J&J Caribbean Restaurant has been in business for more than 25 years. The owners, Judith and Vernon Henry, started it after their kids went to college. Judith, the restaurant’s namesake, originally worked in finance and felt it was time to travel down a new path.
“I had worked at Chase Manhattan for a couple of years,” Judith said. “My kids were away at college, so I figured it was time to start something new.”
The Henrys are from Jamaica, so the majority of their food is Jamaican cuisine. Judith’s special dish, oxtails, is a favorite of hers, as well as curry chicken and roti, a recipe she inherited from her grandmother.
The restaurant’s primary customers come from Columbia High School in South Orange. After school hours, the students head over to J&J for a quick bite. Furthermore, high school students typically eat at the restaurant for lunch. They leave school during their lunch periods and come to J&J to eat. To give back, they help the students in their studies.
J&J Caribbean Restaurant serves recipes inherited by Judith’s grandmother including oxtails and curry chicken and roti.
“My husband is a physics teacher and he will help children with their homework in here,” Judith said.
Not only do the students get free tutoring, but they also get an opportunity to work at the restaurant. The owners are very flexible with student schedules, and they employ more students in the summer when school is not in session.
While J&J is popular to high schoolers, the owners cannot say the same about Seton Hall. Few Seton Hall students eat at the restaurant, and J&J does not employ any SHU students. According to the owners, they have more Rutgers students eat at their restaurant, and even have some working for them.
Carlie Chukrallah, a freshman majoring in elementary and special education, said she has never eaten at J&J, but she would be interested in giving it a try.
“I’ve never had Jamaican food before,” Chukrallah said, “but I am always willing to try something new.”
Chukrallah described herself as adventurous and excited to try new things. Her favorite spontaneous activity is trying exotic foods and international cuisine, so the prospect of the restaurant greatly appealed to her. She plans to visit the restaurant this weekend with friends and introducing them to the restaurant.
“I think they’ll like it a lot,” Chukrallah said. “We’re always looking for something new and interesting to try out, and J&J seems cool.”
Mary Grace McNamara, a freshman secondary education and history major, has very different sentiments. She said she would never eat at the restaurant. She has actually been to J&J with a friend once, and they were not impressed, McNamara said.
“I found that there was only one staff member who poorly represented a good attitude in the restaurant business,” McNamara said. “Also, I was thrown off by the lack of people. Why would I eat at a place that has no customers?”
She left the restaurant disappointed and unsatisfied. She would not discourage anyone from going, she said, but J&J just isn’t her style.
J&J Caribbean Restaurant is located on 390 Valley Street, next to Roland Avenue and near Stop and Shop.
Rebecca Amrick can be reached at rebecca.amrick@student.shu.edu.
