Cheap Eats: Bratenahl Kitchen

Before you even step foot in Bratenahl Kitchen, a one-table hut serving Jamaican cuisine on Lakeshore Boulevard, the smell of Jamaican zest punches you in the nose. The pimento-based seasoning — a slew of garlic, onions, peppers and more — adorns dishes such as the braised oxtail ($11), a can’t-miss for Cleveland carnivores. But before diving into an entree, start with a beef Jamaican patty ($2.50), a spread of seasoned ground beef wrapped in a golden, flaky pastry. The hearty starter, which has a chicken or veggie alternative, will almost make you second-guess ordering an entree until you see someone fork through a piece of curry chicken ($10) like melted butter. No matter what you pick from the colorful hand-lettered chalkboard menu, you can’t go wrong with these feel-good prices. Also Try: Pair the spicy jerk chicken ($8) served with cabbage on a bed of pigeon pea rice with a glass bottle of Ting ($2), Jamaica’s favorite grapefruit soda. 14002 Lakeshore Blvd., Cleveland, 216-383-1874