Curry Par - Curried goat at Moby Dick x Sharmz x Murray's
Watch the NEW episode of #DownDiRoad below, but continue reading for the photo gallery, and more info on Moby Dick, Sharmz & Murray's.
BOOM! Wah gwaahn?!?
Remember when we were supposed to go on a food journey? We kinda took a wrong turn along the way, but these things happen when a Jamaican tells you "yea man, just gwaahn down di road!"
So quick and fast let me tell you what this adventure is all about. Being "out of many one people," results in Jamaica having a melting pot of food and worldwide cultural influences. Curry goat and curry in general is a favourite among Jamaicans. 8 times out of 10 when I get myself a boxfood, I'm asking for curry goat gravy on it. With a strong Indian background and influence, curry is just a thing that us Jamaicans have adopted into our food culture.
Now I don't call myself a foodie, however I am cultured enough to have tried a wide range of cuisines. Curry goat for me has always tasted the best at a dead yard. For the non-Jamaicans out there; dead yard is the tentative name given to the home of a recently deceased person, where a group gathering is held called a nine-night or set-up and usually comprises of tributes, hymns, food and alcohol. I can't go to a dead yard everyday for food though right? LOL
With that in mind, as a Kingstonian you mix and mingle of course with a lot of Jamaicans who commute into the capital city daily, whether for work, school or entertainment. Everybody has their local cook shop, or a place that has the best curry goat! Moby Dick Restaurant, Sharmz Curry Pot & Lounge, and most recently Murray's Fish & Jerk Hut have all come up when curry talks come about. I decided to round up the squad and do a little experiment, which would be a taste test and comparison so I could finally put the debate to rest. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING! This was one of the hardest things I've ever done in life!
A little backstory. Mrs. Morlyn Mangaroo-McBean opened Moby Dick in Downtown Kingston with her late husband in the 80's. Originally they specialized in seafood and pork, but because her devout Muslim faith did not permit her to consume pork, she soon after changed the approach and focused on curry based cuisine which was a nod to her Indian heritage (her Grandmother came from India) and of course the food she loved to cook. A few years later, her sister Charmaine decided to try her hand at the restaurant business, & soon after Charmz was born on Job Lane in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Both have gained cult-like followings and are two of the most popular destinations for curried goat, islandwide!
Murray's Fish & Jerk Hut is wayyy in Clarendon and focuses mainly on a completely separate offering (fish & jerk). You would think these restaurants have no connection whatsoever, but this is where the story gets interesting. A little known fact, is that for many of the events that Murray's caters to, the Head Chef from Sharmz Mr. Fitzroy Morain is behind the curry goat pot and is a lead team member. Fitzroy hails from Clarendon & has both known and worked with the Murray family for many years, so with his experience plus the influence of Ms. Charmaine, the curry goat offered by Murray's still ends up being a part of the family.
It's an interesting connection that these restaurants have, and at the end of the day I still don't know which one has the best curried goat, but to all of you out there, I'd say take the trip and try out these places for yourself. Let me know which one is the nicest, and let me know who you think has the best curry goat in Jamaica, so we can go down di road!
You can check out a few pics from the trip below.
Until the next one, I'm out!
- Doofy
