Jerk Chicken News

The jerk chicken is tops at Jerk Caribbean restaurant in Cedar Hill

The Jerk Caribbean

A Caribbean restaurant in Cedar Hill is turning heads with its jerk chicken: Called The Jerk Caribbean, it's at 242 S. Hwy. 67, on S. J. Elmer Freeway, where it opened in a former salon space in February.

The Jerk Caribbean is from husband-and-wife Orlando and Tab Simon, who are using recipes from Orlando's mother including her signature jerk chicken and other island foods such as patties.

“When I met Orlando, he took me to one of his family parties and I tasted the chicken and fell in love with the taste,” Tab says. “I started cooking it and having friends and family over, and they loved it. So we started setting up as a vendor at food festivals and events."

First, they take the skin off and season the chicken with spices such as all spice, ginger, garlic, and habanero. After the chicken marinates overnight from one to two days, they bake it rather than grill it to keep from losing the marinade over charcoal. Then they jerk, or poke, the chicken once it’s done. According to Orlando, baking it enhances flavor and locks in the seasoning.

Tab says they incorporate both of their cultures into the dishes as she’s American and Orlando is Trinidadian. According to Orlando, they cater to all the islands, not just Trinidad.

Beyond jerk chicken, priced at $17, they have an $11 baked potato topped with shredded jerk chicken and jerk sauce and $5 beef patties, which are yellow puff pastries made from scratch, are filled with ground beef, chopped vegetables, and Caribbean seasoning.

Other menu items include curry chicken, oxtails, red beans and rice, green beans with chunks of potato, and potato salad with lots of hard-boiled egg.

The couple originally considered a food truck, but went for a brick-and-mortar after determining what Cedar Hill might need.

“It’s a spot with more working class people and we had to do our research on the demographics and see what kind of competition we had and compare it to our restaurant,” Tab says. “That’s the reason we picked Cedar Hill.”

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Closing News

Longtime Dallas restaurant Sevy's Grill to close after nearly 30 years

Photo courtesy of Sevy's Grill

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A longtime Dallas restaurant is closing in 2026: Sevy's Grill, which has been open at 8201 Preston Rd. near Preston Center for nearly 30 years, will close on June 27, 2026.

According to a release from the owners, they're closing due to what appears to be an increase in rent.

"After months of negotiations, we were not able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for our fourth 10-year lease," the post said.

The restaurant is located in Preston Sherry Plaza, which was acquired in September 2025 by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate. Somebody gotta foot the bill.

Sevy's says they are looking at other locations.

"Our focus now is to finish these next 6+ months taking care of our guests and staff at the same caring level we built our brand on: Warm, professional service, consistently good food and a comfortable ambiance where the guest is always first," the post says. "First on our list of priorities is taking care of our guests in December and all the wonderful celebrations of family, friends and business groups. We do still have some availability for reservations, including our last New Years Eve at Preston Sherry. Come celebrate with us as the exciting anticipation of a new year for all of us."

"Our second priority will be the search for a new location to continue doing what we love," they said. "We are already reviewing possible sites and will keep everyone updated regularly."

Owned by chef Jim "Sevy" Severson and his wife Amy Severson, the restaurant has long been a neighborhood favorite with a lively bar scene, and was nominated in CultureMap's 2018 Tastemaker Awards for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. They were a frequent choice for winemaker events and are also known for the longevity of their staff.

"Eight team members have been with us all 29+ years, with an average tenure in the kitchen of 15+ years and a Management team that you all know," their post said. "Come support our staff as we celebrate the next 6+ months.Thank you again for your support through all the normal challenges of running a restaurant as well as economic downturns, market bubbles, Y2K, and of course the COVID era. As I tell my family and friends to “enjoy the ride in life”, wow, what an amazing ride it has been for us! And as always, Sevy’s Grill is here for you."