Island Fest

 

Located at 130 West Lexington Avenue in Uptowne High Point, Island Fest serves Jamaican cuisine for lunch and dinner. It is open from 11-7:30 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, 11-9 Friday and Saturday, and closed on Monday. Online ordering is available through Uber Eats.

 

While the Khrissy’s Kitchen truck makes its rounds at Brown Truck fairly regularly, High Point was without a Jamaican restaurant until Island Fest recently opened its doors. It’s a welcome addition, and while it has room to grow and improve, there’s reason enough to be hopeful.

 

Housed in the former Lone Star Burger (they kept the cow out front and adorned it with a Jamaican flag), Island Fest is geared toward takeout and quick service. Dining in is an option, and the folks here seem friendly, but you’re coming for the food, not the ambiance.

 

Speaking of the food, the offerings here aren’t as extensive as they are at Da Reggae Café, but if you have a Jamaican craving, you’ll likely find something that can satisfy it. Entrees range from jerks and curries to fried fish to brown stew beef, quick bites include various patties and coco bread, and sides cover the requisite rice and peas, cabbage, and plantains as well as mac and cheese.

 

They were out of curry shrimp when I placed my order, so I went with fried red snapper in its stead along with jerk chicken, a beef patty, and coco bread. The entrees are available in smaller and larger sizes and include rice and plantains. My wife and I were hoping to get several meals out of our order and did so for under $50. While Island Fest’s early reviews complained about portion sizes, the larger-sized entrees left no room for complaint on that end.

 

The food was a bit uneven, but there were more bright spots than disappointments. Thankfully, Island Fest does not tone itself down for mass appeal: the beef patty and jerk chicken brought a welcome bit of heat. The snapper was nicely breaded and paired well with a peppery barbecue sauce. Speaking of sauces, Island Fest lets you pick a gravy for your rice. We got to try both the curry and the oxtail gravies, and both were delicious. While the rice was a top-tier side, the cabbage and coco bread were forgettable, and the sweet plantains weren’t particularly sweet.

 

Island Fest’s early offerings are promising, and more may be on the horizon. As-is, this probably isn’t the best Jamaican food you’ve had, but the entrees and sauces can hold their own.

California Burritos

 

Located at 2107 Kirkwood Drive in High Point, California Burritos offers Mexican cuisine from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Online ordering and delivery (via DoorDash or Uber Eats) are available. Three for $9.99 tacos are offered on Tuesdays.

 

The High Point offshoot of a Burlington eatery, California Burritos calls to mind the apex version of a national chain. Like a Chipotle or a Moe’s, it offers convenient ordering and lots of customizability. However, its ingredient quality and Californian branding help set it apart.

 

Though its concept is straightforward, California Burritos offers more than its namesake. You can get a burrito with your choice of meat and fillings, but you can also get bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and even carne asada fries. The offerings extend beyond the expected beef/steak/chicken/carnitas to include birria, shrimp, and even crispy fish tacos.

 

My wife and I opted for a carnitas quesadilla and a steak burrito for pickup. I was greeted upon arrival, and my order was ready to go. Though I didn’t linger long, I can say that the restaurant seemed bright and clean. The sound of sizzling meat made me feel like I’d made a good decision.

 

Indeed, the food did not disappoint. Both items were generously sized and well put together. I got a good two-thirds of the way through the burrito before it neared collapse. The ingredients tasted fresh.

 

At $11 and $12 (before factoring in a guac upcharge), California Burritos runs a bit higher than its competition, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff for the portion and quality of the food. It probably won’t supplant your favorite Mexican spot, but as fast casual options go, you really couldn’t ask for better.