On Taylor Street in historic East Waco sits a bright yellow building with murals of Jamaican life painted along both walls. Inside, the yellow walls are a stark contrast to the emptiness that was here 18 months ago when I interviewed owners Vivia Charles and son, Aniceto Charles Jr., about the 2022 fire that decimated Waco’s only authentic Jamaican restaurant.
“Wi likkle, but wi tallawah.”
“We may be small, but we are strong.”
This Jamaican proverb found on Tru Jamaica’s website, trujamaica.com, is a testament to the journey that this family-owned restaurant has experienced.
The newly imagined restaurant has brought an elevated charm to the island foods they serve. The dark wood seating brings a refined and natural feel to the restaurant that is accented with greenery, creating a nod to Jamaica’s national colors of yellow, green and black. Pieces representing their Jamaican heritage are incorporated throughout, including a hand-carved wooden sculpture of Caribbean folk art.
The first time I enjoyed a plate of jerk chicken was here in Waco in September of 2022, and that first plate introduced me to something truly special.
“I think the most important thing is the warmth,” said Aniceto. “So when you come into Tru Jamaica, everybody’s loved on, everybody’s smiling. You feel like, ‘Hey, you know what? I was in somebody’s house eating.’ You don’t feel like, ‘I just got my food and I went.’”
For Vivia, food has always been a love language.
“I grew up close to my grandmom because Grandpa died early. All my aunties, all of them, whenever we would show up at their door, they would generously love on us with food,” said Vivia. “That’s really been the premise of [Tru Jamaica]. I think people will always come if you want to serve and make them feel good.”
Each dish at Tru Jamaica is crafted from island flavors: Scotch bonnet peppers, pimento, thyme, ginger cabbage.
Starting with the most quintessential Jamaican dish: jerk chicken.
There are seven jerk options on the menu, four of which are chicken. You can also get the spices served over shrimp, pork and rice.
Vivia prefers it with chicken and “lots of steamed vegetables.”
“I put my twist on it. Whether I’m in here eating it or at home, I always put some kind of twist. But jerk chicken is simple.”
We sampled the drums and thigh entrée, served alongside coconut rice and peas, coleslaw and fried plantains. The rich sauce is very similar to the aromas of barbecue, with bold and smoky flavors finished with a spicy kick.
“Jerk is a seasoning from Jamaica made out of 16 different spices,” explained Aniceto. “The main ingredients — Scotch bonnet pepper from Jamaica, and then allspice — once all those things are paired together, it takes on the characteristic of the shrimp, or the chicken, or the pork. When you combine it with the pork, it might taste a little bit sweet because there’s brown sugar. So, it’s one seasoning, but it just enhances each [meat] differently.”
The sweet and savory meat is complemented by the coconut rice and coleslaw made of cabbage, another staple of Jamaican cuisine.
The mild spice level is tapered by the sweet fried plantains, a favorite of mine. The rich, caramelized flavor has a hint of banana, with plenty of sweetness from the spices it’s made with.
The next dish was a departure from the familiar. I’ve had curry many ways. Roasted Coconut Curry from London’s oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy; Beef Karahi curry from Saffron; my mom’s lemon curry, passed down from our British roots.
Tru Jamaica’s Curry Shrimp was a new venture entirely. Milder than Indian dishes by the same name, this plate is turmeric-heavy, giving the sauce a more earthy flavor. It’s a wonderfully light dish, also completed with rice, coleslaw and plantains.
You can also order the curry over chicken, vegetables or Aniceto’s favorite, goat.
“Curry goat is probably the leanest red meat that you can get,” he said. “It’s not gamey. It tastes like a very tender beef. Then it’s paired with curry, a little bit of Scotch bonnet pepper. It’s very deep in flavor, and it’s so tender. Every time I think of it, I think of the holidays because we generally [have] curry goat and oxtail for the holidays. You know, it’s like Christmas, Thanksgiving, somebody’s wedding.”
In between the dishes of entrees, we also sampled a beef patty. This handheld appetizer is an island classic made of a golden, flaky pastry. The breading was so airy and light, complementing the spicy ground beef inside. It’s the perfect quick bite if you need a snack between meals or a treat to open up your evening at Tru Jamaica.
The final entrée is a Rastafarian homage. Playfully called the Rasta Pasta, this penne pasta is fully vegan, honoring the Rastafarians who live in harmony with the earth. Red, yellow and green bell peppers are a nod to the classic colors, with carrots, green onions and spinach rounding out this dish with a tougher kick than the previous dishes. This was the delightful surprise of the evening, as I often find myself ordering one of the jerk dishes.
Just as important as the dishes, the beverages brought all the island vibes to the table. Aniceto even brought out a fresh coconut chilled and ready to enjoy.
For me, the first thing I ordered is the Sorrel & Ginger. Made from sorrel, also known as jamaica (hay-may-kuh), a popular aguas frescas, this hibiscus tea is tart and sweet, with ginger that adds a sharp, spicy kick.
Soursop is the opposite, a creamy and sweet tropical drink that blends milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Vivia and Aniceto both praised the soursop for the many health properties of the drink, but it’s also just a simply delightful drink.
For dessert, Tru Jamaica has a selection of sweets to choose from. We ended the evening with the Carrot Cake, a cozy comfort that’s baked with pineapple for a vibrant twist to this classic spiced cake. But the heavy hitter was the Rum Raisin Bread Pudding. Warm and custardy, this treat warrants saving some room at the end of your meal.
But anyone who has dined at Tru Jamaica knows it’s about more than just the food.
Vivia Charles’ daughter, Mercedes Charles, stopped by for the tasting. A family physician for Waco Family Medicine, she’ll lend a hand at the family restaurant when there’s a large crowd. She encourages Wacoans to visit Tru Jamaica “for the vibes.”
“We’re talking about real home cooked food,” said Mercedes. “It’s food that your mom would approve of, and shared with good buds. Just come in, try it once, and then you’ll be a customer for life, and tell a friend. We’re just thankful for all the support Waco’s given us all these years.”
