Way back when, my wife and I were bored one weekend so we decided to get into the car, drive up to Maine and see what kind of trouble we could get into. Along the way we wound up on a road through the woods. My memory is a little fuzzy and I can't really say where we were other than it was probably southern Maine.

We were in search of some place to eat but neither of us were in the mood for seafood, which is about all you can find in some parts of Maine. Then, all of a sudden we came up on a shack on the side of the road advertising Jamaican food. I wasn't too familiar with Jamaican cuisine but I pulled over and we went to check it out.

The place was a father-son operation, real authentic and spectacularly delicious. I had stewed goat and was introduced to the popular Jamaican soda Ting.

Ever since then I've been in search of that singular Jamaican food experience, but my efforts have been fruitless. But I should say that was until I stopped into Island Touch Restaurant in New London for the first time this past weekend.

Island touch is located in a humble building at 78 Broad St. It's a small white building next to a bail bonds place. The seating is limited to a few chairs near the register and most of the space is taken up by the kitchen (the place advertises as a take-out, delivery and catering operation). Posters of Bob Marley and Martin Luther King Jr. hang near the entrance.

I ordered the jerk chicken meal and a bottle of Ting, a soda made with grapefruit juice. My meal came to under $10, which is getting harder and harder to find these days. I took the meal back to work and chowed down.

The chicken was amazing. Nice and spicy, and some of the moistest chicken I've ever had. It came with rice and beans and some cabbage. I ordered the small size, which seemed pretty large to me (no skimping at this place). Some of the food was actually sticking out of the container they put it in.

The chef told me the busiest time at Island Touch is lunch time on weekdays. But on Saturdays people sleep in and don't come around until later in the day. The place is closed on Sundays.

So to make a long story short, if you're into Jamaican food, I'd definitely recommend you head on over to Island Touch sometime. You'll probably bump into me while you're in there.