(08/11/07)

On Route 7 in Great Barrington a little further north of Route 7 Grill, we spotted billowing smoke by a roadside shack with a Jamaican theme. I immediately pulled over to get the details (and order a few items). It's called Shaky Jake's and it had been open only two weeks. They have a smoker by the roadside shack, but you eat in a small restaurant further back, either in the small Jamaican-themed room or on the outdoor deck.

Saky Jake's is run by an American who spent two decades in Port Antonio, Jamaica, the birthplace of jerk.

The menu consists of mostly smoked Jamaican fare: jerk ribs, jerk chicken, patties, ackee. I love barbecue and I love Jamaican, so this fusion sounded like a great concept and had me ready to fall in love before my first bite.

Ribs were served cold and brutally tough. Chicken was dry, tasteless (where was the jerk?) and borderline raw. Cole slaw was little more than shredded cabbage. They forgot our corn. It took a few trips to get silverware. At least the patty was good, with a pleasingly flaky crust and well siced chicken inside. I'm guessing this was frozen though. I also liked their own brand of jerk sauce, which bore a Shaky Jake's label but had a bottle shape and flavor identical to the Walkerswood brand.

The bottom line: Like I said, I love barbecue and I love Jamaican, so Shaky Jake's fusion of the two had me ready to fall in love before my first bite. Good thing I didn't, because the execution was shaky.