Cuisine: Jamaican

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. 7 Days

I’m not sure if it was the Jamaican and American Flags waving harmoniously in the gentle breeze cooling an unusually warm October day, or if it was the distinctive fragrance of frying fish that drew me.

But whatever it was, I’m glad I stopped in at Scotch Bonnet Kitchen and Patty Center.

Inside the small take out restaurant (there’s also a table for two) I was greeted by Pauline and Garth Ferguson, a warm Jamaican couple married for 24 years. I love fish prepared in a variety of ways and I especially enjoy salted codfish desalinated, boiled and fried.

At Scotch Bonnet, however, I was treated to the Jamaican staple covered escovitched style with scotch bonnet peppers (the hottest pepper grown in the tropics) sliced onions and vinegar (price varies from $1 to $2 according to size).

I hadn’t had that in a while and boy was I missing out.

At Scotch Bonnet this rare treat is indeed a treat. Make no mistake, however, you either need to have a taste for the spicy or you’ll have to keep a cold glass of water handy. I could’ve sworn there was smoke encircling my head — mmm, mmm good!

The extensive menu also boasts a mouthwatering array of curried goat, oxtail, stewed peas (rice and beans) curried chicken, shrimps, regular fried fish, brown stewed fish (browned in oiled then cooked with herbs and spices, tomatoes etc) and ackee and saltfish at the reasonable price of $5.00 per serving. There is also the standard patty and coco bread as well as other pastries and treats.

And then there are the bottled drinks.

In addition to the usual colas, pineapple sodas and juices, the refrigerator is also stocked with wildly named concoctions such as "Agony" and "Front End Lifter." Asked what the thick white drinks did for consumers, the Fergusons blushed and explained that some men "swear by it," as their own natural alternative to Viagra.

A look at the ingredients revealed nothing more mysterious than peanut, banana, oatmeal, Irish moss (seaweed), milk and cashew.

"I drink it," said the husband half of the team, "but not because I believe it does anything like that."

The food is "irie" (good) and inexpensive don’t miss out on a great deal and the opportunity support a new business in the community.