Alternative Eats: Jerk Boi

We delve deep into Shanghai’s food underbelly to give you an alternative view of the city’s dining scene.

Jerk Boi has brought something new to Shanghai. A unique concept that has, until now, been missing in this gigantic city: a Jamaican pop-up food event offering a sprinkling of jerk seasoning and splash of good vibes on a Sunday. 

On the menu you can find all kinds of Jamaican specialties including patties and the classic jerk chicken and pork, made from a secret recipe brought back from the Jerk Boi Restaurant in Jamaica. Everything is cooked on the day of the event but prepping, naturally, starts long before. The tender, juicy jerk chicken and pork is marinated for at least three days beforehand, giving it that unique flavour and kick from the first to the last bite. The meat is grilled to order and served with freshly made coleslaw along with a side of coconut rice and peas resulting in an honest and hearty pile of delicious food packed with authentic flavours.

The pop-up was started by a group of like-minded friends including Chef Sam Norris and reggae-loving DJ, Andy S. Chef Norris has a professional background in both modern French and Japanese cuisine, and has worked in various noted restaurants in London and Shanghai, including Nobu in London and Mr and Mrs Bund in Shanghai. To get that special spicy and hot jerk flavour, he uses imported pimento berries from the Caribbean and Scotch bonnet chillies, known as yellow lanterns, from Hunan. As Chef Norris is British, he has also imported hot sauce from the UK to get that extra kick of spice from his home country, famous for their curry and spice love affair.

Good food and good music are the two vital ingredients of Jerk Boi, where people can relax, eat and listen to fresh and old school reggae sounds before the onslaught of the new week. The DJs are from France and the UK and soon Far East Lion will join them; a well-established Asian reggae group looking to promote their music in Shanghai. Jerk Boi is currently a monthly event held on Sundays in different locations around Shanghai, but as soon as the sun shines again, we have been promised that they will move outdoors to use a traditional jerk oven. There are also plans to make it into a bi-weekly event after the Chinese New Year, so watch this space.

Jerk Boi is definitely a relaxing and unpretentious dining experience attended by a very mixed crowd, making it enjoyably unique. Chef Norris honestly summed it up for us, “We wanted to create this chilled Sunday dinner vibe where you can meet with a couple of friends and chat through your hangover with quality food, happy reggae and perhaps more alcohol. We are also the only people serving Jerk chicken or pork in Shanghai at the moment.” So Talk suggests spending your Sunday feeling some good vibrations and forgetting about the winter. Prices range from RMB 20 to RMB 75 depending on the event, location and food items. Find the latest Jerk Boi event on Facebook.