains, and farina. She also serves a range of Island dishes at the Jamaican Grill, which is the cafe side of the business. The handwritten menu behind the cash register announces a mouth-watering array of traditional prepared foods including curry chicken, oxtail soup, porridge, jerk chicken, ackee and cod fish, and brown stew snapper. Mitchell does a bustling lunch business. Customers can sit at one of the metal and formica tables at the back of the store or take their food to go. Prices start at $1.50 for a beef patty or fried chicken leg and go up to $14.50 for a dinner of ackee and cod fish. All dinners are served with cabbage and plantains, and your choice of white rice and peas or dumplings with yams and bananas.
"Come in and try the food," Mitchell urges. "It's tasty."
Linstead Market and Island Cafe is located at 109 Central Avenue. The store is open Monday through Saturday 9am-9pm. For more information, call 434-0092.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment