Hunter Stidham
Google
Ripe Kitchen & Bar is described as a “glorified hole in the wall” by its owner. It surely is, and it’s a whole vibe!
Ripe is the vision of chef Nigel Spence, a Jamaican native who complete his degree at the Culinary Institute of America, following with time working at the Food Network, most notably Bobby Flay. In fact, his Jerk ribeye steak beat Bobby on his own show.
On my first visit, I had to try the steak, which according to the menu has sold close to 150,000 plates.
The steak is 16 oz. It’s a mix of lean and fat, and the menu is VERY clear about that. I would say the steak is probably about half and half, or maybe 60/40. I stuck to the lean, but that’s a me thing, not a them thing. The flavor is something I can’t describe, maybe because I’ve never had jerk flavor on a charcoal grilled steak before.
I thought it was delicious—grilled and seared on the outside, medium to medium rare inside. I requested medium, and it might have been a little on the rarer side of that, but it really was just perfect.
It came with tasty rice and beans as well as a refreshing green salad.
I also got a side order of spicy fries, which were hot and seasoned, in a huge portion.
I had the rum punch, which is quite strong. I was surprised, but their mojito is one of the best I’ve had. All of their drinks are simple—nothing fancy—tropical—things that make you feel like you’re on island time.
The decor also makes you feel like you’re on island time—bright reds, plants, photos of Jamaica. Spence has said in his own words that this will never be a white tablecloth establishment; he wants it unpretentious and wants his crowds tipsy and inclined to sing and dance at any moment. This is more than a restaurant, it’s a community!
Prices are super crazy reasonable. The steak meal was 32 dollars. Drinks 13-15.
Service laid back, but welcoming. You could tell they didn’t care who you were or where you came from, they were just glad you were there! The owner/chef himself bussed my table and was there helping his staff, and that means a lot to me.
The menu also has oxtail (only certain days), Rasta pasta, jerk chicken, a jerk chicken quesadilla, various iterations of plantains, shrimp, curry. I think next time I’ll either try to quesadilla or the pasta (which can be served with shrimp, chicken, or vegetarian).
The parking is street parking. The outside is pretty unassuming and you can pass right by if you’re not paying attention. On warm evenings they open their patio and have live music, otherwise they play reggae overhead. I went around six on a Saturday and was seated immediately, though there were already several tables occupied (it’s a fairly small place). I spent a couple hours there and by the time I left, several more people had come to the party.
It was all locals here. And everyone besides me was Black. That tells me I was in the right place. Can’t wait to go back.
