By Rosemary Parkinson, Freelance Writer
Creaston 'Richie' Richmonds serves up hot cookshop food to his customers at Uncle's in Montego Bay. - Photo By Rosemary Parkinson
Uncle's
32 Queen Drive
Montego Bay
Phone No. 979 1554
NOW WHAT does a young man from New York, living in Atlanta with a very 'uppity' consultancy job, who is mistaken for that madman in the movies, Martin Lawrence, and a cookshop in Jamaica have to do with each other?
Well a lot.
I got a call from Brian Nembhard of Kloran Wines (Linstead fame) asking me to pick up his good friend Reginald Raymond from the MoBay airport and transport him to Country Country in Negril. (By the way ah hear that Brian is making some serious waves across the U.S. (and Europe) with his incredible passion and knowledge of wines. Dem doan believe that a young black man from little Jamaica could turn dem 'ead 'round with all dat wine talk. Hello. Go for it Bro. Teach dem).
Anyway, he called about his friend the young man living in Atlanta. I am always late for airports. Don't know why but it's so and when me finally reached, could I find dis man? Forgetting to get a description of the personage was also a little stupid on my part and the lame 4 x 6 lined paper with his name written in ballpoint did nothing to help me.
Suddenly, out of the double doors came 'Martin Lawrence' and before myself and others could ask for an 'hautograph', he walked straight up to me, kissed me on both cheeks, introduced himself as Reggie Raymond and whispered, "Hey...let's go get some good Jamaican rice and peas and jerk chicken am ready for it baby!"
Well, you know I was in my element already. Straight to Uncle's I drove. It's close to the airport, as you turn off the roundabout to go toward Trelawny and right behind a small Nunez outlet for concrete accessories. It has just a door with no sign a very small and simple place with some hot, hot food, let me tell you.
The smiling, jovial Barbara verbally recited the menu from behind the counter. When I started with the too many questions she said, "Look speak to Richie" and gave an Almighty call that the dear Lord above must have heard loud and clear. Creaston Richmond, or Richie, came through the door in a jiffy. A bachelor of 26, dis man would make any self-respecting wooman a good husband. Bwoy, he can cook, let me tell you.
There are only four tables covered with those kitch flowery plastic tablecloths that can only look amazing in a cookshop at Uncle's. Believe me, from opening to closing time customers are constantly in and out. Just sit in there for a while, the amount of traffic matches MoBay and Kingston at rush hour put
together with take outs leaving the premises like large Christmas gifts in scandal bags.
Richie has been cooking at Uncle's since it opened about a year ago. From 7:30 a.m. 'til 6:00 p.m. he puts out some mean Jamaican fare. On this particular day Mr. Martin Lawrence look alike's request of jerk was not on the menu, but he did not hesitate to grab for the Curry Goat with Rice and Peas as quickly as he could sign a bogus autograph.
Get this menu for breakfast there's Ackee and Saltfish, Baked Beans and Saltfish, Okra and Saltfish, Mackerel Rundown, all with the usual green bananas, callaloo, dumplings and Johnnie Cake. Lunches and afternoon fare run from Curry Goat, Curry Chicken, Baked Chicken, Jerk Pork and Jerk Chicken to my all time favourites, Oxtail, Cow Foot and Cow Skin.
THE SURPRISING JAPANESE
CONNECTION
"Truth? I just cook up whatever I have available to me on that particular day," confesses Richie. To make matters even more special guess where he worked as a chef for almost four years before joining Uncle's? Sakura Japanese Restaurant at Half Moon Village, Montego Bay. So is Japanese food de 'bwoy' could cook and all. Now dat is man for you.
Uncle's does deliveries, take outs and even catering. "You can provide de food or we can prepare according to what you want," says this most amiable young chef as I continue to drill him. We were boisterous. Reggie 'the Lawrence' Raymond, gave us his Jamaican experience from previous visits, slowly falling into a little Jamaican twang
here and there as his New York/Atlanta skin began to peel off in the heat of this true Jah Jah cookshop. Eric (from McGills who had already joined me on one of my adventures to Uncle Sam in Little Bay remember?) was with us, having returned to his new love Jamaica for the second time in a month. Plus, there was Miss Melony, Office Manager at Country Country, who had taken the opportunity to ride into Montego Bay to buy necessary hotel t'ings. The company. The chat. One people. One love. One food. Fantastic. And a cooking-up-a-storm-bachelor, ready for the picking, in the kitchen hot and sweet.
I had half Curry Goat and half Brown Stew Pork. I begged for my usual chopped fresh Scotch Bonnet pepper and got it at the drop of a hat now that's a class cookshop. I need not expound further on how delicious it all was. Uncle's is just simply worth the visit. Leaving there with our bellies full, we rushed through a couple of stores in Montego Bay for exercise before heading to Negril but not before a stop at this cute little fruit stand for coconut water, papayas and pineapple for de tourist dem.
Jamaica sweet.
Rosemary Parkinson's wish is to live over a Jamaican cookshop, preferably overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Hey Reggie - now back in
Atlanta - can you cook?
