Jamaica Me Crazy in the Hutongs

Rose Lin Zamoa of Rose's Private Kitchen has set up shop on Cheniandian Hutong, bringing hearty dishes like jerk chicken and stewed rice just in time for the soon-to-be-chilly weather. It's primarily a take-out shop, though you are welcome to eat in. Regardless, Rose's Jamaican recipes are already driving the city's foodies wild.

Just four days after the doors opened, when we stopped in at Jamaica Me Crazy for dinner, we were told that everything but the stewed rice was sold out. We opted for a large portion of the simmered chicken, smothered in a rich tomato-based sauce and served over rice. We were also lucky enough to get a small sample of some jerk chicken, which sang in our mouths with its spicy-smoky flavor clinging to every bite of the wood-fired chicken.

We washed down the food with espressos and a delicious mango-passionfruit drink that teased our palate with its sweet tartness. As we headed out, we also grabbed some spice buns and a slice of carrot cake to go. The cake, large enough for two to share, made a perfect late-night snack. The textured cake, studded with bits of carrot and walnuts, is topped with a sweet, dense layer of cream cheese frosting and an extra dose of nuttiness from a layer of crushed walnuts surrounding the double-layer dessert. In my opinion, it blows Beijing's carrot-based desserts out of the water.

The buns, made with cinnamon and nutmeg, were perfect with coffee the next morning. They reminded me of donuts from back home – for their soft crumb and faintly spiced sweetness – minus the fried crust.

Jamaica Me Crazy. Daily 10am-10pm. Cheniandian Hutong (west of Guozijian, near Andingmennei）, Dongcheng District (8403 6640) 东城区安定门内大街车辇店胡同

By subway: 500m southwest of Andingmen station (Line 2)

Photos: Lauren McCarthy