Eating Out: Babu’s Jerk Joint | Brookfield, CT

UPDATE: Babu’s Jerk Joint is officially closed.

We’ve been curious about Babu’s Jerk Joint in Brookfield, but somehow we could never catch them open. I read reviews of the place in Yelp and checked their menu online, but we wanted to discover for ourselves how their food was.

Good thing it was worth the wait. Since we’ve read their menu already, we knew what we wanted to try. For our drinks, I ordered their mango carrot tropical juice ($2.82). Hubby tried their D&G Kola Champagne ($2.45).

We shared one savory Jamaican Beef Patty ($1.85) with a very flaky shell. Look how yellow it is!

I had their Jerk Pork ($13.95) with mild sauce on the side. They asked me what sauce I wanted – hot, mild or sweet. I went with the mild sauce, but it wasn’t quite as mild as I expected. It was actually spicy (mind you, not spicy hot. . . spicy as in I can taste different spices in it) and flavorful. I love the charred smoky portions of the meat. What a great introduction to jerk pork! Even without the sauce, the pork can stand on its own.

Hubby had their Oxtail and Broad Beans ($15.95). I’m not really into oxtail, but I did eat an oh so tender piece or two, which made me suspect that the oxtail was braised. Somehow, the sauce of this dish reminded us both of the Philippine adobo, albeit sweeter. We shared both the white rice, plus the brown rice and peas.

Verdict: Babu’s Jerk Joint opened last year. Owned by the mother-and-daughter team of Patricia and Thesa, Babu’s is a welcome addition to Fairfield County. They’ve been in business for less than a year, so the restaurant is still experiencing growing pains. Don’t fret. Just relax and enjoy the food. Even if they are new in the business, running the restaurant and cooking the food they serve is clearly a labor of love. While we were there, I noticed that there were some regulars who dropped by for take-out food and exchanged hugs with Thesa. It was a very casual place with a relaxed ambiance.

FYI: Babu’s is named after Thesa’s grandfather. There is even a picture of her grandfather in the counter near the cash register. I asked Thesa what “babu” meant and learned that it’s a term of respect for grandfather or a gentleman, similar to “sir”.

Anyway, if you’ve never had Jamaican food or you’re looking for Jamaican food here in Fairfield County, head to Babu’s Jerk Joint. With their full-flavored food coupled with the friendly and gracious owners, you’ll eat well and support a women-owned local business simultaneously. Not bad, right?

Address:
Babu’s Jerk Joint
537 Federal Rd
Brookfield, CT 06804