Not far from the Varsity, in an old firehouse on North Avenue, you’ll find a little slice of the Caribbean in Negril Village, a Jamaican restaurant with a sleek, stylish interior that belies its friendly atmosphere and relatively inexpensive menu.
The perfect representation of the charms of Negril Village is the restaurant’s oxtail empanada appetizer. At only $4 for two empanadas, it’s hard to find a better bang for your buck.
Oxtail stew is a Jamaican specialty, so it’s reasonable to have high expectations of Negril Village’s oxtail empanada filling. Thankfully, the oxtail in the empanada shells is meaty and satisfying, with a thick, rustic jus. The shells themselves have a crispy exterior, with a chewy, tender interior.
The coup de grace is the dipping jus, which has extra little bits of oxtail in it, ensuring that you get the perfect ratio of filling to shell with every bite of your empanada.
Enjoyed with an ice-cold Ting, the grapefruit soda native to Jamaica, it’s easy to finish your empanadas and just order another round.
Negril Village. 30 North Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-464-7159, negrilvillageatl.com.
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