On Hasbrouck Avenue in Midtown Kingston, passersby can smell comforting aromas of jerk chicken and curried goat wafting from a hole-in-the-wall owned by married couple Malenda and Albert Bartley. Inside are shelves of Jamaican snacks, drinks, and pantry staples that add flair to the small space. Customers seated at the three tables bond over the food, of how delicious it is or how far they traveled just to get a taste of it. Painted bright green and yellow, Jamaican restaurant and James Beard award semifinalist Top Taste has captivated Kingston and beyond.
“We love each other, we love to cook,” Malenda says.
Malenda and Albert both took inspiration from their families when it came to cooking. Albert was taught by his grandmother and Malenda by her mother. After working at chemical sealant company RectorSeal for 34 years, Albert had enough. He wanted to do something he loved.
“I never have that doubt in my mind, that it’s not gonna work,” Albert says about opening the restaurant in 2014. “When I cook, I know people are gonna eat it. Believe me.”
What makes Top Taste special is Malenda and Albert’s stand-out combination of flavors. Malenda and Albert both combine the cooking techniques they grew up with to create something brand new. Their plantains are fried until gooey and caramelized; their goat, tender and flavorful, is scrape-off-the-bone good; even something as simple as steamed cabbage has the perfect amount of crunch to complement the layered and rich meal.
Most important, though, is the genuine love they have for cooking and for their customers. When such a busy restaurant is run by only two people, it’s easy for their heads to spin. Still, each customer is greeted with open arms.
“Put a little passion in it. Don’t just do it because you think that’s the way to make money,” Malenda says. “You have to put love in your ingredients.”
