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Peppa's Jerk Chicken
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
Parkside Ave (Q)
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
7 reviews for Peppa's Jerk Chicken
So, up until this afternoon, I had never had jerk chicken before. I searched it on Yelp to see what was good, and Peppa's was the first result. So I went and was indubitably impressed.
For one thing, this is the best chicken, as well as the best jerk chicken, in New York, hands down. Not too dry, well done, and falling off the bone. Perfect. Why I think it's the best regular chicken (and not just jerk) in the city: it is not very spicy by itself, thereby appealing to those with milder tastes. Of course, they do have BBQ and jerk sauce, the latter of which is vinegar-y and the kind of spicy which can be washed down with a Jamaican ginger beer. Be sure to ask which is which, since they do look somewhat alike. Of course, you can't actually dine in there, but Prospect Park is a block away. And even though the place is pretty bare bones, the staff is nice--they didn't have change for me, and they were very apologetic about it. Lastly, the price. In these tough times, you still cannot pass up a small order of chicken this good for $5. My only regret is not getting the medium chicken dinner ($8).
When I left, the waitstaff told me to come back, and I told them I would. And, friends, I was not lying.
The first place that I ever had jerk chicken was at the famed Danny and Pepper's stand, just across the street and down a block from this place. I tried a few others in the same area and as far east as West New York, but nothing ever brought down D&P's from their rightful place on the thrown. Unfortunately they closed down without warning a few years ago. I don't know the story, but questioning around led a couple to comment that the two had split, and thus was born Peppa's, one half of the original team.
So it took me four or five visits to overcome a prejudice born from the loss of my favorite place, but I have come around. This is the real deal.
The place has a simple layout, the counter divides the ovens and cooks from the hungry masses. Move up in line, order your bird, watch it get hacked, and collect your prize. The $5 small order of jerk chicken is more than enough for two when combined with a couple pieces of $1 festival. Ever since I first tried the stuff, a jerk meal seems incomplete without this sweet bread. It also helps soak up the grease.
The constant stream of customers means the stuff is always hot and fresh (although the festival is admittedly a bit stale on off hours), and usually comes with at least a ten minute wait.
This is a jerk / Jamaican takeout destination that is a favorite among reviewers at a certain other epicurean website that shall remain nameless.
I don't get it myself.
We can overlook the dinginess. We can, maybe, overlook the attitude from the staff (this is the kind of place where, if the 2 or 3 folks at the counter don't know you, they will ignore you for several minutes for good measure as you stand waiting to place an order, even though there is maybe only one other customer in the place). That just leaves the food, which doesn't leave very much.
The jerk chicken is just ok. Nothing extraordinary. It does have a slightly-smoky char flavor, and a little spice (really nowhere near enough of the latter), but without a very generous coating of the sauce on the counter that you add yourself, you might have a hard time distinguishing it from your average corner rotisserie chicken. And about that sauce -- there are two or three grimy bottles of unlabeled sauce on the counter that the staff pushes at you when your order comes out, as if to indicate that everyone likes sauce on their meat. Be sure to ask which one is which, or you may find that you've covered your chicken in hot sauce instead or bbq/jerk sauce.
At least the food here is inexpensive. An $8 order of chicken is good for a couple of meals (they also have meals of chicken with peas & rice and veggies; and there are the other usual West Indian menu items, such as stewed oxtails, curry goat, and rotis).
If you like jerk and don't act like one, this place is a winner. The menu is small and not posted. The minute you open the door to this hole in the wall, the scent of jerk will envelop you and your clothing. Nothing like a place that focuses on one thing and does it right. Order at the counter. The food is made by, and sold, to Jamaicans. Give respect, get respect. We got the large jerk chicken with rice and peas for ten bucks. It was enough for two. They pulled the chicken hot off the flames and chopped it to order with a machete. It's a mess of bones, meat and spices.
There are no tables, but they offered us up a stool from the kitchen and let us eat there. After a night of tennis dinner couldn't wait. The obscure reggae music and the fantastic homemade hot sauce added to the experience. Loved the ginger beer from Kingston with the big flavor and funky cat on the label. Next time, I'll taste the goat stew.
This jerk chicken was the truth, especially at 1 AM and within walking distance of my apartment. No encounters with rude waitstaff--everyone was very nice. My jerk chicken was falling off the bone with tenderness and don't let that black lacquer dissuade you from ordering; it's flavorful. The rice and peas were nothing to write home about but a 'medium' order was very, very filling and tasty. My only regret is that I did not douse my chicken with still more scotch bonnet pepper sauce. So glad to have this as a late night (24 hours) option in Prospect-Lefferts. I will be back.
really great authentic jerk chicken
spent the fourth scooting around brooklyn in search of something new and tasty. peppa's was the place for both. although a bit out of the way from my original destination, the brooklyn museum of art, my craving for jerk chicken needed to be indulged and satisfied. this little hole in the wall had the many qualities of a chinese take-out restaurant: the cruddy dark green counter-top, grimy deep-fryer, and impeccably rude service. except it was serving jerk chicken as opposed to general tso's chicken. after enduring 20 minutes of sheer awkward silence in a room filled with customers, the jerk chicken finally came out of the oven. it looked of perfection. the crispy and slightly charred skin. the moist and juicy bits flying all over the counter as they chopped up our $5 plate worth. they have other items on the menu but this is the popular item. we poured on the bbq sauce and devoured the chicken before it had a chance to cool down from the oven. all spice is truly an amazing marinade and never overpowering.
check out my blog http://whereiscid.com/... for pictures and reviews of other places i've tried.
