The screech of a freight train winding its way alongside the Salmon Falls River halted all conversation on the deck at Flame Jamaican Cuisine in Somersworth — just as we were about to ask about the ingredients in the Bob Marley happy hour drink. Atmosphere: 17/20 Menu: 17/20 Food: 18/20 Service: 18/20 Value: 18/20 Total: 88/100 While our server waited for the noise to subside, I decided to order a Red Stripe beer; it seemed the best accompaniment to the Monday half-price wings special. Meanwhile, my dining partner chose the jerk bourbon glaze (sweet chili and jerk are also available) for the wings.
“Tender and tasty,” he said, digging in after we took the requisite picture for this review. Flame opened in December in downtown Somersworth. Jerk refers to the way in which meat is seasoned, smoked and grilled.
Jamaican literary scholar Carolyn Cooper described it this way to Smithsonian Magazine in 2020: Jerk is “one of the enduring legacies of the fusion of African and Taino cultures in Jamaica.” It was originally made with bird peppers, pimento and pepper elder, but modern recipes may include Scotch bonnet peppers, scallions, garlic, pimento, thyme and cinnamon. Like barbecue in the South, recipes vary, but the goal is to transform a tougher cut of meat into a tender, flavorful dish.
While we munched on the wings, another appetizer caught our eye — the mini patties (curry chicken or beef). Patties are the fast food of Jamaica. The flaky pastry turnovers are reminis.