Winston's warms with Jamaican fare

Winston’s
619 N. Seventh St. (between Tilghman and Allen)
Allentown

When it’s frigid outside, there’s nothing like warm comfort food to drive away the winter doldrums. And when the cuisine is Jamaican, there’s definite potential for a double wallop. Winston’s – a new restaurant along the 7th Street corridor – it not let us down.

The clean, sparsely decorated restaurant features a large deli case upon entering, which displays a selection of pre-packaged Jamaican foods – breads, rolls and so on. The day’s menu is on the wall behind the counter. It varies from day to day (based on what’s made in the kitchen); it primarily consists of meats cooked long and slow amid tropically spiced broths. How can one go wrong?

Our family of four enjoyed a selection of items. My wife gravitated to the oxtail – tender and meaty with a dense, fulfilling sauce thickened from hours of simmering. My son selected brown stew chicken, bone-in pieces that were surprisingly rich and sumptuous. My daughter sampled a chicken soup that was thick, hearty and enjoyable.

I tried the escovietch fish. It was served whole - with head and tail. I found it crunchy and a bit overcooked – a little dry on the ends, but meaty in the middle. The rice and peas were fantastic; with the oxtail gravy, they were sublime.

As a bonus, Winston gave us some of Saturday’s jerk chicken as a sample. It was tender and spicy, but not overly hot. It provided a final bit of warmth to a wonderful evening.

Total cost was $40 -- an incredible bargain. We left a $10 tip, as the service was exceptionally pleasant and thorough. We also left with two lunches worth of extra food. Places like this that make Allentown a great city to live in. I can travel 17 blocks east and get a taste of the tropics with incredible authentic service.