An 11th-hour detour this week, unprecedented in the annals of Friday Food Fight.

I had orginally planned to do the usual 1-on-1 match between two restaurants — in this case a joust over Jamaican brown stew chicken. As it turned out, one restaurant was so superior to the other that I’m going to feature it and it alone. To square the two off would’ve resulted in a first-round KO.

I don’t think its fair to name the other place, which was — let’s just say … not good. Besides, why waste words on it when I can spend more describing my delightful meal and experience at Island Flavors and Tings?

All told, Thursday (yesterday) afternoon turned out to be a fun culinary adventure.

I had originally planned to use Miller’s Jamaican Spice Cuisine in south St. Pete as a contestant. Brown stew chicken is on its Thursday menu. I called just to make sure, and was told the dish was not available. No biggie. I pivoted to another Jamaican place.

After walking in, I started chatting with a woman customer and told her what I was up to. “Go to the place on 49th Street,” she murmured. After a little back-and-forth with her, I looked it up on my phone and — less than two miles away — there it was:

ISLAND FLAVORS AND TINGS

The restaurant is located in a rundown strip center on a worn-out section of 49th Street South that’s the eastern border of Gulfport. Island Flavors does not have a sign that’s visible from the street. It does not need one. When I arrived at 1:15, about 10 folks were queued up, waiting to be served cafeteria-style. (When I left 50 minutes later, the line was a longer.)

I liked the vibe straight away. Several women worked the cafeteria line and checkout, slipping in and out of the kitchen. They looked to be in a good mood and weren’t in in a hurry, so I decided to be in a good mood and not in a hurry. Had I wandered into Island time?

Shelves held West Indian products, joined by an eclectic array of bric-a-brac. The checkout spot had a thatched tiki roof. Reggae played at modest volume on a decent sound system.

I ordered a small Brown Stew Chicken ($10.95) with rice & peas (actually beans) and mixed vegetables. The server asked me if I wanted extra sauce. “All you can spare,” I replied, and she obliged with a couple of large spoonfuls.

On impulse, I added a quarter Jerk Chicken ($4.50), then noticed Helena’s Mango Bread. I added a thick slice ($3.75) in a plastic container.

I sat at a bar across the room and placed my takeout box on a plastic placemant shaped like a banana leaf. The bottom part of the container broke when I opened it, spilling out some of its contents.

Within a few moments, two women sat next to me, and one asked me my name. We introduced ourselves and had a pleasant conversation. It was warm at the bar, and a fan blew hard on me. I didn’t mind.

Taste and Texure

So good. Way better than good.

All of the chicken consisted of thigh pieces, my favorite part. No leg, no wing, no white meat. Fall off the bone, delicious. At a certain point, I ditched the plastic knife and fork and ate the bird with my hands.

And if my fingers got messy with sauce, so much the better for lickin’. This stuff was nectar of the gods — velvety, with a hint of sweetness. Rich, but not cloyingly so. And the ideal consistency, midway between gravy and juice. The rice & peas, well-sauced, provided excellent accompaniment, and the veggies — broccoli, peppers, green beans etc. — were firm and mildly salted to enhance their flavor.

I took a few bites of the jerk chicken — another winner, with a smidge of spicy heat — and saved the rest for later.

Even after I made a significant dent in the meal, a lot remained. And remember, this was the “small” portion.

I packed up the leftovers and cleaned my placemat. As I turned to leave, there sat a large fella next to me. He said hi. His name was Don. He had an easy smile and a remarkable basso profondo voice that oozed warmth. We chatted amiably for about five minutes. Rising to leave, I quipped, “I’m sure you’ve got to get back to your radio show.” He laughed.

It was one of those moments. In fact, my entire visit to Island Flavors & Tings felt as if it were ringed by a halo.

I played Peter Tosh on the ride home.