Fans of the Ja Patty food truck rejoice, Conroy Outar and partner Alison Rosario have finally opened a brick and mortar establishment with chairs and tables and music. The Ja Patty Tuck Shop, can be found on Westminster Street (between Lucky Enough and Scürvy Dög). Chef Conroy was manning the shop yesterday with Anthony Sanchez, while Rosario was downtown at the holiday market with the food truck. They put together a delicious curry goat rice bowl for me while answering a few questions like, what is a tuck shop?
In Jamaica a tuck shop is a small corner shop that might be embedded within a larger facility. Like our convenience stores, they feature local treats and readily available food items. And while Ja Patty has seating for taking one’s time, there are also patties ready to go. And my rice bowl did not take long at all. (The term harkens from the years of British rule which ended in 1962.)
Outar’s food background and journey to Providence involves several stages and lots of hard work and determination. It started with washing dishes. I defer to the the RI Monthly profile, written during the lock-down which Ja Patty survived by parking at Lorraine Mills.
Back in Jamaica, he enrolled at the Hotel Olympia Institute and worked at the renowned Boscobel Resort, then came to the United States in 1991 on an H-2 work visa and began employment at the Sea Crest Resort on Cape Cod. He started out as a dishwasher, then busser and server, and slowly worked his way up to management. He also spent time at the now-closed Remington House Inn in Warwick as general manager, and eventually landed in Providence, where he trained in food service at the Westin, and then moved on to Red Stripe and Mill’s Tavern restaurants.
He and Rosario, who hails from western New York, met at a business meeting where they realized their talents and goals dovetailed nicely. They have more plans so stay tuned.
Tuck Shop hours:
Sunday, Monday, Thursday, 11am to 8pm/Friday & Saturday 11am to 9pm.
Closed Tuesday & Wednesday.
Catering services are still available as is the food truck. Follow on IG.
Ja Patty Tuck Shop, 1577 Westminster Street, (directions)
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The Jamaican decor and music help set the mood. The mural of Bob Marley was executed by artist Kendall Joseph, while Jefferson Reilly created the vivid floral motifs that will be particularly welcome during the drab winter months coming up.
What you need to know.
Excellent graphics on the tees.
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Here’s Alison! Unfortunately, there were no apple patties left by the time I got to the downtown Holiday Market today, Sunday. But we had a nice chat.