Jamaica Patty Co. Both spicy and bland. 29.7.25

 

Jamaica Patty Co. Both spicy and bland. 29.7.25

New Road, Covent Garden.

 

A person and person walking outside a restaurant AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

Not quite London Chinatown/ Soho but close enough that I feel it doesn’t matter. Restaurants and takeaways offering West Indian food is rare enough that when I passed by this Jamaica Patty Co. outlet in Covent Garden, the decision to stop there for lunch was not difficult to make. Much as I love noodle shops and fried chicken, it was refreshing to see something slightly more niche. Jamaican food does not get a lot of love in the mainstream media and I think that’s a shame. I don’t know enough about Jamaica or its cuisines to say much more than that. So, let’s get to the eating.

 

The outlet was one among many in New Road. There was an impressive array of patties on sale as well as some hot meals – thinks lie saltfish and Ackee, curried goat, and the like. All served up with beans and rice. I settled on a curried goat with rice and beans. All washed down with a Old Jamaica ginger beer. The curried goat was served up in a large circular paper cup. I admit that I was expecting some sort of plate with proper utensils. What I got was that cup, a small wooden implement and a napkin. I was kind of put off by that but I get it – it saves on mess and hassle and given how fine margins are in the high street food business, both understandable and acceptable. In the end, it’s all about the food. So, how did the food taste?

 

A bowl of food on a table AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

The curried goat must have been cooked for some time because it was very tender. That’s about the only good thing I could say about it. It managed to be both spicy and bland, which when you think about it, is quite some feat. As a bald guy, my scalp starts perspiring the moment I eat anything spicy and this was pretty spicy. At the same time, it was remarkably bland. If I wasn’t eating for a review, I would have probably abandoned it. The rice and beans were so-so.  A real disappointment. I cannot believe that this is what Jamaicans would expect.

My biggest regret was not ordering a patty on the side. I think that if you want to write a fair review, you need to try several dishes to get a broader overview. So, all I’d say is try the patties, they might be better but the curried goat on the day was a huge disappointment. Service was friendly and fast. The restaurant was clean and attractive. But we’re here for the food and that was a letdown.

Think the bill came in at below £20.

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