A FORK ON THE ROAD

Authentic Jamaican in a grocery-store cafe

By LINDA BLADHOLM

lbladholm@MiamiHerald.com

A homey little spot on North Kendall Drive where a half-dozen tables vie for space with burlap sacks of Blue Mountain cofee beans is one of the best places this side of Kingston for an authentic Jamaican meal.

The vibe at Island Delite Restaurant and Groceries is laid back, with colorful tablecloths and equally colorful characters chatting over jerk pork and curry chicken. Don't be surprised if a game of cards breaks out among your fellow customers, or if you make a new friend at a shared table.

The grocery part of the space offers staples like smoked herring paste, tamarind balls and hot sauces. Freezers are crammed with bags of frozen goat, oxtails, mackerel and other island mainstays.

The main reason to come, though, is for the home-style Jamaican cooking. Service is not rushed -- it's island time all the time here -- and each dish is made to order. It's worth the wait for brown stew snapper, mackerel run-down in thick coconut sauce or escovitch (fried snapper marinated in vinegar with onions, allspice and peppers). Don't worry about the bones; just ask and your server will expertly remove them.

Nicholas Harpaul Sr. and Glen Adoph bought Island Delite two years ago from its original Chinese-Jamaican owner. At first, they couldn't get the food right, so Harpaul brought his mother over from Jamaica. A restaurateur there, Esmine Harpaul adjusted the recipes and schooled the staff, which includes her grandson, Nicholas Jr.

Her handiwork shows in dishes like the delicious goat curry. If you have never had goat, this is a great introduction. The flavors sing but won't singe your mouth.

Island Delite uses an Indian cooking technique that gets the taste buds dancing: A masala (blend of ground spices) is fried in oil to temper them. Then the goat meat is added and cooked until dry with fresh seasonings and potatoes. The tender chunks of goat and spuds are cloaked in a rich, peppery curry sauce, plated with a mound of rice.

All the meals come with salad, fried plantains, white rice or rice and peas. On the menu, anything boiled that isn't rice is simply called ''food'' and can include yams, green bananas, dumplings and vegetables. (Veggies are also called ``provision.'')

Big bowls of down-home soups are another draw. The bases are similar, made from a puree of spinach-like callaloo, pork, cured salted beef, spices, garlic, scallions and starchy tubers. Try the red bean, snapper, or pepperpot, and order peel-and-eat pepper shrimp with a Red Stripe beer to enjoy while you wait.

End with a wedge of homemade fruitcake from the counter, a delight in every bite, as is a meal here.

Linda Bladholm's latest book is Latin and Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified.