The Jungle Restaurant, a new Jamaican eatery, has opened in Mount Vernon, co-owned by chef Duran Foxton, who grew up in an area of West Kingston, Jamaica, known as Jungle. Co-owner Tahira Foxton, Duran’s wife and a native of Mount Vernon, said the restaurant is a passion of her husband’s. According to Tahira, Duran has been working in the culinary field for over ten years and “grew up cooking.”

She describes the new restaurant’s food as authentic Caribbean cuisine. Serving traditional lunch and dinner dishes that include oxtail, curried goat, and jerk chicken, Jungle also serves seafood. Its red snapper dish can be prepared with brown stew, steamed, or escovitch, a style of cooking fish in which it is topped with a spicy sauce and pickled vegetables. Wild salmon is also available at Jungle, prepared with sweet chili, jerk, curry, barbeque or stew. The restaurant offers a choice of non-Jamaican foods as well, including pasta and three types of burgers, along with vegetarian choices that include veggie tofu stir-fry and plantain with bok choy.

The dining room at Jungle can accommodate as many as 18 diners. Duran and Tahira Foxton decided to open their first restaurant in Fleetwood due to the growing development in the area. Near the restaurant’s location construction continues on a residential tower, for example. Tahira notes that Fleetwood is “budding.” “The community is just rising,” she said.  Reviews of Jungle have been excellent, with comments from diners and food critics alike expressing their appreciation and delight at the restaurant, which they say is serving up some of the areas finest Jamaican cuisine.

Check out the Jungle Restaurant’s menu on their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Photos Courtesy: Jungle Restaurant Facebook Page