Some people might have reservations about eating in a place that used to be a bank, but that was an added bonus for me. Growing up in Shurlington, I knew the building at 1770 Shurling Drive as the C&S Bank, adjacent to the library and a drive-thru liquor store. Tripping on nostalgia, I couldn’t wait to see what Jamai’s Place was like. Besides, I’d never eaten in a bank before.
Their menu is a mash-up of rib shack and soul food joint, and its only goal seems to be to fill you up. Jamai’s Place is the kind of down home Southern eatery that, with a straight face, puts “mac n cheese” under its “Fresh Vegetables” menu. That said, it’s worth pointing out that all their veggies are fresh, coming straight from the Farmer’s Market, but I’ll get there in a moment.
Walking in, you’re surrounded by airbrushed portraits of Uga, the University of Georgia mascot, slightly appropriated with a “J” in his hat, presumably for Jamai’s. The smoker is a screened-in box where the bank’s pneumatic tube island had been, and the drive-thru is where the bank’s drive-thru was. The main course comes from one of four categories: ribs, BBQ, wings and fish.
Having already enjoyed the ribs, BBQ and wings, I asked Crystal, who was working the counter, what I should try. She seemed almost appalled that I hadn’t tried the fish yet. As a kid, I was always more interested in fishing than fish fries, so as an adult, I’ve strayed from that part of my diet. But I didn’t want to make Crystal mad, so I got the fried grouper.
When she brought it out, with fries and two slices of white bread, she offered me tartar sauce but let me know I wouldn’t be needing it to punch up this fish. Crystal was right. It was a delicate and juicy fillet, deep-fried in subtle seasoning. I started with a fork, breaking my fish into pieces, but soon just picked it up and ate with my fingers because it was that good.
After starting with hand-breaded fried pickles that taste like little bitty Chick-fil-A fried chicken sandwiches, I ran out of room before I could have too many fries, but it didn’t matter. They were just regular ol’ crinkle cut fries. Some places take special pride, serving their fries battered or seasoned or curly. Jamai’s Place skips that, putting their energy into everything else. Best I can tell, the fries are the only pre-prepared item on the menu. Everything else is fresh and homemade.
Like the collard greens. Their collards, savory, deeply-flavored and tender, mean I’ll never ever try to cook collards again. There just wouldn’t be a reason as long as Jamai’s is open. That goes for just about any Southern side you can imagine, like peas and okra, slaw and potato salad.
With all that they do well with the food, Jamai’s Place also excels in another area that matters to me: They’re good people. No matter who’s working, they make you feel like you just sat down for dinner at their house, which makes sense because they’re all family there. Jamai himself heads up the operation with his mom, best friend and god-sister, Crystal, helping out.
Let us now praise great lemonade. Normally, I can’t imagine reviewing the drinks at a restaurant, but their lemonade is fresh-squeezed and ice cold. With the mercury topping out near 100 degrees, that lemonade may just save your life.
The only real problem I have with Jamai’s Place is that I want to use a pun so badly it hurts, like, “Jamai’s Place is the kind of restaurant you can bank on,” or “Run over to Jamai’s and deposit some vittles in your tummy.” Hmm. Suffice it to say, I like the place a lot. Maybe next time I’ll get to see the vault.
Jamai’s Place
Three and a half stars
Address: 1770 Shurling Drive
Phone: 254-3133
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday
Payment: Cash, credit
Smoking: No
Alcohol: No
Kids Menu: Yes
Noise Level: Low
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Price range: Combos range from $2.59 to $8.79
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