... Jo Jo's Jerk Pit?

As the name suggests, Jo Jo's Jerk Pit and More, gives the hungry diner more than the popular Jamaican cooking method.

Owner Anna Chin has been in the food industry for 36 years, starting from the home where her mother was a caterer. Later on, her mother-in-law ran a Chinese restaurant. She admits to having a love for food and gaining experience from the popular Jo Jo's Farm Market, her core family business from which the jerk pit was spawned. Living in Canada for 30 years also exposed her to various tastes, including Italian and Greek.

"That's where the variety comes from in our menu," she notes. The jerk pit will probably be working overtime during the 2010 Gleaner-sponsored Restaurant Week, its first foray into the event. Jo Jo's has incorporated more 'high-end' offerings like the juicy Argentine steak and scrumptious Thai pasta, showing off its culinary diversity. In 2009, Jo Jo's entered the Jack Daniel's Grill-Off and won. But entering was all about marketing, to give the restaurant exposure. It's the same plan for Restaurant Week.

"Anything else is a bonus," she said. Jo Jo's Jerk Pit is usually open only from Thursday to Saturday, but during Restaurant Week it will be going all week except Sunday, November 14; they are usually closed on Sundays. But no matter the time, Jo Jo's is ideal for any diner.

"Some people don't have the pocket so we're hoping to get some of that market, as well as others like the foreigners who are looking for a local style. The combinations we offer would give them a taste of it." Chin said there are plans to add a bar as, after dining, guests tend to hang out. But that's the vibe you get at Jo Jo's.

"Our motto is 'come feel Jamaica, taste Jamaica' hence the rustic jerk pit, and the low-key, unpretentious atmosphere."