Ackee Tree
Ackee Tree has a home other than its Humber College location serving their classic Jamaican jerk chicken and pork, patties, oxtail and more.
The space is simply decorated but ample, with a kids nook and plenty of seating across from a veritable banquet of steam tables.
They completely overhauled the place from the dive bar that previously resided in the space, Annie’s. An iconic Jamaican image of a little boy done up Andy-Warhol-style decorates the wall above a bench, symbolizing the updated take on Jamaican cuisine here.
A stuffed patty ($5.50), otherwise known as a patty sandwich at some places, stuffs coco bread with your choice of patty (we go spicy beef), lettuce, tomato, cheese, banana peppers that add an awesome pop and house jerk mayo that brings everything together.
Boneless curry chicken ($12.59 for a large order) is from the main meals section of the menu, on which all items are served with white rice, rice and peas or fries and your choice of anise salad or coleslaw.
We go coleslaw, and also opt for chickpeas over potatoes.
A jerk chicken meal is $11.15, and we go for chickpeas and coleslaw with this one too.
Ackee Tree’s jerk is made with jerk paste, Jamaican scallion and thyme, ginger and garlic. It stickily coats the juicy chicken and you can feel the spice in your ears. Coleslaw is nicely thick cut and crunchy.
All meats are cut to order at special, super sterile stations.
Other $11.15 meals include BBQ chicken legs and jerk pork. Don’t sleep on the jerk fries tossed in that signature jerk sauce, they’re fiery and tasty.
They once long resided near the corner of Queen and Spadina, and this new location marks their return to the street, albeit on the other side of town.
Hector Vasquez