Rooftop’s Ramen Warm-up
All summer, which includes October here, tables at Rooftop (148 E St., Eureka) were packed with those starved for vitamin D and hungry for sushi. But during the damp cold of winter, the indoor tables and counter (at last, comfy bar chairs) offer a view out of the chill and hot, hot ramen.
The Spicy Miso Ramen ($18) is a cold weather winner. A miso broth with surprising body, considering its vegetarian base, draws its orange-red hue and heat from doses of Korean gochujang and la-yu sesame chili oil. The accompanying ajitsuke tamago has a moist, jammy but still solid yolk and a salty-sweet exterior, to which the firm, charred spirals of roasted chashu pork offer a smoky balance. For its heat and flavor, the soup is fairly light and a match for the glossy, medium-weight fresh noodles. (Listen, Team Tonkotsu, I also love a thick, fatty broth but we can’t always nap right after a meal.) Lean into the steam for the simultaneous belly warming and spa treatment.
Jerk Kitchen Closes
On Dec. 18, Jason Mitchell, owner of Eureka’s Jerk Kitchen (427 W Harris St.), announced via Instagram that the Jamaican restaurant would serve its final meals of jerk chicken, stewed oxtails and fresh cornbread on Friday, Dec. 20. He begins the post by “saying thank you for allowing me to take one of my greatest loves, which is cooking, and be able to share it with the community of Humboldt; I have enjoyed serving each and every one of you.” He invites folks to visit for a last taste of Jamaican culture and food, signing off, “Remain blessed, One Love.”
Over the phone, Mitchell, who took over the spot from original owners and fellow Jamaican immigrants Dell Bryan and Joanna Kerr, says the restaurant just wasn’t doing enough business. “For me to keep hearing all the time, ‘You have the best food’ or ‘the best food in Humboldt County,'” while still not seeing that reflected in traffic just doesn’t make the investment worth it.
While Jerk Kitchen had been on the market with a price tag of $105,000, Mitchell says he has removed the listing. He says a couple of parties have shown interest, but the potential sale isn’t enough to keep him waiting in town. Instead, he says, he and his family will be returning to Jamaica, where his mother still lives, to “enjoy whatever I have worked for.” His daughter Empress, he says, is excited for the move.
While he’s grateful for his time in Humboldt, he’s ready to leave the country. “We have not come to that place in society where we understand that we are all connected in this country and we have to work together,” he says. “Not in America.”
Share your tips about What’s Good with Jennifer Fumiko Cahill (she/her), arts and features editor at the Journal. Reach her at 442-1400, extension 320, or jennifer@northcoastjournal.com. Follow her on Instagram @JFumikoCahill and on Bluesky @jfumikocahill.bsky.social.
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This article appears in Top 10 Stories of 2024.
