A nice evening with friends discussing Jamaican cuisine left us with, well, a hankering for Caribbean food.

However, there was one little problem: we had already decided to join some other pals at a new sushi joint in Orleans. Serendipitously, the restaurant was packed, and, without reservations, there was no way we were getting in.

I glanced at the strip mall across the street and noticed a sign advertising authentic Jamaican food. This was cosmic intervention. We were destined eat Jamaican food on this Saturday evening. So, our group of three happily trotted across the road to Fishys Original Jerk, which owner Jamie opened with his family in 2022.

Right off the hop, we knew this place was special. People filed in to pick up their takeout orders of oxtail, goat curry and roti. Several kinds of fried fish and peppered shrimp sat behind a glass counter, calling our names.

For this meal, I was joined by my friend Maya, who was visiting from Montreal and her friend Faisal, an Ottawa-based family doctor. Bonding over our shared love for Caribbean curries and dishes made from offal, Faisal and I become quick friends too.

We ordered an assortment of the fried fish sitting behind the glass display and a bag of the peppered shrimp. Yes, it comes in a bag, and you deshell it and pop into your mouth as you would with a pack of chips. It was semi-dry and boiled with peppers. A yummy appetizer.

For the main course, we ordered the curried goat roti, oxtail and a soup called manish water. All three were so good we couldn’t choose a favourite.

The goat roti, one of my favourite dishes in the world, was served with deliciously spiced tender goat meat that was falling off the bone. Faisal said he would eat it every day if he could. The oxtail was served with the ubiquitous red-bean rice and a zesty salad. It came in a rich stew which paired well with the rice. Our conversation was punctuated with bouts of ‘oohs’ and ‘yum.’

If I had to choose the most unique dish on the menu, however, it would have to be the manish water. One order was enough for three of us to split. The well-spiced stew is served with tripe and generous chunks of goat. We were informed by our Jamaican friend the next day that the dish takes its name from its supposed male-virility boosting properties. The Internet tells me certain believe it may be an aphrodisiac and is sometimes given to grooms on the night of their wedding.

We washed down our meals with Irish Moss, a Jamaican beverage made with red algae boiled in milk, with sugar and various spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. It reminded me of Mexican horchata, both in terms of flavour and taste.

We thanked Jamie and his staff for their excellent hospitality and left glad that we chanced upon their restaurant by happenstance, promising to return to try more of their magical dishes.