Some Unjustified Jerk Sauce For My Jamaican

I usually love Jamaican food. Last year when I lived in leased properties and had a meal plan, I often used Jamaican Jerk Sauce on my chicken. It was one of my favorite sauces. The first time I stopped in at "Flames," I had a fairly enjoyable experience. The food was good. I described the grub as "soul" food, not that I really knew what soul food was. Still, it felt like soul food. It had kick. It had life. It had "the difference maker" factor, one that I look for when separating the bad from the fair, the fair from the good, and the good restaurants from the great. For fast food, "Flames" is on the fence between good and great, but if I had to choose, I would say great.

But back to my first experience. I was walking along Huntington Avenue (Flames is at 746 Huntington Ave) and a kind, African-American man in his mid to late twenties said I should give it a try instead of going to the same old sub shops. He said the food was great, so I took his advice. And the food was great. I went again with my friends one morning (after a rough night). It was good again, but I wouldn't suggest going after a late night. The kick really kicks your stomach. Anyhow, my third experience was this past Sunday, and I can honestly say that it is probably my last.

It also probably doesn't help I'm annoyed and in a bad mood right now, but regardless, I won't go back. Like I do at all restaurants (especially this semester for this blog), I have openly been taking pictures of scenery, food, menus and whatever else I please this semester. But after I took my first picture at flames, the African American behind the counter looked at me weird. I didn't even notice this, but my girlfriend did. So a few seconds later as I took a picture of the menu, the lady came closer and started snapping at me, very rudely. She didn't ask me politely to stop or for a reason why I was taking pictures. She didn't stop to consider how my pictures could only be good advertising the place. She just kept on, yelling at me, telling me that I should know better than to take pictures without asking.

Now I will add that my previous two experiences with the same lady were not exactly pleasant. She has rushed me both times and talked to me with an angry, almost violent tone of voice. And this time, she pushed me over the top. I guess I understand why she spoke up, but it was clearly more a matter of her negative outlook on life than an actual care about my pictures. She flat out rejected my explanation of pictures for class. I don't want to say her attitude and tone of speech was race related, but it is a fact that I have seen primarily African American customers in Flames.

In conclusion, I think it is a shame that one angry, cruel person has been chosen to be the face of a small, excellent fast, "soul" food restaurant in an area filled with hungry college students. Maybe I will go back some day, and maybe she will be removed by then. But as a word of warning, you can eat well, even great at "Flames," but beware the lady behind the counter.

In bitterness, I will not go into full detail about the food anymore. However, I have tried the curry chicken, the barbecue chicken, the steak with vegetables and all the different kinds of rice, and everything has been delicious. Below is the one picture I got to snap in the restaurant and one more I took of the food when I got home.