Jamaican Me Hungry

Photo courtesy of Jamaican Choice.

Looking for late night eats but tired of resorting to pizza or the diner?

Jamaican Choice, located at 45 Main St. next to the New Paltz Post Office, is the place to go for delicious Jamaican cuisine at a great price.

Dalmain Grant, owner of Jamaican Choice, gave me the scoop on what his restaurant has to offer the New Paltz community, especially its students.

The restaurant used to be located in the Stop & Shop plaza, but is now on the other side of town.

“It was closer for the students to reach us,” Grant said. “The new location just opened this past November and as a result, business has been much better.”

Their menu has gone through slight changes during the move including a few new pasta dishes, but their signature beef patties and jerk chicken still remain a staple on the menu.

Along with the diverse menu at Jamaican Choice, they also offer great deals for your late night cravings until the doors close at midnight. After 10 p.m., beef patties are only $1.75 and “Quick Bites,” which include meals like jerk chicken and fried dumplings are $5.

The restaurant also has a lineup of events and new additions coming in the next few months.

Events include karaoke on Wednesday nights starting in the spring, open mics on Tuesday nights starting in March and live music on Saturday nights.

Happy Hour will start on Fridays in the spring from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., which will include beer on tap and the signature Jamaican beer, Red Stripe. Other additions include a juice bar coming in the spring. A live dance room — comparable to Oasis in New Paltz — will be opening in the summer.

When I went to Jamaican Choice, I got chicken with plantains and mac and cheese. Although they’re a Jamaican restaurant, their mac and cheese was surprisingly delicious. The portion was large for such a great price, only $9.50, but the chicken for me didn’t have enough flavor.

Overall, for anyone that wants a change from campus cuisine, I would definitely suggest Jamaican Choice as a great place for good food and cheap eats. Next time I’m feeling something different than pizza for those late night cravings, I know where I will be going.

Jamaican Choice’s next event is a Spring Break Party on March 7 which is open to the public. This event will include great drink specials and a DJ. For more information on the restaurant and the events that are being held, call them at 845-255-4700.