I’ve never really had authentic Caribbean food, so I knew I was in for a treat when we walked into Kiss of the Caribbean Island Grill on E Main St. in Allen. The first thing you notice is the reggae music and smiling faces.

Our server was really friendly, and greeted us immediately. Kiss is run by a family straight from Jamaica, so I was really pleased to know that this food was going to be authentic. We even stayed after close (on Wednesdays and Sundays they close at 6 p.m.), and they let us finish our meal with no hurry.

With a friend who had eaten Caribbean food before, I had an idea of what to order, but didn’t know what to expect. We ordered a Kiss of the Caribbean platter (jerk chicken, chicken curry, coconut shrimp, and rice) with a side of cornbread and fried plantains.

The food came out very quickly, and I jumped right in. Both of the chicken dishes were really flavorful and the coconut shrimp was crunchy and delicious. The cornbread had to be the favorite thing because it was beyond good. It wasn’t like cornbread you get in a typical BBQ restaurant; it tasted like cake.

The size of the dinner portion was also more than enough to eat. My plate of food was devoured and it wasn’t just because of hunger, it’s because everything was tasty. It may have been out of my comfort zone, but a Kiss of the Caribbean is what was needed.