Pat’s Homestyle Jamaican Restaurant 416-304-0767 open Tues-Sun Lunch & Dinner, closed Monday
When the windows are fogged up, you know something good is cooking inside. Walking in, the smell of spices and hearty, home-cooked Jamaican food surrounds you like a warm comforting blanket. The space is small – no servers, just a few chairs line the room. Friendly faces welcome you inside from behind the counter.
The soup flavours change daily, but the hardiness stays the same. So satisfying is the curried, marrow-rich goat served over a bed of flavourful spiced rice. Oxtail is incredibly tender, fall of the bone terrific served with rice and beans. Fiery jerk chicken suffers from occasional dryness but is tasty none the less. The coleslaw is the best in town, sweet, lightly salted and creamy. I find a small container of any dish is often enough and reasonably priced. Don’t forget to stock up on Pat’s homemade ginger beer – soothes the palette with a healthy bite.
This is a great stop for lunch or takeout. Even after a long night out on the town this eatery is open (till 4am Thursday to Saturday) hitting the spot.
Wow! It’s been a couple years since I’ve been there.