Taste of Jamaican's Kitchen — Restaurant in Brantford

Where do I start…. I want to share that I am a regular to this restaurant; along with my family. This review ISN’T based off going to this restaurant one time. I’ve spent so much money at this place, but they still can’t met the bare minimum in customer service. To add, I myself own a food franchise therefore, I have first hand experience and knowledge in such business(s). Treat your customers with respect and kindness and you’ll see your business flourish.

This restaurant always has a problem. Food: Very inconsistent. One day it will be good, and another day there’s burnt rice, burnt porridge, burnt ground provision, burnt stew peas. One time, I ordered from them on Skip the dishes and got burnt rice. Than my sister in law ordered from them a few minutes later; and guess what she got… burnt rice.

Portion: SOOO LITTLE. They are very stingy. I order plantin everytime, and sometimes you get 3 little pieces and other times 6, for the same price. I honestly think there going based on the day. For example, during the day, they might have more sales so they give you less. Rather in the night, they give you more because it’s stale and there trying to get ride of it. Cold-slaw same thing… a pinch is what you’re getting. Saltfish flitters = no salt fish in their opinion. If you don’t watch the lady at the cash pack you’re order up; you’ll leave with less than you paid for.

Customer service: Let me be clear, the male owner and the fare-skin young lady that works in the kitchen; AMAZING. You can see they take pride in their service. The other lady that works at the cash; VERY RUDE. She’s one of the owners as well; which makes this worst. I can’t stress this enough. You walk in and say hello and her attitude alone irritates me. I’ve called twice in the last 2 weeks after I place my order online just so she won’t mess it up. Both times, she hung up on me…. Yesterday included. Then, when I CALL HER BACK she’s like “how can I help you?” Uhhhh, you hung up on me. Than she proceeds to say “well I sent the driver out already with only one drink” (i paid for 2) and it’s the wrong beverage. You need to greet people with a kind gesture. Who’s going to want to talk to you when you skin-up your face like that everytime I see you?

Overall takeaway: The food is a hit or miss. But my main issue is the service. It pains me to see it as a restaurant owner myself. They really need to step it up. When smaller incidents happen at my franchise, I’m quick to resolve the matter with coupons, free beverages, a conversation, an apology etc. But I go in or order takeout at least twice a week, and none of them seem to care to help resolve the matter. If you made it this far, respect. I hope you’re visit(s) will be...

Come to this spot if you’re craving a taste of authentic Jamaican/Caribbean cuisine and your tastebuds will be happy long after you finished eating. The owner Kim is such a warm and friendly woman who is ever so grateful to have your support and to taste her food. She makes everyone feel welcomed, taking time to talk with them, cracking a few jokes here and there. The customer service is top notched. ( Ring the bell on the counter). Just be patient if it gets busy, this ain’t no fast food, this is good food. Trust me, once you taste it, you will be hooked on the deliciousness that will make you come back for more. The constant stream of customers from all backgrounds is proof that this restaurant serves good food. I opted to dine in so I was able to see everything in action. This place has good food and good vibes. I initially ordered the fish dinner, but it was so finger-licking good, I decided to taste a bit of everything. AND EVERYTHING TASTED SO GOOD. The brown stew fish, served whole with head included ( as they would in the Caribbean) was so good and was served with mixed vegetables and rice and peas. It had just the right amount of seasoning and while there was a slight peppery spice, it was not over the top. There are a variety of Jamaican-style juices to add to that feeling of authenticity, ie sorrel, peanut punch, beetroot with a tad of Jamaican rum), soursop etc. I love the choice of music in the background, it helped to create a relaxing environment ( perhaps that’s why I stayed so long). I could not help but to order more food and yes, that means I also ordered takeout so I can have more for later. They have all kinds of Jamaican dishes available on the menu ( oxtail, jerk pork, jerk chicken, curried goat, soup, seafood etc). We were having a feast. My son, who is a picky eater, was having the feast of his lifetime, eating everything and asking for more. He kept on praising the tastiness of each thing he tried. I wished I lived close to this restaurant cause I would be there everyday. But I definitely will make the trek there very soon, and I will bring more friends, too. Their cooking reminds me of my Jamaican grandmother’s cooking— and she could really cook. ( Don’t complain about bone in the meat, Caribbean folks like the bone in). If you are in Brantford and you haven’t visited this spot, you’re missing out. This is definitely a taste of the Caribbean. Come pick up your spirits and tantalize your tastebuds at Kim’s spot. The price is reasonable too. And you get good serving amount to full your belly. Come before 9 pm cause they’re not opened til late, and they’re closed on Sundays right now. Support small businesses. This place is a...

Tried the curried goat as I had never had this before. The portion size would barely have fed a child, let alone an adult. For $15.99 it was mostly rice & beans; there were 3 very, very small pieces of goat, and while it tasted good, they had so many teeny tiny bones in it, I had to pick them out of each bite or risk swallowing them. And there was hardly any meat on them. On another occasion I had a sweet tooth late and went in asking what desserts they had; all they had was some type of very heavy spice cake, which was $3.99 for about a 3-bite piece, and it was very soggy or almost under-baked, and the lady just tossed it on the counter in front of me - I guess when she realized I wasn't spending much the customer service took a nose-dive.

The 2 occasions I've bought here, I have never been greeted warmly or with a smile. I say hello and no friendly greeting. I get the distinct impression the woman at the front counter does not enjoy serving the public whatsoever, in which case why not put someone friendlier at the front counter? Or why even open a restaurant at all?

In addition, ever since they've moved in the sidewalk in front of the place is terribly stained. They toss out leaking garbage bags with grease or oil in them, and the sidewalk is perpetually sticky and stained. In summer this attracts wasps & hornets. Would it be too difficult to toss down a bucket of hot water and bleach a couple times a week? If someone as much as drops a popsicle in front of my house I'm out there with hot water, a splash of vinegar and a broom.

Try taking pride in how the front of your place looks, larger portion sizes, and work on your...