Ena’s sits on the corner of Cleveland and Myrtle Ave, in what some would consider to be a sketchy neighborhood (the heart of Linden). Ena’s itself, however, exudes none of that diciness. A nice brick building on the corner opens itself to a shining yellow inside, and behind the counter where one orders is a nice stockpile of Jamaican and Caribbean goods, mostly foodstuffs. There are maybe six or seven small tables inside along the windows, but from the looks of it, Ena’s is mostly takeout. Since I’ve never really had Jamaican before, I’m taking the restaurant’s word for it, but they offer such staples as Jerk Chicken, Oxtail, Grilled Lamb, various preparations of goat, and many kinds of fish (I’ve heard of a lot of fish, but the lineup here was completely unfamiliar to me: escovitch, ackee, saltfish, etc.
The jerk chicken was touted as the restaurant’s most popular dish, and for good reason. It’s not only the most familiar dish on their menu to typical American consumers, but also the tastiest. Ena’s spice blend is tremendous, capturing all the flavors that a jerk should—a nice compromise between sweet and spicy. The spices appeared to be applied wet, providing a nice sauce which one can mix with a side of rice and peas to integrate flavors. It’s worth noting that rice and peas do not contain peas; rather, the peas are actually kidney beans, and rice and peas is much closer to a dirty rice. Dishes come with two sides, sides include: rice and peas, white rice, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, cabbage, potato salad, fried plantain, collard greens, French fries, lettuce and tomato, mix vegetable, and “food” (boiled banana, yam, and dumplin). The rice and peas and white rice are a good base to have one’s meal with, but the combinations that are available are practically endless. Cornbread was run of the mill, reminiscent of Jiffy, but the fried plantain was fantastic, moist and sweet and easily even with El Arepazo as best plantains in Columbus. The mac and cheese is relatively soft and cheesy, and potato salad is very reliable and is topped with some kind of curry powder.
The grilled lamb, a special the day I went, was surprising in a good way. We were warned by the person who took our order that the lamb was a spicy dish, and she wasn’t kidding. It doesn’t look spicy at all, and with a name like grilled lamb, it certainly didn’t sound spicy, but the dish packed a kick that lay hidden within the sauce, which is quite different than the jerk sauce but filled with spices, especially a black pepper that made itself evident. The preparation of lamb was refreshing; too often have I had are either very tough or gelatinous. This lamb is a very nice middle ground, providing a nice little tug off the bone. It’s served with just browned onions, which were not soft yet, and green peppers. The lamb was very well executed, and a nice special to look for when it’s on the menu.
The oxtail might be an acquired taste, but I don’t think it was up to snuff on this day. Some unfamiliar to soul food or Jamaican cuisine might question whether there’s even meat on an ox’s or cow’s tail, but there most certainly is. It seems to be mostly flavored in its own juices, but so much fat surrounded the bones that the dish was hard to enjoy. The meat is a little tough if you can get to it. This was really the only rough patch in an otherwise pleasant and delicious meal from Ena’s.
The medium size is easily enough for one person, although a small dinner appears to be offered in the small print. The many preparations of fish that Ena’s offers is worth checking out, although I didn’t try them. Ena’s provides a very good introduction to Jamaican food for one who has never tried it, but also has some preparations for those more experienced/willing to branch out. Ena’s exotic spices and flavors help make it a great contributor to Columbus’ restaurant scene.
Ena's Caribbean Kitchen
2444 Cleveland Ave
Columbus, OH 43211
(614) 262-0988
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