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Southern Tier Life / July 2021 / ISSUE 005
by Bob Thomas When asked to describe growing up on the Northside of Elmira, my knee-jerk response is to say “underwhelming”. Chef ’s Best brought me back to my old stomping ground this month. As I drove through the neghborhood memories flooded back. Everything a kid needed growing up in the 1980’s was right there at that time. We had crab apple battles in the backyard. Bottle Rocket fights in Pulaski Park. Skateboarding down the “steep” hill on Magee Street. Riding bikes, playing ball, staying out until our sunset curfew. When we were hungry all we had to do was take a short walk. Around the corner stands King Kone, hands-down the best place for soft serve in Elmira, then and now. An authentic Convenient Food Mart was almost in my backyard. Plenty of paper route earnings were spent there on Cow Tails and Garbage Pail Kids. Enrico’s Pizza on the corner of Davis and Noble street was our go-to place for a sheet pizza and wings. Times have changed. Families in the
R&J Jamaican Cuisine R&J Jamaican Cuisine Website
neighborhood today have even more options for fun and food. I will let the kids decide what constitutes their fun now, (but bottle rockets are plentiful this time of year). Ice cream and convenience foods are still available in the same locations, but now there is something new at 1208 Davis Street. Swap the pizza for authentic Jamaican food, now available in the heart of the Northside. R&J Jamaican Restaurant opened its doors to customers on June 8, 2021. Romario Brown and Jenna Balmer
are the owners of the restaurant. “We bring a taste of the Island,” said Brown and Balmer. We are bringning homestyle like food right to you with a variety of choices. From world famous Jerk chicken, different choices of pork to shrimp, Island Pasta and many more.” After hearing about the opening of the restaurant, my wife, Marisa, and I had to check it out. The experience was even more enjoyable because we had the chance to share it with friends. Native Jamaicans Brian Allen and Fitzroy Moore are in the hospitality indus-
