Jamrock comes to GT
By Oluatoyin Alleyne
Stabroek News
February 10, 2007
If you crave the taste of Ackee and salt fish then you no longer have to travel to Jamaica or elsewhere for that country's popular dish. Jamrock has moved into Georgetown by way of an entrepreneur who has had a burning idea in his head for a while now.
Paul Giddings, well known for bringing countless Jamaican singers to Guyana to perform, is the proud owner of the Jamrock Jamaican-Caribbean Restaurant and Grill on Camp Street where Jamaican and other cuisine would be served from next Friday, February 16.
Authentic curry goat, stew oxtail, brown stew chicken and fish and jerk chicken among other dishes will be prepared by a Jamaican chef brought right out of the reggae country.
The Scene took a peep inside the restaurant and was impressed with the modern stylish décor in the outstanding 'ites, green and gold'. Giddings has put the photographs of all of the Jamaican singers he ever brought to Guyana on the walls. The only setback for the restaurant is that because it is on a busy road there is not much place for parking.
Speaking to The Scene, Giddings made it known that he is "a very proud Guyanese" but he wanted to bring something new and different to Guyana, pointing to the proliferation of Chinese and Brazilian restaurants.
He said he was fortunate to spend a week in London and while there he had a good sampling of Guyanese Indian food and Jamaican food from restaurants, He said he ate everyday at the Jamaican restaurants and while doing so he got the idea of opening a restaurant in Guyana that would provide Jamaican food. "I felt that adding a Jamaican taste would be something new and different…"
When he got back from London he immediately started looking for a spot where he could open the restaurant and after some time he found it in the neighbourhood where he grew up. But it actually took a year and a half to bring the restaurant to fruition.
Just in case you are wondering, the restaurant is going to be 95% Jamaican and 5% Guyanese and as such there will be two or three Guyanese dishes on sale every day.
Giddings is of the view that once Guyanese get a taste of Jamaican food there would be no turning back and there would be a smooth crossover from Chinese food. "Once is enough," he said confidently.
The restaurant will be open from Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm but there is a small outside area called 'On the run' which will be open until 9 pm and from where persons would be able to purchase their takeout jerk chicken and fries. He said that during Cricket World Cup the restaurant will be open for breakfast, but this will stop after the
event and that service may be offered again some time in the future.
And Giddings noted too that Jamrock has been around for five years now as whenever he has a show he would have Jamrock stall; the restaurant is the bigger and established version.
The restaurant will have a staff of 13 and prices will be affordable, Giddings said, adding that some of the delicacies which will carry higher prices will be done on order.