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Jamaican food, lunch wagon style

by on Jun. 12, 2010, under Health, Life

Delicious authentic Jamaican food can be found at D & D’s Island Grill JA lunch wagon, decorated in the colors of the Jamaican flag: black/yellow/green. Danny Heath (from Kingston) and Duwayne Hall (from Morant Bay) are the entrepreneurs behind this lunch alternative in Tucson. I like ordering at lunch wagons which are ubiquitous back home in Hawaii.

flag of Jamaica

flag of Jamaica

D & D’s serves: curry goat, curry chicken, jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, fried fish, oxtail stew, beef patties, along with rice & peas, a vegetable of the day, and cornbread. They also have soda, water, and exotic, tropical drinks such as “watermelon splash”, and sour sop with lime or milk.

Some of us like sour sop (also known as guanabana in the Caribbean) back home in Hawaii but not usually as a drink. I tried the sour sop with lime drink and it had a tangy, fresh flavor. (We usually just eat sour sop fruit pealed and fresh.) But now I may try to juice this fruit and add some lime, Jamaican style.

Location of this lunch wagon: 6245 E. Broadway (NW corner of Wilmot), behind the Chase Bank, in a shady parking lot with a beige canvas canopy with chairs & tables for eating under the trees. Phone #s for information or catering: 520-861-2271 or 520-867-0100.

I ate the jerk chicken combo meal for lunch and it was some “irie” (some good). My combo came with lots of chicken & sauce, rice, boiled cabbage, and cornbread. Next time I’ll be braver and try the curry goat (don’t think I’ve ever had goat before).

D & D’s lunch wagon is open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and there was a long line of hungry customers behind me yesterday, attesting to their popularity.

Try some international food!

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  • erniemccray

    Thanks, Carolyn, for this great news. I know the first place I’m going to check out the next time I’m in town. I’m assuming, knowing what Jamaicans can do with cabbage and the like, that there will be enough fare for old weird vegetarians like me. Enjoy your goat while I gag (smile). Take care.

    • Carolyn Classen

      Not sure if D & D’s has enough for vegetarians, but there’s always the fried fish.  Another Jamaican restaurant on N. 1st Avenue (north of Grant Rd.) is supposed to open some time (which I’ve been waiting for).  I’ll let you know when it does, but it has large signs posted and the same colors on the restaurant exterior.

      • erniemccray

        Tucson has come a long way as far as eateries go over the years. I like the international touch. A find for me, as a vegetarian, has been The Garland (I think that’s the name) in my old neighborhood.

        • Carolyn Classen

          Ernie, you’re right, Tucson has more international cuisine now.  I just drove by the aforementioned Jamaican restaurant on N. 1st Ave. and noted the name as “Caribbean platinum Restaurant”.  There were 2 guys working on the property so I guess it will open soon.  The better vegetarian restaurant than The Garland (still there on Speedway) is Loving Spoonfuls at 2990 N. Campbell (SE corner of Blacklidge).  You have to try it when you’re back in town. A bunch of us TC.com bloggers ate there in April and it was fantastic, with a calming Asian like ambience.

          • erniemccray

            Hey, I’ve got to write all this down. By the way, do you guys get together on a regular basis? I would love to meet some of you when I’m in town and wouldn’t mind coordinating a trip to do so.

  • Carolyn Classen

    Ernie, unfortunately we bloggers do not meet regularly.   I tried organizing a few get togethers but the interest seems to have died off.  There are bloggers/citizen journalists at this site I have never met and may never meet.  Aside from yearly trainings, there’s no social contact.

  • Don Smith

    Hey Tucson—if Carolyn says its good, take it to the bank.  She tipped me off to Lani’s Luau (at the southern end of the strip mall on the NW corner of Golf Links and Harrison).  If you haven’t tried Lani’s, drop what you’re doing and go now.*  If you don’t like Hawaiian food—you will.

    I’ll be visiting the Island Grill lunch wagon pronto.

    *Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks Don for the compliment, but no food compares to Lani’s in town, my favorite Hawaiian place.  She and her husband Zane are also so full of the “aloha spirit”.  Glad you found it.

  • http://www.sonjarose.com Sonja Rose

    Thanks for the tip on where to find Jamaican jerk chicken in Tucson, Carolyn! This town never ceases to amaze me.  We had Jamaican chicken first hand while ona  family vacation there in 2008 – yum!  My husband and I also love visiting the shrimp trucks (Mackey’s shrimp truck in Haleiwa is our favorite) in Hawaii.  Let me know if you ever find one of those around here!

    • Carolyn Classen

      And Sonja Rose stay tuned for the opening of that Caribbean platinum Restaurant on N. 1st Ave. (north of Grant, east side) which I’ve been watching over the months.   We all have to try their jerk chicken as well.

  • http://tucsoncitizen.com/karynzoldan Karyn Zoldan

    Here’s another Jamaican restaurant called CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen. It took about a year to open.

    1070 N. Swan Road (just south of Speedway)
    Tucson, AZ 85711   phone – 235-4973

    I haven’t eaten there yet but was told they have four booths.

  • julie

    Caribbean Platinum is supposed to open next week.  It is next door to our office and he just brought us some of the best chicken I’ve ever tasted.  YUM

    2504 (?) N. 1st Ave.  Yummy!

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks for the heads up Julie on Caribbean Platinum restaurant’s opening.  I will be sure to drop by next week, on E. 1st Avenue, north of Grant Rd.

  • Charmaine

    D&D’s is the real deal. I am not only Jamaican but I definitely know how to cook authentic Jamaican food and I really enjoy their food.  I know when authenticity is compromised sometimes for the sake of attracting a wider audience, and that is so not the case at this spot.  Whenever I want a break out of the kitchen but still want some Jamaican food, that is where I go, and they are totally on the “other side” of town for me.  The ride from Marana however, is so worth it and not only is the food great, both Duwayne and Danny are such cool and genuine dudes and the vibe/energy is just really relaxed.  Duwayne also has some respectable professional training as well having worked at the Flying V Restaurant at Loews Ventana Canyon (and described as a Pit Master while there) for many years, and together with Danny’s cooking skill creates a perfect marriage.  OK I’ll stop, but I really enjoy the food at D&D’s and in case you didn’t get it, I totally recommend them for great Jamaican food in Tucson. :-)

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks Charmaine for your praise of D & D’s Jamaican lunch wagon.  I liked eating Jamaican food at Tucson Meet Yourself, but that was only once a year, so now we can all get Jamaican food year round.   Glad to hear that Duwayne and Danny are such great guys too.

  • Carolyn Classen

    Tucson Weekly’s Best of Tucson 2010 Staff Pick award went to D & D’s for “Best Jamaican Food Truck”, page 77 of today’s issue.  Of course, they are the only Jamaican food truck as well in town (ha ha).

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