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| - We were referred to Palm after commiserating with a food truck vendor at a wine festival about the lack of Jamaican restaurants in Phoenix and absolutely none in North Phoenix where we live. Two weeks later here we are.
The four of us ordered three entrees all of which were well above average. I'm an east coast person and used to high quality ethnic food which is sometimes hit or miss in Phoenix, not just Caribbean food but ethnic food in general, mostly due to supply and demand I guess. But on to our meals, we decided on three meals which are part of the 5 or 6 standards in Jamaican food based on my knowledge of Jamaican (Jerk (poultry, pork or fish), brown stew (chicken or fish), Curry (goat or chicken), escovitch fish, Oxtail, salt fish (cod fish and ackee) all usually accompanied by a side of rice and peas, cabbage and carrots or potatoes and fried plantain.
We had:
The Jerk chicken was very good and came with generous portions. Jerk is best when cooked with bone in and skin on. Not the healthiest which is why especially in more upscale Jamaican restaurants they have a boneless chicken breast option. Ours was with bone which came as a quarter chicken (either leg/thigh or wing/breast). Another key to jerk is that it also needs a little sauce along with the rub that its cooked in which adds flavor for the rice and peas. This one was the perfect combination.
Next we had escovitch fish. I always worry about this one. Escovitch fish is essentially grilled red snapper cooked in a vinegar/citrus marinade along with julienned red and yellow bell peppers and red onions and a whole scotch bonnet to give a little kick. Ours was excellent except for the heat which the scotch bonnet imparts (about equivalent to a habanero). That much spice does not appeal to a wide range of people so I understand the lack of spice. It was excellent and my wife and daughter finished it in its entirety... which rarely happens.
Finally I had the oxtail which is essentially braised oxtail then stewed with Jamaican herbs and seasonings, sometimes with just a slight hint of that ever present pepper flavor. Mine were very tender coming off the bone very easily as I pulled it off. The oxtail had great flavor with no hint of hot pepper (scotch bonnet) but with oxtail this is completely okay (not okay with jerk chicken and escovitch fish). Excellent size portion.
Sides were all very well prepared. In the past some Jamaican restaurants have left the cabbage fairly leafy which I believe works only when you're boiling the hell out of the cabbage. Here Palm shaved the cabbage and slightly boiled or steamed the cabbage (notice the color) which is great. Also they added the standard carrots as well but what I didn't expect was a few well placed Jamaican dumplings. It's a small thing but it was a great addition. Not too many just a few.
The rice and peas were done great with just the right amount of seasoning, yes rice and peas are seasoned typically with scallion, allspice, coconut milk.
Caribbean Palm is great but menu needs a little trimming. They have a fusion menu that is not the reason anyone would visit such as the chicken parm, chicken marsala and chicken piccatta. Just unnecessary in my opinion.
Finally, this place is in a dying strip mall on the border of Tempe and Scottsdale so you likely wouldn't notice it if you're looking for a restaurant the really old fashioned way like stopping at a place that catches your eye. But if you like good Jamaican, and you're reading a Yelp review you should be running to Palm.
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