CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen is a tiny restaurant with heart.
Step through the doors of what used to be Duke's Coffee Pot Cafe and you'll find yourself enveloped in the yellow and green of Jamaica's flag and the enticing aromas of its cuisine.
"It's homey," Deon Harrison said. "You come in here and it is like you are sitting in our kitchen, watching us put everything in the pot and stir it."
Harrison describes himself and his wife, Cardell, as self-taught chefs who grew up cooking in Jamaica. Cardell Harrison also worked in a restaurant for several years before the couple moved to Brooklyn. After visiting some friends in Tucson, they decided to move here in 2005 and share their love for Jamaican food.
They built a following by firing up a grill outside The Hut, catering to the late-night crowds on North Fourth Avenue, before moving to the Boondocks on North First Avenue and then expanding to the Chicago Bar on Speedway (where they continue to serve from 9:30 p.m. until closing on Thursdays and Saturdays).
People are also reading…
The couple have taken part in Tucson Meet Yourself five years in a row, in street fairs, and in the Juneteenth celebration at Kennedy Park.
Since opening last May, CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen has attracted a number of those patrons, in addition to new faces drawn by word of mouth. The most famous, so far, has been rapper DMX, in town last October for a concert at the Rialto Theatre. Deon Harrison said DMX came in with about 10 people - filling three of the four comfy booths. He ordered the oxtails and jerk chicken, and asked for seconds on the chicken.
The Harrisons have applied for a liquor license and hope to offer their signature rum punch, in addition to imported Jamaican beer, in the next month or so.
The vibe
Bob Marley tunes and other roots reggae music play in the background. There are a couple of televisions, but the real action takes place behind the long counter where the Harrisons make everything on their menu. The lightly spicy rice and beans, for example, are served up from an impossibly large pot.
Even though many of the dishes pack a spicy kick, each table also has a diverse bundle of hot sauces. TapatÃo, Sriracha, and a few Louisiana and Jamaican hot pepper sauces (including scotch bonnet) wait to test your mouth's might.
Each table is topped with glass that protects maps showing Jamaica's 14 parishes. The maps, Deon Harrison explained, are popular with diners who are eager to show where they have traveled. "We get quite a few people who have been to the country and have a craving for the food," he said.
The food
A no-nonsense menu reflects a delectable range of Jamaican home cooking - with entrees such as jerk chicken that falls from the bone to oxtails, curry goat and steamed fish.
All meals are served with rice and beans, and a choice of two of three side orders - fried plantains, a cornmeal fritter called festival, or a steamed seasoned medley of grated cabbage and carrot. We opted for the slightly sweet and crunchy festival, and plantains fried to a deep brown with a luxurious sweetness.
Each meal comes as a regular or large portion (that for a dollar or two more can easily feed two).
We started our meal with sorrel, a tasty house-made drink that's brewed with a type of hibiscus and ginger. My companion had peanut punch - a rich, milky import from Jamaica that's served over ice.
My companion ordered the jerk chicken lunch special for $5, which included the sides. The leg and thigh were grilled with a spicy rub that formed a dark crust and kept the chicken moist. Hot peppers, garlic, pimento and scallions are among the nine flavorings used in the chicken, which is finished with a drizzle of homemade sweet-and-tangy tomato-based barbecue sauce.
I decided to be adventurous and ordered the curried goat, which came spiced with turmeric and ginger. The goat is prepared with the bones, which is important for its authenticity and flavor, Deon Harrison explained. But that also makes it tricky to eat - ask for another plate to discard the bones. Food this flavorful is worth the hassle.
For vegetarians, there is curry with veggie chunks, made with soy for a meaty texture. The vegetable patties are pastries filled with cabbage, carrots and corn.
Even the dessert had a kick. The rum cake, dark from burned sugar, had bold flavors of cherries, green papaya and watermelon - an energizing end to a meal.
If you go
• What: CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen, 1070 N. Swan Road.
• Hours: Open 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays; closed Mondays. The $5 lunch special, which includes any style of chicken or beef, is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
• More info: 795-3400.
THE BILL
• Sorrel ($3)
• Peanut punch ($3)
• Jerk chicken ($5)
• Curry goat, regular portion. ($12.50)
• Rum cake ($3.50)
Total before tax and tip: $29.46
Inger Sandal contributed to this report. Jackie Tran is a University of Arizona student who apprenticed at the Star. Contact him at 573-4128 or at starapprentice@azstarnet.com
