Having to discuss whether your friend’s late-model Lexus will be victim to a break-in in the parking lot is not an especially auspicious start to any restaurant experience. But in the case of Back-a-Yard, a small Jamaican dive in East Menlo Park (East Palo Alto’s northerly twin), the somewhat questionable environs couldn’t detract from some of the best food near the Stanford campus.  While Back-a-Yard has the trappings of a relatively undiscovered hole in the wall, any lunchtime visit during the work week will reveal hordes of white collar workers lining up for high quality Jamaican food. Even a quick poll of Stanford students revealed that some already know about this true diamond in the rough. Still, for the uninitiated, the first trip to Back-a-Yard can be a religious experience.

Back-a-Yard specializes in meat prepared in the traditional Jamaican “jerk” style, which refers to a mixture of spices used as a marinade. While they offer jerk-style almost anything (tofu, salmon, beef, etc.), we’ve only tried the traditionally jerked meats–pork and chicken. The jerk marinade is legitimately incredible; it’s spicy, but in a complex way. And while it’s exact composition remains a mystery to us, the Back-a-Yard Web site explains “jerk marinade consist of a fiery mixture of spices, including Scotch bonnet Pepper, pimento or allspice, nutmeg and thyme. The practice of cooking the meat over the flame dates back to the discovery of Jamaica.”

Almost more importantly, the marinated meat comes off the grill mouth-wateringly tender, even though many grilled meats (especially chicken) veer toward the consistency of sawdust. We’re especially partial to the jerk chicken, although the pork is also delicious. While the chicken can be ordered as either light or dark meat, the dark meat is definitely more moist, more flavorful and cheaper.

Alone, the jerk chicken (or jerk anything) would make Back-a-Yard a destination. But the restaurant serves its excellent main courses along with a host of amazing sides. The fried plantains are a personal favorite–crispy, caramelized exterior, mushy inside and lightly flavored with cinnamon and butter and a few intangibles. Having easily devoured the plantains provided with our jerk chicken, we ended up getting an extra side order. Although the plantains are hard to share a plate with, the mound of coconut-infused rice and beans still manages to shine. Rice and beans sounds “blah,” but these are moist, interesting and just plain yummy. Even the sort of plain, happenstance side salad is pretty good. The crispy deep-fried corn “festivals,” which have to be ordered separately, are also a delicious, albeit sinful, side. Only complaint? The portions are so large and the entire meal so delicious, that it can be hard to decide between leaving a plantain untouched and letting your stomach burst. But for the exceptionally hungry or exceptionally dedicated, Back-a-Yard’s dessert selection is just as heavenly as its main courses. We recommend the key lime and pecan pies especially.

All in all, Back-a-Yard is a must for any Stanford student. Only 15 minutes from campus and $9.25 for a more-than-ample dinner of jerk chicken, this Jamaican destination is the perfect antidote to rainy winter quarter blahs.