Seriously Easy-Going in Jamaica, Queens!

Roar! With all the lousy weather we've been having here in New York, I decided I needed to liven things up with a little Caribbean flavor! So the other day I hopped on the J train and headed out to Jamaica, Queens to explore the neighborhood and try some local cuisine!

Maybe that wasn't the most honest introduction. Jamaica, Queens actually has a really rich history and nothing to do the island of Jamaica. It was originally the the Dutch settlement of Rustdorp. Then after the British took over New Amsterdam they renamed the settlement Jamaica after "Jameco", the Lenape Indian word for beaver! How fascinating! Many notable people have lived in Jamaica over the years. Here I am in front of Rufus King's manor. Turns out he was the only hip-hop artist to sign the US constitution! I never knew that! Roar!

Even though the founding of Jamaica had nothing to do with the Caribbean island, because of its name many Jamaican and other West Indian immigrants settled here when  moving to New York. Now Jamaica has one of the largest West Indian populations in the city! Here I am over at the pedestrian shopping mall on 165th street. There are a lot of awesome stores here specializing in everything from clothing to cell phones! There are also a bunch of great restaurants featuring tons of different Caribbean food for me to try!

Here is the King's Fish Market and YJ Fried Fish. They share the same building so you can go into the fish market and pick out some fresh fish, then go right next door and have them cook it for you! I can't wait to try some!

Oh yeah, that is some fresh looking Blue Snapper! I think I'll get some of that next door! I was hoping they'd have some Green Snapper but it turned out I was fresh out of luck! Roar!

 

The YJ Fried Fish restaurant had this great sign about how "healthy" food will keep you healthy. I don't know how good the fish and chips I ordered will be for me but it sure will help keep me warm on a cold day!

Now that is some healthy looking food! It tastes absolutely delicious though, and that is definitely some really fresh fish! Roar!

Next I went over to the food court in the shopping plaza and got myself a red and roti! A roti is a common dish found on a lot of islands in the Caribbean. It consists of a roti (the Indian flat bread, brought over by Indian immigrants) filled with a curried meat (in my case I got curried chicken). Red refers to the color of the soft drink, normally a yummy Red Pop! Together they make for a super sweet combo and one heck of a filling meal! Roar!

It was a chilly day out and even after all the food I had just eaten I was still feeling a bit hungry so I got this delicious hot beef patty! It sure did warm me right up!

Finally, after eating all that great food I decided to do some shopping! Here I am out side of the Just Green store! I think this place might have been meant for me! Maybe I'll stop in and see about purchasing one of these "lids" I've heard so much about! Roar!

I think this one might be just a liddle big! Roar!

Jamaica also has a really great music scene. A ton of notable musicians have gotten their start here including, 50 Cent, A Tribe Called Quest, Ja Rule, Grafh, Run DMC, The Lost Boyz, Nyce, O.C., Superstar Jay, and Waka Flocka Flame! The neighborhood is so famous for music that I wasn't at all surprised when I saw the Blue Man Group hanging out in the shopping plaza! Clearly they know where it's at! Roar!

Jamaica is a pretty fascinating neighborhood! Not only is there a bunch of great food and local history to be found here but the neighborhood itself offers a startling mix of old and new! Here is one of the many old churches in Jamaica nestled right up against the modern Jamaica Hospital! This type of contrast in pretty common in New York city but I rarely see it as prominent as it is in Jamaica! I wonder if this type of aesthetic had any influence on Donald Trump when he was growing up here? Regardless, Jamaica is a neighborhood definitely worth visiting, if not for the insights into New York history, then definitely for the food! Roar!