Robert Williams adds the final touches to the jerk/pan chicken on spot. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

From Monday to Saturday between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. they are at the location, ready to satisfy the palates of customers. From staples like roast and fried fish, conch soup, stew/jerk/fried chicken, bammy and festival, customers are given the pleasure of selecting from the array of food available to them left of the Harbour View roundabout, heading away from Kingston.

Approaching the left of the roundabout, you are sometimes greeted with long lines of motor vehicles parked along the side of the road and creating a border for the makeshift stalls which serve as the creative kitchens from which the food is prepared. There are approximately three food stalls at side of the road on what appears to be a dirt track or open lot. Customers are given the opportunity to dine on wooden benches provided for their comfort.

Heavily laden jerk pans and occupied coal stoves catch your eye once you step into the food territory. In this busy atmosphere, customers are treated to musical selections and of course, a range of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Sanitary aspect

Kevin Simpson manages one of the food stalls with the assistance of five men. He says as it relates to the sanitary aspect of the food preparation, people should not worry. "I have my food handler's permit and all the pre-preparation like seasoning is done at home and things are just ready to be put on fire when we come out here. To keep things clean, we bring containers of water from home because we all live here in Harbour View".

Friday is arguably the best business day, according to the vendors. And their clientele covers locals and foreigners. "People who are just coming off a flight at the airport stop here. Entertainers come her too," says Simpson.

Another vendor, Wayne Amore, adds, "Religious people, uptown people, the Chinese dem and just regular working-class people stop here".

While each cook has similar menu items, each has his own unique items. "We will have the same things, but there will be some differences among us. It is really just about what you want and you just walk in and check out the place," noted Simpson.

When the Food team visited the Harbour View food 'court' on a Sunday evening, not much was happening, but this could be attributed to the day and time. However, many of the customers were on the go as they stopped to purchase and then continued on their journey. There were those who exited their vehicles, placed their orders and indulged in the delicious fare on spot. From what we observed, the best-selling item was definitely the conch stew.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com

Garfield Williams shows off a favourite - the conch stew. The stew is said to be one of the best-selling items.

For fried fish and chicken, roasted fish and fried bammies, the Harbour View roundabout may be the place for you.

No need to worry about getting cold food, as the items are kept warm on coal stoves. Here, Kevin Simpson maintains a watchful eye on the roasted fish and stew.