Jamrock, generous Jamaican cuisine comes to Paris!

"Don't worry about a thing 'cause every little thing is gonna be alright" sang Bob Marley in his day, and it's with this same philosophy of life that values patience, relaxation and respect for the natural rhythm of things that Jamrock has opened its doors, not far from the Place de la Bastille. A restaurant of Jamaican cuisine, run by a young, motivated team.

Born from the contraction of'Jam', sweet diminutive for the island-paradise, and'rock', unshakeable rock, symbol of resistance and pride, Jamrock is "a standard word, forged in the crucible of reggae music, where the bass resonates like the heartbeat of Jamaica", explains the Jamrock team.

Behind the address is a duo of restaurateur-buddies: Kelly Schaal, Jamaican on her mother's side, and Vincent Durupt, accompanied by Franco-Jamaican chef Camille Le Breton de La Perrière, who passed through the Shangri-La and is supported in the kitchen by Jason, a Jamaican expatriate who has lived in Paris for the past ten years.

Together, the four have devised a menu that showcases Jamaica's rich and diverse gastronomy, a blend of heritage and modernity. And there's no shortage of new discoveries to be made, given the limited representation of Jamaican cuisine in Paris. Mythical jerk chicken (15€), escovitch fish (19€), beef chuck confit à la manière d'un plat à l'oxtail (17€), patties, festival or rice and peas are just some of the recipes to try!

At Jamrock, for example, the jerk chicken is marinated with more than a dozen spices for a minimum of 24 hours, as tradition dictates. It is then slow-cooked for even cooking, before being charcoal-finished for a crispy skin that reveals a strong smoky flavor. A vegetable version is also available for vegetarians!

Our favorites were the marinated beef ribs served with a jamaican barbecue style sauce (18€), and the escovitch fish (19€), a fried redfish bream, served raised (nice!), accompanied by pickles in sauce and a ginger sweet potato mousseline. An emblematic Jamaican dish that quickly found its way into our hearts!

The generosity of Jamaican cuisine is also evident in the dishes to be shared, such as the chicken wings marinated in ginger and tamarind (5€ for four) to be dipped in a spicy sauce, or the excellent fish fritters (4€ for four) with spicy pineapple sauce, marinated and sautéed shrimp (9€) topped with a maximum of creativity - mango salsa with scotch bonnet pepper, ginger oil, creamy avocado coconut and coconut pickles - or jerk corn (6€ for two), expertly grilled corn on the cob dipped in a jerk-spiced mayonnaise.

The emphasis is undeniably on condiments and sauces, but Jamrock has taken the decision to adapt dishes that are usually very (very) spicy to the Parisian palate. But on the table, the House's spicy sauce allows thrill-seekers to spice up their dishes to their heart's content.

It's also worth noting that the restaurant team sources 90% of its products from mainland France - and whenever possible within 200 kilometers of Paris - with the exception of spices, rums and coffee.

You'll need to save room for dessert, too, with the stunning rhum cake perdu (8€) topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a peanut and chilli caramel; and the sweet potato cake (6€) with coconut chantilly.

The homage to Jamaica can also be found in the glasses, with a wide selection of cocktails (8€-12€) featuring the island's rums - but not only (mezcal, tequila), as well as non-alcoholic drinks : house lemonade, sorrel (Jamaica's traditional hibiscus drink) and other Push Cart (mint, lime, pineapple juice, ginger beer, cider vinegar).

In terms of decoration, Jamrock stands out from the new Parisian restaurants with its folkloric ambiance , created by designer Rudy Guénaire. A fake rock serves as the bar, the hanging lamps and tables are made from giant bamboo trunks, and the screen behind the bar reveals a paradisiacal beach...