In 2021 my wife and I visited the Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort in Lucea, Jamaica with two other couples and it was a great experience. Three of the best memories I remember was the relaxation, the laid back vides, and the food. Every afternoon for lunch the resort served Jamaican jerk chicken with rice and peas, which were included with our package. Every day during our stay there I looked forward to having some Jamaican jerk chicken, over looking the water on a sandy beach, on a warm and sunny day. What more could you ask for?
When a Jamaican restaurant can make you feel like you were back in Jamaica, that's one reason to keep coming back. But if the food is below average, it wouldn't even matter if the restaurant can give you those laid back vibes. The quality and the taste of the food is first, followed by the service and the atmosphere. Cutlass Grille in Chesapeake, VA is able to excel in all of these categories, and that's why my wife and I always enjoy dinning there. This is my Cutlass Grille Review.
We have been going to Cutlass Grille for a handful of years now. We first started going there back when they were at a different location in Chesapeake. I think they were previously in a strip mall if I recall correctly, and their place was much smaller. Now they have a larger restaurant, and they are located in a vibrant shopping area of Greenbrier called Towne Place. The decision to move to their current location was a great idea because the restaurant looks great and it's in a great location. The restaurant's larger dinning area allows them to serve more customers, and I'm sure their expansion required them to hire more black employees.
If you decide to visit their on a weekend in the evening, there's normally a wait time so factor that into your time. You can relax while you wait and order a Frozen Bob Marley from the bar, which is currently my favorite mixed drink to get there. They did a great job in decorating the restaurant, really going with a Caribbean look and feel. It feels like you are in Jamaica. They have a dinning area outside for when the weather is nice, and they've also had a live band play inside and outside the restaurant a few times we've been there.
The food is some of the best Jamaican food I've had. My wife and I have tried most of their appetizers: mini beef patties, jerk lamb chops, chargrilled oysters, and jerk shrimp tacos, they are all good. Are you getting hungry yet? For the main course I usually rotate between my 3 favorites, the Rasta pasta, rum glazed salmon, or jerk chicken, with a side of rice and peas of course. Whatever dish you decide to choose from the menu, I'm sure you won't go wrong.
One way to show that you still love the work that you do, is if you're still doing the work and the people around you can feel that you're enjoying it. That's what I see from the owner, Shawn. My wife and I always see Shawn working in the restaurant, helping his staff with different things. He's in the business, talking with his customers and building those relationships.
It's also helpful when you can add in an emotional connection between the business owner and the customer, and that's what Shawn and his wife Rachel did. They give us a glimpse of their back story and how they got started on their about us page. One of the most touching parts is how Shawn got both his talent and love for cooking Jamaican food from his mother. It's also encouraging to know that it wasn't until Shawn got laid off from his corporate job, that they decided to open a restaurant. When one door closes, build your own house so you can open your own door!
When you come across a black-owned business, you would hope that the majority of the employees would also be black. Because this is how you help the black community, by hiring black people. Without a doubt, Cutlass Grille is helping the black community because they have many black employees. Their hostesses, takeout counter, bartenders, servers, are all majority young and black, and they are always running around because the place is so busy. We can't see who's working in the kitchen, but it has to be some black cooks that makes the food taste so flavorful.
Out of all the black-owned restaurants I've been to in Hampton Roads, Cutlass Grille is probably one of my favorites. There's multiple benefits I get whenever I eat there. I get the joy of knowing that I'm supporting a black-owned business, and in return I get to experience great food, service, and a great atmosphere. Those are wins all around for me. If you've never been to Cutlass Grille before, I highly recommended trying this place out.