Maureen’s Kitchen

Food

Jerk Chicken - This classic caribbean dish had a rich, smoky flavour which had a great balance between heat and flavour. The chicken was on the bone, with some well-charred skin, which helped to add to the smoky flavour which is synonymous with jerk chicken. The type of chicken, which you could tell was made with love and home-cooked, I really loved this chicken and one of my favourite parts of this platter and definitely my preferred choice of the meats.

Pepper Steak - An indulgent meat, which had also been well cooked, the combination of beef, pepper and almost gravy like sauce was packed with flavour. A much easier to eat meat as it was off the bone, I found it a perfect accompaniment to the rice and peas as the sauce was thick enough to be soaked up by the rice. The pepper gives the dish a gentle level of heat, whilst not overpowering the tender beef.

Oxtail Steak - Not something I had tried before and felt if I was going to give it a go, this was the place to do it. The oxtail steak is an on the bone, hearty meat which was incredibly tender, testament to how this had been cooked. The meat had been slow cooked and while it did not fall off the bone, it pulled away easily and had incredible taste. While the combination of spices did taste great, I found it a little awkward to eat with the bone-in, although this is more of a personal preference as I know this is how it is traditionally served.

Rice and peas - Another Jamaican classic with a home cooked feel, the fluffy rice and peas had an unmistakable creamy richness from the coconut milk helps to provide a comforting flavour that was a perfect side dish, a real must have for all!

Mac and Cheese - A more interesting choice, I found the cheese to be not too strong and this was actually a little crispier than I had hoped for. With it being a little hard, it also was not quite as cheesy as I would have liked.

Plantain - The plantain was sweet, slightly caramelised and a perfect accompaniment to the meal, while also helping to break up the heat from some of the meats.

Coleslaw - A standard mix of lettuce, carrots and creamy mayonnaise mix, nothing particularly noteworthy.

Value

The price for one platter was £20, which included 3 meats, 3 sides and a choice of either rice and peas or plain rice. The platter was comfortably large enough for 2 people and we even struggled to finish all of it. Value wise, there aren’t too many places in London where you will get a full meal for 2 that will fill you up for £20. Other than the platter, the rest of the menu is also very reasonable, with mains from £7 up to £18 and sides at £2 each and patties at £3 each. There are also some homemade drinks and smoothies which were quite reasonable, which I did try and I would highly recommend the Pineapple Punch for something refreshing with a little bit of a ginger kick.

Aesthetic

Inside her home's front garden, the aesthetic of the restaurant itself is one of a kind, where you order your food from literally within Maureen’s kitchen and with BBQs cooking and smoke billowing across the yard, it really adds to the dining experience. The food was well presented in our platter, with our 3 meats and 3 sides all separated and we did not find it difficult to distinguish anything in particular, nor find the food mixed into each other until right near the end when we were pushing to clear the tray. Being able to sit at one of the tables in the front yard was a great touch as it also meant that we could see how busy it continued through the evening and sitting amongst the hustle and bustle with all the scents of the cooking, really showed what Maureen’s kitchen was about, bringing authentic Jamaican food to London whilst also providing for the community.