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HUNTINGTON -- A native of Jamaica, Doreen Campbell has made several trips to Charleston over the past few years to visit her son Ricardo Phillips, a state trooper and Iraq War veteran who has lived in the area for 14 years.

"I used to operate about five restaurants in Jamaica," Campbell said. "Food is my business, and when I saw there weren't any Jamaican restaurants in South Charleston, I decided to bring my business here. I opened my first restaurant in South Charleston around seven months ago. After running my first restaurant for a few months, someone told me that Huntington is a hot spot."

The location that Campbell ended up purchasing is a building already familiar to many Huntington residents, the former location of Thabit's Diner (and briefly T.J.'s Diner). Campbell plans on importing her menu from the South Charleston location with such dishes as curry shrimp, escoveitch fish, red pea soup and pineapple chicken for the new restaurant Jamaican Cuisine.

Romando Shultz, another native of Jamaica, will be on board as the chef.

Campbell had hoped to open the restaurant on Wednesday, Dec. 16, but some last-minute technical issues forced her to delay the opening.

She is hoping to have the restaurant open today, Thursday, Dec. 17.

Jerk chicken, one of the most popular items at the South Charleston location, will be available in a lunch portion for $8.50 and a dinner portion for $10.15. Fish dishes such as steamed curry fish will range in price from $12.50 to $20 depending on the size of the fish. The restaurant also will have a wide assortment of vegetarian dishes such as vegetarian mince, which ranges in price from $8.50 to $10.15. Natural juices blended in the shop will be available for $3 a glass with such varieties as avocado and pineapple and mango and carrot.

The final menu also will allow some more adventurous customers to try such exotic dishes as oxtail and beans and curry goat.

An assortment of desserts ranging from sweet potato pudding and carrot cake to bread pudding will be available for $3 to $5.

Despite the new owner and the all new cuisine, the interior will still look very familiar to visitors of the former Thabit's restaurant.

Aside from moving one of the lunch counters, very little of the interior has been changed. However, Campbell would like to add one thing.

"In our South Charleston restaurant we have some pictures of (famous Jamaicans) Bob Marley and Usain Bolt," she said. "I would like to put some up here."

Ultimately, it's the food that makes the difference.

"What makes the Jamaican food stick out is the all natural spices," Campbell said. "We use all natural flavorings such as pimento leaves (allspice) and scotch bonnet peppers. It's very healthy. Our food can be mild or it can be very spicy. It's all up to what the customer wants. All of dishes will be served with a side of white or pumpkin rice and a side of vegetables."

Jamaican Cuisine is located in the old Thabit's building next to Hometown Hobbies at 1117 4th Ave. The hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Cash and all major credit cards will be accepted.

For more information, call 304-525-0770.

Jamaican Cuisine's South Charleston location is at 228 7th Ave. The hours of operation are the same. For more information or to place a carryout order at the South Charleston location, call 304-744-9700.

Paul Sebert/For The Herald-Dispatch

Owner Doreen Campbell has a restaurant called Jamaica Cuisine in South Charleston. She is opening a Huntington location at 1117 4th Ave., in the former ThabitÕs restaurant. The restaurant is expected to open Thursday, Dec. 17.

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Paul Sebert/For The Herald-Dispatch

Doreen Campbell

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