De Jred - Tasty new Jamaican joint

I was highly anticipating the opening of this restaurant, and I finally made it in Tuesday.

The brown stew chicken was fantastic, with rich meaty gravy and tons of rice & peas and fried plantains. (I'm not sure what kind of peas these were, they looked like huge dark kidney beans to me.)


It also came with cabbage, but I opted for the salad instead


All this for less than $8 with tax, and it lasted 2 days. It was something I actually looked forward to snarfing the next day at lunch, and it was just as good the second time around. The chicken was really tender and juicy. If only I hadn't been pigging out on sugar lately, I would have ordered a nice fat piece of the rum cake too.

De Jred
4901 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077-2903
(847) 983-4582
Closed Mondays

I second your review. I was very surprised at how tender and juicy the brown stew chicken was. And it reheated very well the next time when i ordered a second one for late nite snacking. On one occassion the brown stew chicken was clearly prepared several hours before i got my hands on it and it was subpar. . not that it stopped me from devouring every bit of it. I suggest getting there around normal dinner time instead of around closing.

The jerk chicken was smokey on the inside, but i won't comment since i'm not a big jerk chix expert or afficianado. The curried goat is mild and tasty, but could be a touch more tender.

Overall this is a great value for your dollar, the staff are very warm and the brown stew chicken is perfect for this weather. . or summer.

I just tried De Jred, and I really enjoyed it. We had the curry chicken with white rice and ox tail with rice and beans. Both dishes were excellent, and the portions were generous, and plantains came with both dishes. This was some of the best Jamaican food that I have had outside of Jamaica.

The only downside was that the staff had trouble processing our credit card. They did not seem used handling credit transactions, though that should come with time.

Great food and great service! I am not sure whether this restaurant is well known yet, but it is definitely worth trying.

Ed K
http://localplatter.com

The peas are known as pigeon peas.

Jazzfood wrote:The peas are known as pigeon peas.

I have noticed that some Jamaican restaurants substitute kidney beans for pigeon peas, but still call the dish "peas and rice". I wonder if that is to cater to local tastes, since (canned) pigeon peas are available here. I for one, am not a big fan of pigeon peas.

My wife and I had dinner here last Thursday and, overall, enjoyed the meal.

However, the place was empty when we arrived and both of us felt a bit of a chill when we walked in. Later when we talked about this, both of us had felt strange enough about it where we both initially thought about turning around a walking out. First, there was a staff person sitting by a table at the door who did not even look up when we came in and second, another person at a counter in the back did the same. As it turned out, we were glad we stayed.

We were finally greeted by a third person who seated us and acted as our wait staff. Once we settled in and began asking questions about the menu and started talking to a little girl who turned out to be owner’s (and wait staff’s) 3 year old granddaughter things turned around.

The wife had Ackee and Saltfish and I had the Brown Stew Goat. Each came with three sides. Wife had a salad (ordinary), steamed cabbage and rice and peas for sides. I had the rice and peas, steamed cabbage and fried plantains.

Wife loved the Ackee and Saltfish (much too fishy tasting for me) which she had never had before. She said the fish was not too salty and she especially liked the Ackee which we understood to be some type of vegetable although we weren’t really clear about that. The goat stew was nicely seasoned and had a rich brown gravy. The meat, with bones, was tender and not stringy like other goat dishes I have had. Some if the pieces had bits of tendon connected to the bones which I really enjoyed. I also ordered two slices of Hardough Bread a thin sliced dense white bead that was great for sopping up the gravy.

Wife and I agreed that the Steamed Cabbage, a mix of cabbage, onions and, I think, peppers was outstanding. The dish was really seasoned well with just a hint of heat.

During the meal the man behind the counter came over to see how we were doing and the woman who waited on us came by a few times to see how things were and talk some more about the food. Both turned out to be really friendly and great to talk with.

While we were there another couple came in to eat and two persons came in for carry out. So, what started as kind of a weird evening ended up very well. We will be going back to try some other dishes.

d4v3 wrote:

Jazzfood wrote:The peas are known as pigeon peas.

I have noticed that some Jamaican restaurants substitute kidney beans for pigeon peas, but still call the dish "peas and rice". I wonder if that is to cater to local tastes, since (canned) pigeon peas are available here. I for one, am not a big fan of pigeon peas.

A couple of Jamaican friends have told me that most rice and bean dishes are called "rice and peas," regardless of what kind of legume is involved. Apparently kidney beans are common in this dish in Jamaica (most of the people I know hail from the Kingston area.)

I work a block from De-Jred, and have sampled various entrees at lunchtime. And like Pie Lady, my favorite is the Brown Stew Chicken, with the requisite plaintains, rice/peas and wonderful cabbage. I'm not an expert on Jamaican fare, but this is really good stuff at great prices.

My most recent visit was last Thursday, and it was pretty empty. But the owner/cook, the guy in a mini Cat-In-The-Hat, effusively greeted me like a long-lost buddy and wanted to discuss the World Cup while dealing up my lunch. His personality warmed up the place.

De-Jred could use some business, like so many other mom-and-pop gems.

jnm123 wrote:
De-Jred could use some business, like so many other mom-and-pop gems.

Great phrase, "gem". That's exactly what this place is. We went for the first time tonight and had a perfect meal with very friendly competent service.

Big Tasty Platter appetizer. (beef pattie in a pastry pocket, salt cod fritters, plantains, jerk chicken breast)

Shrimp in Sauce

1/2 Jerk chicken

Ice tea.

29 bucks included tax.

It was evident everything is cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients from some Jamaican grandma's recipes.

The entire place is also one of the cleanest places I've ever eaten in. So much so it stuck out that I had to mention it here.

Sounds promising -- can you BYOB?

bjt

I didn't see any signage promoting the idea. I'd call them and ask unless someone else posts saying they've done it.

Perfect setting for some Red Stripe.

Finally made it here today for lunch, empty when we arrived around 12:20 and only one other customer while we were there. I had the Brown Stew Chicken with Rice/Peas, Plantains and steamed cabbage. My coworkers both had the Jerk Chicken. Everything was really good, and though I was leary of ordering something called steamed cabbage, I was not in the mood for a salad (which looked pretty standard/boring when my co-workers got it). The cabbage also included carrots and I am not quite sure of the seasoning but it had a little more kick the main entrees and outshined everything else on the plate. Did have a few problems because the person who waited on us did not write down our orders but everything was quickly rectified and one of my coworkers ended up with a bonus side of cabbage. $10.25 for a very filling lunch with tip, I will be back for sure.

Found this place a couple of monthss ago when I was in Skokie around lunch time.(After searching the forum for places in Skokie)

I had the jerk chicken, rice and beans, and cabbage. It also comes with fried plantains. The chicken was moist and had a perfect spice to it, I did not know what to expect from the cabbage, but it is awesome. Everything was excellent and have been back many times since then.

I have been a lurker on LTH for a long time and have benefited from some great recommendations. I registered just so I could give this restaurant some publicity, it has been nearly empty each time I was in there and I don't want it to close.

ben1234 wrote: it has been nearly empty each time I was in there and I don't want it to close.

I'm sorry to hear that. When I last visited a few months ago, the owner wasn't too happy with the location on Oakton in downtown Skokie, because people seems to just drive by on their way to somewhere else. The village is experimenting with narrowing Oakton to see if slowing the traffic helps with its downtown renewal initiative, but I think all they're going to do is irritate motorists.
Kabul House seems to do better than Jred even though it's along the same stretch of Oakton. I imagine that KH's more visible corner location has something to do with it.
Jred puts a lot of effort into its cooking, which is clearly demonstrated by its excellent side dishes. Not a throwaway among the bunch.

I'll have to take Mr. Pie here. I really enjoyed my meal and since I've stopped eating lunch out during the week I haven't been back.

I had lunch here a few weeks ago and didn't love it. I'm no expert on Jamaican food, either but I thought that the curried goat and oxtail dishes -- while tasty -- were both way too salty. Our salad was nothing more than some spent iceberg lettuce with bottled, foodservice dressing. My favorite items were both on The Tasty (appetizer) Platter -- beef patty and codfish fritters. The beef patty was encased in a savory yellow pastry that was light and flaky on the outside. The meat filling was very tender and flavorful. Sadly, the jerk chicken breast on that plate was very dry and covered in an undesirable sauce, which completely obscured the jerk seasoning. I've always been under the impression that real jerk is cooked over wood/charcoal. What we had here definitely was not. In my admittedly limited knowledge, boneless chicken breast is the antithesis of what jerk chicken is all about, so this did not scratch the itch at all. From their menu, it appears that the only jerk chicken available is breast, which is a big bummer. I can definitely see the appeal of the home-cooking aspect of De Jred but based on our lunch there, I don't think jerk is their strength.

Walking back to my car after our lunch, I passed Kabul House (which is less than a block from De Jred) and experienced a strong case of diner's remorse. I hate to be negative about an independently-owned restaurant but I just wasn't into this place. I'll definitely return and give it another shot, though, based on my initial experience, it may not be right away.

=R=

Compared with what I've had there in the past, it sounds as if they have started cutting corners due to slow business. That would be depressing.

as i was walking down oakton to meet friends for lunch at kabul house, i stopped to talk to roy, the owner of de jred. he was sitting outside his restaurant, where there are a couple of park benches, smoking a cigar. i guess he had no customers inside. we stopped back after lunch and i got the brown chicken stew as a takeaway for dinner, on the recommendation of pielady. it was extremely moist, filling and tasty. also, enough for 2 generous meals. the chicken came with tender plantains, a heap of rice'n'peas (really beans), andcabbage/onions/carrots. all for $9 plus tax. i would definitely go back and order the same meal. justjoan

Was passing through this section of Skokie on the way between 2 local Hardwood vendors-
and remembered reading about this Jamaican spot- so I doubled back to check it out.

The place was quite empty. One deuce in a booth, and a to-go customer.

The man w/ graying long dreads (and a safety hair bonnet perched atop his natty dreads) took my order,
(the owner and chef, I presume?) which was a Beef Pattie and the dark meat plate of Jerk Chicken (small portion).

The Pattie came out microwave hot - tasty- although its shape and taste were exactly like Carribean American Bakery's
patties. Not that it's bad, necessarily to outsource ones food, but I generally like homemade, from scratch food,
in a restaurant. Call me strange.

My Jerk Chicken was NOT what I'd call "Jerk Chicken". There was a sweetness to the sauce that was all wrong.
The chicken was falling off of the bone- and had no smoke flavor- no real texture.
Compared to the Jerk at Tropical Time Jerk Chicken on 1st Avenue,
in Maywood- or the Kingston Grill @ 1164 Dodge in Evanston this Jerk was a slow 4th place.
The sides were pleasant enough-
but all of the flavors seemed "dumbed down" to my palate- as if, he was trying to plate out
more of an Americanized edition of Island fare- than what is considered "authentic" by Jamaicans.

If you "need" Island fare in that area- I'd reccd Kingston Grill on Dodge, below Dempster before I'd send others back here.

Hombre de Acero wrote:The Pattie came out microwave hot - tasty- although its shape and taste were exactly like Carribean American Bakery's
patties. Not that it's bad, necessarily to outsource ones food, but I generally like homemade, from scratch food,
in a restaurant. Call me strange.

FYI - almost every Jamaican place I know of sources their patties from Caribbean American, the good, the bad, and the ugly; if you've found an in-house pattie, it's a rarity. Some of the better places get one of those pretzel-factory-heating-lamp thingies to keep them hot, others have pizza ovens - and they obviously fare better with these heating methods than when nuked.

Most of the Haitian places (well, OK - the two Haitian places I know of) make theirs from scratch (or at least from puff pastry) because they're so different from the Jamaican ones.

FYI - almost every Jamaican place I know of sources their patties from Caribbean American, the good, the bad, and the ugly;

...yeah- so?
If almost every Chinese Restaurant in town outsourced their CarSiew Bao Buns or Eggrolls, would that make it acceptable?
If almost every Salvadorian joint outsourced their "Papusas" and/or Empanadas/Pastellitos would that make it OK?

Definitely not. My point, Mhays is that a small place, of this scale doing an ethnic presentation would be best served by
adding their skills to all of the dishes. If I ant Caribbean-American Bakery's patties- I'll go there and avoid the "service charge"

My go-to at this place is the goat curry. It's well worth working through some bones to get at the the tender, well-seasoned meat. As usual, the spicy cabbage with carrots was excellent. The generous portion of rice and peas (beans) benefited from the application of sauce from the goat. The only miss was the fried plantains; the boss seems to be making lunch dishes in advance so he can run lunch as a one-man show, sort of cafeteria style. Hence the mushy plantains.
I can get two lunches out of the $15 goat curry with three sides. A nice break from my regular lunch rotation. I am a bit worried about this place, as the village in its infinite wisdom is planning all sorts of street construction on Oakton this summer in its neverending quixotic mission to "revitalize" downtown Skokie.