Hummingbird Restaurant 29 South Warren St, Trenton 609-278-9555
(Directions) (Facebook) Open weekdays only, 11 AM-8 PM

Dickens? No, Bob. The Hummingbird is a Jamaican restaurant downtown in the Warren Street revival area. And just as any decent Italian eatery in the ‘Burg used to have a photo of Frank Sinatra on the wall, the Hummingbird celebrates Bob Marley with a large poster in the dining room. Something of Marley’s spirit seems to inhabit the place, which has great food and a pleasant atmosphere.

The menu is simple: Jerk Chicken, goat or chicken curry, BBQ ribs, and several types of fish. Also, chicken wings, and so-called meat pies, which, in the English style, are filled more with thick brown gravy than anything resembling actual meat. You can also get a lunch-salad topped with cold pieces of jerk chicken.

The jerk chicken is superb. It tastes like it’s been grilled over charcoal, and is fiery hot, with strong overtones of cloves and allspice. It comes in 3 sizes: $5, $7 or $8.50. The larger sizes come with a choice of white rice or rice and beans, and a choice of side (the mac and cheese is strongly recommended).

The Hummingbird is mostly a take-out place, and there is no table service. However, the staff behind the counter in back is friendly and competent, and there are a number of tables scattered about the pleasant if slightly austere dining area.

The Hummingbird occupies a space that has seen a succession of restaurants over the last decade, some decent, some pretty bad. The Hummingbird seems to be doing well, however. Visiting it yesterday around 2:15, a time when most downtown Trenton eateries are empty, the Hummingbird was still bustling.

We wish them well, because the Hummingbird is a great addition to your downtown eating choices.

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