I can admit to knowing about at least five things about Jamaica. Jerk seasoning, Bob Marley, Usain Bolt okay, scratch that, make it three things. But the mere fact that I know so little about Jamaica and the Caribbean means that I find the idea of visiting one of their restaurants more intriguing. So plans were made to visit Queenies in Surry Hills with Mr NQN and friends Viggo and Louise after work. When I rang to make a booking at Queenies, upstairs at The Forresters pub on Foveaux Street in Surry Hills, it went through to a voicemail which led to another number and another voicemail.
It turns out Caribbean and Jamaican food is popular among the Surry Hills folk. Queenies is hipsterrific made even more pronounced by the fact that it’s Movember and beards and moustaches feature on many customers this month.
It’s themed to the hilt (and oh, how much do I love a theme?). Inside, it does feel quite tropical inside especially with the buzzy vibe and you wouldn’t necessarily know that you’re in downtown Surry Hills. There’s a straw thatched ceiling, lights made out of flower leis and those wooden salad bowls that your mum used to use, and flowers aplenty. A fan moves above painted in Jamaican colours and Jamaican glamour girl paintings line the walls. Like another of chef Jamie Thomas’s restaurants, The Carrington, it has plenty to see and eat.
I know I’m like that annoying child that has to ask “why?” all the time, but I had to ask why Caribbean/Jamaican cuisine in particular? Jaime Wirth, co owner with James Miller says “Jamie Thomas and I are really into Jamaican food and wanted to do something new and really different (from downstairs) at The Forresters. We liked the idea of doing a cuisine that you can’t otherwise get in Sydney as well. It’s fun tasty food and just wanted to give it a roll.” The name Queenie was “just a name. I was going to call my 12 week old daughter Queenie but in the end she got Winnie and the restaurant got Queenie’s. I liked the way it sounds like your Caribbean grandma might own the place and be serving daiquiris behind the bar every night.”
A little taster hits the table and it’s jerked cucumber which is small cucumber pieces seasoned with that ubiquitous Jamaican jerk seasoning which is made up of fragrant allspice and spicy scotch bonnet peppers. Meals are designed to share and the tables are small. The food comes out quickly but they appear to stagger it so that you can fit it on the table.
Prices are reasonable with the most expensive thing that we ordered at $18 although the Cuban beers at $8 and the cocktails at $16 add to the total and Mr NQN finds the bill more expensive than he thought it would be. If you’re out to try as much as possible on the menu, some of the mains come with the sides on them.
Bammies $7 each
Huge trays of these go past us and they’re one of the most popular menu items so we order a couple of each of the two varieties. What is a bammie? It’s a grated cassava based flat bread and a cousin of the tortilla and here they served them already topped. The pulled pork and pineapple has sauce, radish and cucumber while the prawn with mango and ginger has radish matchsticks and spring onion.
They are both fabulous, the bammie underneath sturdy enough to hold it steady. I prefer the succulent pulled pork while Louise prefers the prawn and mango although I wouldn’t chuck either out of bed.
BBQ Jerk corn with coconut $8
Coming as five to a serve, the BBQ jerk corn is spicy and coated with a jerk mayonnaise and toasted, shredded coconut. There’s no way to elegantly eat corn on the corn so it’s best tackled by diving in. They’re served in a lined egg carton – very cute and environmentally friendly.
Hellshire Ceviche $16
Another one of our favourite dishes was the Hellshire (named after Hellshire Beach in Jamaica which is known for its fish) ceviche. This was snapper fillet topped with avocado, radish, mango and chilli. The balance of flavours (and colours) with this ceviche was perfect and there was a little crunch from the deep fried crackers too.
Calypso Coffee Ribs $15
The ribs were a good sized serving with five pieces although there wasn’t an especially strong coffee flavour to the ribs. The slow cooked ribs were soft and came off the bone easily and were paired with a small serve of tropical cauliflower and radish.
Jerk Pork burger $18
This is where the two sauces that sit on the table come into play. The pork is breaded and deep fried and paired with pineapple salsa and slaw but when you add the sauces, the Pickapepper and the Las’lick jerk sauce (one like a Worcestershire sauce and the other more like a Tabasco), the burger really comes together. It’s paired with lovely sweet potato fries which have a soft crunch to them and a spicy mayonnaise.
BBQ Jerk chicken $18
Jerk is a popular treatment of chicken and other meats in Jamaica and it can refer to the Jamaican Jerk seasoning or the method. The serve comes with three large wing pieces and one breast piece. The wings are the pick as they are juicy and the jerk seasoning provides a good level of spice, not too much but enough to provide tingly tastebuds. They’re also blackened from the charcoal grill. I found the red cabbage jungle slaw with creamy lime dressing a bit bitter for me to eat by itself but I did like it in the burger with the other flavours.
Octopus and Jamaican Tabouleh Salad $18
The serving size of this was generous and it came after the rest of the dishes so we were quite full by that stage. Enter Mr NQN who happily swooped on this refreshing salad with cracked wheat, lots of small cubes of pineapple as well as cucumber and tomato. There isn’t a great deal of octopus in it though but what there is is tender.
Brixton Mess $14
The Brixton Mess is a play on the Eton Mess, Brixton having England’s largest Jamaican population. It’s got a little bit of everything here with pureed banana cream, rum caramel strong with rum, meringue, toasted coconut, passionfruit, chocolate sauce and maraschino cherries on top. It’s a sweet, tangy, rich spoonful in every bite.
Kingston Creme Donuts $10
These came five to a serve and were fantastic little donuts served with a small pot of jerk seasoning spiced cream and a chocolate coffee sauce to dip them in. The jerk seasoned custard cream wasn’t spicy when eaten with the donuts but when tried by itself, gave it a spicy hit at the end of the palate.
By the time we leave, it’s completely full and as we exit, some police come in for a RSA check and to do a head count. Viggo quips “they’re probably after the donuts!”
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried Jamaican or Caribbean food? And have you ever been to Jamaica or the Carribean?
Queenies
The Forrester’s, Corner Foveaux and Riley St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Tel: +61 (02) 9212 3035
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38 Comments | Add your own
Dear Lorraine,
The calypso coffee ribs sound like it should be eaten with some Bob Marley reggae in the background.
Looking forward to coming here. Lots of new things to try!
What a beautiful looking restaurant. I was in Surry Hills on Friday night – I should have gone there. I can add a fourth one to your list – ‘Cool Runnings’ – such a great movie. xx
I do love Caribbean food, oh yes! Barbados molasses, Caribbean rum (is it food? well, I use it in food, so let’s count it in too). All those spices and colors makes their food so happy…
This looks like a fab place – I’d love to try it, though having just come from a weekend in Sydney, it won’t be any time soon. I have made chicken using the laslick sauce but that is the closest I have come to Jamaican food.
Thanks for the post. I have never tried Caribbean food, so I am really curious.
I cruised to Jamaica when I was 18 with my mother, but have travelled in the Caribbean a lot due to its proximity to Florida (where there is a lot of Jamaican food), where I grew up. I love jerk–and those bammies look fabulous. In fact, the whole place just looks like fun.
I would dive right in for the Jerk Pork Burger and the Kingston Creme donuts!!
No to both questions but would love to travel to the Caribbean and cruise around the beautiful islands, Sigh
I know about the same amount as you about Jamaica. I’ve never been to a Jamaican restaurant but this one makes me want to search one out. Love that staircase. GG
Whoa – the Brixton mess looks huge! The burger looks delish too
I forgot to mention that Pickapeppa is one of my favorite sauces–I buy it every time I return to the states. It’s so good over goat’s cheese or even humble cream cheese on crackers. I smiled when I saw your photo of it.
Lorraine how could you forget the Jamaican Bobsled Team?! Tell me you’ve seen Cool Runnings!
Nope never tried Jamaican food but by the looks of it I’d like to.
We were fortunate enough to vacation in a Sandals Resort about ten years ago in Jamaica, the food was indeed lovely. I’m particularly fond of a roti which is made from chick peas in the soft bread-like tortilla and a runny curry with eggplant and dumplings! So tasty.
Ohh Jamaican food
I don’t think I even know five things about them lol only beef Jerky and that’s it ~ I like the ‘feel’ of this restaurant and look of the food. I would love to try some of those BBQ Jerk chicken!
And the donuts sound interesting too! With jerk seasoning cream
What a feast! It all looks fabulous and the decor is fantastic
I’m so excited to hear about this place. I’m from Toronto where Jamaican/Caribbean food is quite plentiful, but had no idea I could find it in Oz. I will definitely check this place out when I’m in Sydney.
Have never tried REAL Jamacian but gosh that all looks good!
Since a planned long journey to the Caribbean went belly-up quite some time ago, I know about as much about Jamaica as you do Lorraine. I do love to try everything, so would not mind an evening here. Have tried many of the Caribbean recipes at home with variable results. The bammies pictured here perhaps have the most curiosity value
!
You haven’t been to Jamaica, mon?
The first time John and I went he was called “beard mon” and I was called “lady.” It went uphill from there. I love Jamaica. They have a different clock from anywhere in the world. They are so laid back and almost is always good enough.
The food is fresh and tantalising. You must go. The hotel we stay at knows us by name and the restaurant manager always gives me a hug and a kiss good-bye. She’s delightful.
Is only breakfast time, but the calypso coffee ribs ARE a fave of mine, TRUE!
LOVE Jamaican and Caribbean foods too!
Having traveled to both, highly recommend from me!
LOVE the foods (varied foods from island to island) and the laid back culture and philosophy!
It’s definitely exciting to try a new cuisine! I might hit up Queenie’s myself some time soon
I love the sound of the Jerk corn! And heck, Jamaica is going to get more and more enticing as winter progresses here.
Wow, this sounds so lovely! I fell in love with all things Jamaican (especially the food) when i was living in Brixton, so i just HAVE to try Queenies!
I love a good theme too, and it looks like they really pulled it off at this place!
The coffee ribs look great, and the Brixton Mess sounds amazing indeed- yummo
I know very little about Jamaica, but I know I’d love to go there and relax mon
I’ve never had Caribbean food!
I’ve never tried the food, nor have I been there. Looks very different- I’ll have to try it one day.
Oh!I would love some Brixton Mess noww..
What a great range if delicious dishes I would order all
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Lorraine, takes me back in my mind when I lived for 3 happy years in Trinidad/W.I. – Btw, the endless legs walking by in the green dress – yours?. Ciao, Carina
Lorraine, lived for 3 happy years in Trinidad/W.I. – food similar but yet different, varies from Island to Island. To eat the ribs without Bob M. singing in the background is unforgiveable!!! Btw – the endless legs in green dress! – Yours?, Ciao Carina
That burger and those wings look so good
Looks different and interesting. lots of chilli which is a nice change from going to Thai.. I can see why it’s popular
I love the decor of that restaurant! It looks so cool! I’ve never tried Jamaican/Carribean food and I’ve never been there either!
Carribean food looks different and interesting. We’ll be sure to look this place up next time in Sydney.
The decor here is really quirky… and seems like they have so many different themes in there. I dont think I’ve ever had Jamaican food and I dont think there are Jamaican restaurants in KL.
Oooh I was hoping you ordered the Octopus and Jamaican Tabouleh Salad when I saw it on that menu. When I came to your blog today I told myself I’d skip over any restaurant review and go straight to the recipe post but wow did this look good and very intriguing. And then I got caught up in your experience as I always do. I want to try the food here, it looks fabulous!
No but I would seriously love to go there!
I am so sad that the time I wanted to go dine here it was closed (note: check opening times on website before making a visit). Looks like I have to make the trek again soon. Love the look of the chicken and donuts.
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