Restaurant Celebrates Jamaican Independence with All-Day Party

There's a party at "Taste it Again" this Saturday, Aug. 4, that promises music, fun and some tasty Caribbean food.

Taste it Again, an authentic Jamaican cuisine restaurant on Glenwood Avenue, will be hosting a giant party to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence. The all-day party starting inside the restaurant and extending to the back patio, will feature a dance contest, Domino games, limbo contests, quizzes – and, of course, lots of great food.

“The party was my idea,” said Taste it Again owner Angela Bredwood.  “Jamaica is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its freedom.  Independence is a big thing.  Since we can’t go to Jamaica, I wanted to bring a little bit of Jamaica here.”

Bredwood, who opened her doors in February, is Jamaican herself.  A paralegal by day and restaurant owner by night, Bredwood admitted that the anniversary makes her feel a little homesick for her country and the family she left behind.  Still, surrounded by friends and family at the restaurant, she loves providing her customers with an authentic cuilinary experience inspired by her homeland.

“A lot of a lot of our clientele is Jamaican -- about 60 percent,” she said.  “The rest are mixed . . . but everyone becomes Jamaican when they come here!”

Taste it Again manager Jackie Warburton said the party started early this week, with a nightly dinner theater event at the restaurant.

“There were folksongs, stories, dances and music from our Independence Day to today,” she said, describing heritage slave songs to traditional “duppy" (ghost) stories to folktales of Anansi the spider, “a trickster who conquered his enemy.”

Saturday’s party is the culmination of the festivities, and it will be an all-day affair lasting from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.  The cost, $15.00 a person, covers a meal, drinks, entertainment and games.

Bredwood's nephew, Blair Bredwood, a New York DJ who helps cook at the restaurant, said he will be in charge of the music.

“I'm a really, really good DJ,” he said. “The music will be from 1962 to now.”

He said some of the artists he’ll play are Shaggy, Toots and Maytal, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Beenie Men and Sean Paul, as well as musical selections like “Oh, Cherry, Oh Cherry, Oh Baby” by Eric Donaldson.

Authentic Jamaican cuisine will be served, including Ackee and saltfish, jerk chicken and jerk pork mackerel, Calaloo (sweet spinach) Escovitch fish, stewed curry goat and Sata-massa-gana -- stewed vegetables cooked in curry and coconut milk.

“Come over and try Taste it Again,” said Bredwood with a smile.  “Celebrate Jamaican independence!”

Taste it Again Authentic Jamaican Cuisine

271 Glenwood Avenue

Bloomfield, NJ 07003

973-743-5140

tasteit2011@aol.com

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