A good man and place to eat in Port Antonio

[sandman66]

On our recent trip to Port Antonio we stayed at Hotel Tim Bamboo. Breakfast was included every morning but otherwise we ate away from the hotel, something we always do while on vacation. Something else we usually do is really spread our money around, eating at as many different places as we can. Sometimes we will go to the same place twice in a 2 week trip, if we find it is worth a repeat visit. Although we had a car this trip I decided to park it after dark, seems like more crazy drivers came out then, especially the psycho motorbike drivers. So we would always walk somewhere for supper. We started the trip walking downtown for the first few nights but never found anywhere great, Piggies was good, and there's a place next door to the police station that served not bad fried chicken. Woody's Low Bridge had decent burgers, my wife really like the veggie. But they are about a 5-10 minute drive away from us. We had pizza a couple times, The Italian Job had the best we tried.
After several nights we turned the opposite direction down what I think is Harbour street, although the map says West street. First time we ended up at Anna Bananas. The food was good and the service was excellent. While walking back to the hotel we went by a small cook shop next to where many of the local fisherman hang out. I noticed the cook had a big pot of soup going. Now I hate to miss an opportunity to eat soup from the vendors in Negril, so I asked the guy what it was. He was a bit difficult to understand but what I got was that it wasn't ready yet. So we continued back to the hotel for our evening rooftop ritual. The next night we went back to Anna Bananas. Once again it was good, and once again the service was excellent. I have no problems giving them 2 thumbs up. Again on the way back to the room we walked by the same little cookshop. Its pretty clear this fellow caters to the locals, there was no signage of any kind and we were the only people that "stood out" in the area. I could see he had some tasty looking chicken cooking in a pot. We decided that the next night we could go back there and try his food.
To be continued.........

[*vi*]

I'm here Sandman, eagerly waiting the rest of the story and to see who this "good man" is. I've never eaten at Anna Banana but did meet a couple of folks who work there. What meal(s) did you and your wife enjoy there the most?

[Schuttzie]

Still tagging along, Sandman. Thank you for more updates!

[sandman66]

There is more. So the next night we decide to check out the cook shop with no name. We made the short walk there to find many pots on the go, heated with glowing coal inside home made steel wheel bbq,s. Now there is no way I will remember what exactly was being cooked, but things were smelling delicious. And speaking of egg sandwiches, well it turns out that is a regular thing offered, and I would eventually figure out they are very popular with the locals. We decided on chicken and rice. We had a choice of small or large. We both ordered the large. So the chef puts a generous portion of rice before filling the rest of the foam box with chicken and topping it off with a couple fresh leaves of lettuce plus sliced tomato.

[sandman66]

So we get our meals, and ask how much? 600J - for both not each! I gave him 1000 and told him to keep it all. 300 J for a good sized meal is possibly the cheapest I have paid in Jamaica - ever. We walked back to the room and sat there munching away - no talking LOL. It was delicious and we quickly agreed we would go back the next night.
The following evening we make our way back. This time we are immediately recognized, and made to feel very welcome. This time we hung around a bit, his chicken wasn’t quite ready, which was good because we got to have to conversation while waiting. I found out he goes by the name TJ (why do so many Jamaicans not use their given name?). TJ has a helper, who is there most nights. His name is Neil, and he also works at Trident castle. TJ explained he works long hours, starting in the late afternoon and often working till 5 or 6 the following morning. He used to cook at 2 storey “exotic” bar basically right across the street from where he has his little cook shop. I believe he wanted to start up on his own, and the fisherman who keep their boats (and bring in their nets, clean and sell fish etc) right there made room for him to set up. Eventually the chicken was ready and this time Rosie ordered a small, me the large. Total - $550. Once again I gave him the 1000.
Now it’s the 3rd night since our first stop and it was an easy choice to go see TJ again. He seems like a nice guy, its close, and the food is great, besides the low price. This time we are treated like friends. We had a bit of a wait again, this time it was as much our choice as anything else. We were enjoying talking with TJ and learning a bit more about him. He has a daughter, and carries a picture of her in his wallet (he showed us). I got a little more personal with him, and found out his real name is Kelvin. As we talk he is keeping busy, he seems to get quite a bit of business with people hanging around the area, lots a egg sandwiches. Something I remember him telling me is that he gives out food to people that have no money, and I really believe he was being sincere. TJ is not your typical Jamaican male -he is very quiet with a soft voice. I get the feeling he may get taken advantage of by the odd “bad bwoy” that hangs around, probably long after most people are in dream land. Now I can’t say I witnessed this, its just something I felt. I loved just standing there watching him, he was obviously proud to have his own place and he took great pride in serving good food, including rinsing off every single leaf of lettuce before placing them in your take out box. Tonight he had a big pot of soup on the go. Before we left with our meal, I mentioned I could smell it under the lid. He quickly grabbed a cup and filled it, then gave it to me. (No charge). It was delicious, but sadly that was the last time he had soup in our visits.
The following night was New Years eve. I am trying to remember the sequence of events, I probably talked about it in a previous report. It was more or less split into 2 sections. One part was spent at Anna Bananas where there was somewhat of a band playing, and we met up with our new friends from Washington DC. The part I really remember though is once again hanging around TJ’s. Rosie and brought several packages of those glow in the dark bracelets and necklaces, the kind you “crack’ then by chemical reaction they light up. Our last trip to Negril, 3 winters back, she also had brought down a bunch. We started that New Years eve at LTU, and by time we left for the beach pretty much every worker and customer was wearing some kind of glowing tube. Well this night I commented that I don’t think she should bother bringing them, its mostly just a bunch of angry looking fisherman hanging around. I couldn’t have been more wrong. At one point my wife was surrounded by Jamaican men, these guys wanted bracelets more than a little kid would, it was so funny. It didn’t take long before she was cleaned out, including the ones we had been wearing were given away.
The next night, where we once again went back to TJ’s, he had the expired bracelet looped around his necklace.
To avoid repetition, needless to say, we had all of our remaining evening meals at TJ’s. The second last night we ended up going quite late, probably around midnight. This was the night where I had a bit of an uncomfortable event, not with TJ, but a guy hanging around. But first, while waiting for our food I handed TJ a small bag (you know, the little black plastic ones). Inside of it was a box of new red and green Christmas lights, as well as a variety of small items we planned on leaving behind. He doesn’t have power at his shop yet, but he hopes to have it soon (time will tell I guess). While I was talking to TJ, Rosie walked over to the little bar next door to TJ. You can either go inside or there is a little counter where you can just get what you want without entering. Turns out this guy is trying to get her to buy him a beer. She told him to talk to me. So he follows her back and its obvious he’s a bit intoxicated, not sure if its just alcohol or what. He asks some of the usual questions (where are you staying?). At one point I talked about what I did for work, trying to humor him a bit. I asked what he does and he tells me he is a drug dealer. Not only is he a huge dealer, he owns the massive newer house just across the street and down a little ways (you could see it from where we were standing). I tried joking with him, man if you’re a big time drug dealer you should be buying ME a drink. He never really saw the humor and at one point told me about how he has guns and how he could go get his handgun. Eventually he realized I wasn’t buying him a drink, then he wanted 35J for a smoke. He never got that either. As soon I our food was ready (it took awhile as he was busy, which I would guess is most nights around that time), we said bye and got the hell out of there. I found myself turning around a few times on the short 2 block walk back to our hotel. Thankfully I guess Scarface gave up on us.
So now its our last night in Port Antonio and tonight we made sure to arrive earlier than the previous night. I think TJ must have noticed what had happened last night because he had chicken ready (sooner than usual for sure) and he must sensed we would be early tonight. Then something happened that is pretty rare, TJ gave us a bag I don‘t want to say a Jamaican has never given us anything because that wouldn‘t be true. But this was a little different. Before we left for the evening we got TJ’s mailing address. I don’t think he gets much mail so I hope the information he gave us is what I need. I am going to send a small package just to see if he gets it (I have his phone number). If he does, I plan on doing something a bit bigger. For now I will keep it to myself.
Back in the room with our takeout boxes, once again stuffed so full you can hardly close the lid. I tell Rosie to open the bag. Inside is a box - GIFT WRAPPED!!. What was in the box isn’t really important, but the fact that he made the effort to do this for us was unbelievable, I will never forget it. Kelvin is barely able to make a living and yet he took the time and effort to do this for us.

So what I am asking, is if you go to Port Antonio, make the effort to find TJ’s cookshop. He is just a little ways towards downtown from Anna Bananas, on the seaside of the road. Almost directly across the street from the 2 storey stripper bar. If things go as planned, there will one day be a sign on his little shack, but right now its just plain wooden shell with a hell of a good cook and good man running the shop. And don’t just take my word for it, one night the was a lady sitting down on a bench enjoying a meal from TJ. I assumed she was Jamaican but she was actually an American. She had a story similar to ours. She had walked by his place a couple times and eventually the smell lured her in. She enjoyed his food as much as we did.

[Summer]

Good read SM66, really enjoyed it. Any pics

[sandman66]

I feel bad because I have no pictures of TJ or his cookshop. But I did take a photo of one of his takeout meals. Yummy..


Here's a terrible sideways picture of the gift TJ gave us..

[sandman66]

Another of TJ's fine meals. We got to sample 2 different dishes of chicken this time..

[Bluez]

Great story, so nice to hear about such a hard working, honest and kind soul giving from the heart.