Let me start out by saying the location on the map is a little bit off. The address is listed as 200 Woodlawn Rd, but that should be 200 W Woodlawn Rd. The pointer on the map shows 200 E Woodlawn Rd. This tiny restaurant is tucked in a strip mall that sits behind the IHOP and beside the Ramada Inn.
I went to lunch here today with high hopes, based on the reviews I read here and on other sites. The results were mixed. I had the jerk chicken with fried plantains and mac & cheese. A friend had ox tail with the same side. We both had lime tea to drink. The tea, it turns out, was Nestea with a splash of lime juice. I haven't been to Jamaica, so maybe that is authentic.
My friend's food came first, and she immediately commented that the mac & cheese was straight out of the box. She was right--Velveeta Shells & Cheese all the way. At this point I was getting worried. My plate came out a few minutes later, and with the first bite of jerk chicken, the kitchen bounced back. It was fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy. And the flavor packed a punch. The plantains were good--it's hard to go wrong there. And my friend gave the ox tail a big thumbs up.
Overall, Island Paradise was a good choice. The sides stumbled, but the main dishes made up for it. I won't go back tomorrow, but I will go back.