Using more than 30 spices, the chefs at Ocean Blue Caribbean Restaurant and Bar add super-potent complexity to jerk shrimp, a jerk turkey burger, and jerk chicken. Along with those dry-rubbed and wet-marinated meats, the culinary team crafts Caribbean classics such as ackee and saltfish, sweet potato pie, and Jamaican patties with fillings such as beef, fish, and veggies. “Loosen your belt for large portions and ready your taste buds for well-seasoned staples like brown stewed chicken, curry goat, and jerk chicken,” advises Phoenix Magazine, which has also praised the “excellent coconut curry shrimp” and the “light, pop-in-your-mouth cornmeal fritters,” known as “festivals” for their frequent use as parade confetti.

During daily meals and weekday all-you-can-eat-buffets, the aroma of sizzling meats and spices fills a cozy dining room where the green and yellow of Jamaica’s flag brighten the walls. A thatched-roof, tiki-hut-style bar in the room’s center help wash down feasts with wine, draft and bottled beers, and fresh-squeezed juices of tropical produce rarely seen stateside, such as soursop and Irish moss.