This week I visited two places that have been on my “wishlist” for years now – Caribbean Chicken & Fish, and Quickly.
I first read about Caribbean Chicken & Fish on Chowhound, via a post by Steve Drucker, whom I don’t know personally, but he was one of the first, if not the first person, singing the praises during the early Peter Chang dynasty. That to say, when he went on and on about how great the jerk chicken was, I took note.
I’d never heard anyone else say a word about this place, but funny timing, the AJC wrote about them earlier this month. I wasn’t aware until I saw the article posted on the restaurant wall last night. You can read it online here. Wait, you don’t have a login to AJC? Me neither.
Based on my Jamaican dining experience, which I can count on one hand, I’d say this place is pretty great, and we were getting the last bit of food near closing time. The jerk chicken is super flavorful, lots of spice, but not over the top. It’s super aromatic and intoxicating, and especially popping with the side of sauce they provide, which is reminiscent of a ginger spiced Worcestershire. Oxtails are good. Sides were varied and enjoyable. We had cabbage, plantains, and rice and beans.
The roti stuffed with sides and goat was also a fine choice, but I’d go with the Oxtail/Jerk chicken combo again over that. They are open breakfast lunch and dinner, and they offer quite a bit to try. I wish I lived closer, I’d go again this weekend, if that says anything.
Next up, Quickly on Buford Highway, the Taiwanese beverage hangout spot (no tables, only couches) that also serves chicken nuggets and similar fried snacks.
It was 100F and an orange slush sounded pretty damn good. I saw two women bring in their young ones for frosty drinks in the ten minutes I was there, and it seemed a good parenting move.
Here are the spicy chicken nuggets. The roof of my mouth is still recovering from the first fiery delicious nugget. It’s sort of like Chik-Fil-A nuggets, but saltier, spicier, and with even more MSG. In other words, amazing.
They are served with a little skewer for dainty eating. We wouldn’t want to get our grubby hands on those couches.