CLEVELAND — On July 17, downtown Cleveland will welcome a new and novel dining option, one built around intoxicatingly spiced jerk chicken. UJerk is not the city’s first Caribbean-style eatery, but it does promise to do things a little differently – starting with the playful name.
“We knew that it stood out, especially when you walk past an orange awning in downtown Cleveland and it says ‘UJerk,’” explains owner Jeremiah Perkins. “It piques a lot of interest; we want people to talk about it.”
UJerk is brought to us by Perkins, a Shaker Heights graduate, and partners Jon Manning and Jenna Murphy. They describe the concept as a Jamaican-themed restaurant infused with American-style dining. Guests who make their way into the shop at E. Ninth and Euclid can expect a festive and colorful atmosphere with artwork, Caribbean music and seductive smells emanating from the grill.
“It’s going to be like a taste of Jamaica,” Perkins promises. “When you come in here, you’re going to feel like you’re on a beach, that you’re away for a little bit.”
Jamaican food fans who are used to seeing a standard menu populated by classics like braised oxtails, curried goat, steamed cabbage and fried plantains will instead find an easy-to-follow fast-casual menu format built around salads, wraps, sliders and bowls. Diners start by selecting from a choice of proteins like jerk chicken, spicy tuna, shrimp and crab, and jerk falafel, a vegan option.
Those items are available in the form of salads, wraps, sandwiches and a “snack pack” of three sliders. Jerk chicken, the star of the show, is also available in platter form with a choice of sides. On weekends, the kitchen will roll out a special called “Rasta Pasta,” a cream-based pasta with a kick.
That jerk chicken gets its flavor from a “secret recipe” devised by the Jamaican-born chef,” says Perkins.
“What sets us apart from all the rest are the spices,” he reports. “These spices are original and made from scratch.”
While the heat factor is admittedly tame by Island standards, the restaurant offers a line of sauce options that range from barbecue and sweet and savory pineapple to “not for the faint of heart.” And yes, those sauces are available for purchase on their own.
Perkins says that the restaurant is built from the ground up for quick, efficient and friendly service, which includes pickup and delivery.
“We wanted to create a lunch spot where people can dine on a day-to-day basis,” he says. “We’re in the heart of downtown.”
And as far as health and safety are concerned, he adds, “Our main focus right now is making sure that everybody is safe. We’re taking all the measures and preliminary precautions to ensure that so you can get great food and be safe at the same time.”
Even before store number one has opened its doors, the company has their eyes fixed on expansion.
“We’re already thinking about opening Columbus,” Perkins admits. “We want to expand, we want to grow.”
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