Miss Ollie’s: Still Going Strong

I went to Miss Ollie’s a couple times when they first opened, but that was about four years ago, and I had been wanting to revisit.  So when a friend threw out a few suggestions for dinner, I chose it after about 2.5 seconds of contemplation.

Miss Ollie’s is named after Chef Sarah Kirnon’s grandmother and it specializes in Caribbean cuisine. On the day I was there, the space was full and strangers were chatting with each other in a way that made it feel more like a friend’s house than a restaurant.

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We started with Plantains drizzled in Garlic Oil and I loved the savory-sweet flavor combo and the soft texture.  But he doesn’t do mushy foods, so I had the “tough” job of eating all of them myself.

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He ordered the Fried Chicken, and must’ve been really hungry, because he started eating a piece before I snapped this picture.  But I shouldn’t be too hard on him because he also let me have a piece of my own and it was flavorful, crunchy and juicy.  And while it wasn’t exactly my favorite fried chicken, it was incredibly satisfying.

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I wanted to try something different and the server recommended the Jerk Hen, so that’s what I ordered.  Enrobed in an intense marinade, it was tender, while the fried yucca was both salty and crispy.  And the sweet and sour ketchup was so addictive, I could’ve brought home a couple bottles.

The food at Miss Ollie’s was soulful and it both filled me up and made me smile.  As we left, I found myself thinking about how happy I was to see that it was still going strong.

Christina Mitchell

Christina Mitchell

Christina is the founder of East Bay Dish. Her writing has also been featured in East Bay Express, Berkeleyside, Oakland Magazine and Edible East Bay.
Christina Mitchell

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