Get ready for a mouth-watering adventure as we team up with the passionate and discerning palate of “Burgers He Wrote” on a quest to find the perfect burger! But that’s not all, this journey is about celebrating more than just the delicious bites; it’s about shining a spotlight on the incredible businesses we have right here in Andover.
If you’re a food lover and a supporter of local establishments, you won’t want to miss this thrilling blend of culinary exploration and community appreciation. Get ready to savour the flavours of Andover and fall in love with food all over again – because at Love Andover, we’re all about celebrating the best in food and our amazing community!
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A food review from Burgers He Wrote:
The Burger: Jiggaz Dumpling Mania – a Dumpling Sandwich, fully loaded with chicken, cheese, Jiggaz coleslaw, plantain & avocado for guaranteed satisfaction – £8.99 (Add halloumi for £2) (Fried – Jerked 50p extra).
Hello, Is This Love Andover? BHW here, welcome to my first review on this platform as I set upon a quest to find the best burger from our humble town, and what better way to start than with the newly opened Jiggaz Grill!
Located on Station Approach, a mere stone’s throw from our award-winning train station (I may have possibly made this up?), nestling firmly between “1-2 Calllllllllllll” at the top of the road, and the Reliance Local store (formerly known as Happy Shopper for the elderly crew such as myself) at the bottom. This Caribbean Steam Train has chugged into Platform 2 having already been successful with the natives of Tidworth, which I’d imagine stampeded into Jiggaz like a herd of Buffalo Soldiers.
The owner Jai is a Legend, and from what I’ve seen behind the scenes, he has a strong work ethic and meticulous approach to preparing, cooking, and serving you up fantastic food that is culturally diverse, in comparison to other run of the mill takeaways that have been and gone from Andover. Jai described his influences for the food as being from his own Jamaican heritage and time growing up in Jamaica, adapting his own approach for the unique taste of Jiggaz Grill.
Food is essentially art, and their Chicken is hand brushed with homemade sauces after they Stir It Up. I’d call it a bit of ‘Drum & Baste’, as there’s plenty of flavour for ravers with this club sandwich. I had the privilege to watch Chef in action as he placed some chickens on the grill, then proceeded to paint those Three Little Birds like Ras Dizzy. Even cleaning their grill is an artform because trust me, I tried, and failed, miserably.
I opted for Fried Chicken on this occasion as I like a jacket on my chick, but fear not, this also slaps you round the chops like an aggressive butcher, with it being seasoned, then fried, and sauces added after. The coat had started to come off, so much like the unpredictable British weather, I was unsure if it needed to go back on or not.
Uniquely, they use a Jamaican Fried Dumpling to act as the bun here, and it’s a welcome changing of the guard, with the dumpling being crispy and golden brown on the outside, fluffy, and not at all stodgy on the inside.
The toppings then, jeezzzzzzzz! Plantain and avocado really add a different dimension, with the halloumi providing texture against the softer elements. All in all, there may be too much going on, but I chose to add Halloumi myself, so I haven’t necessarily Shot the Sheriff, just myself. Flavour wise, I could’ve done it with it being a bit saucier, but that’s personal preference.
Jiggaz price points are reasonable considering the artistry, so there’s no Easy Skanking going on here.
The late great Bob Marley once said, “You entertain people who are satisfied. Hungry people can’t be entertained – or people who are afraid. You can’t entertain a man who has no food.”. Jiggaz managed to Satisfy My Soul, so now I’m ready for some entertainment, who’s up for Jamming out at a Punky Reggae Party or sommat?
The overall score is high as this is a strong 8, some minor tweaks and we could be talking higher, however, with it being a search for the best burger, this may not exactly be what I would be looking for in that realm. It’s certainly not ruled out at this stage, and it really doesn’t ‘takeaway’ from the fact that Jiggaz has some outstanding food, the Mac Wrap is so good, whilst the wings and snack boxes are also levels, so in terms of the overall food offering, this is easily one of the best in Andover, and I highly recommend trying out the entire menu.
Where Jiggaz has newly opened, I’d imagine there to be some teething issues like you’d expect with any new takeaway, perhaps with either delivery or collection times, but trust me you won’t be Waiting In Vain for your food! So Get Up, Stand Up, and head to Jiggaz for a taste of the Caribbean. I’m expecting a mass Exodus from your homes after you read this.
I’ve had to really tone down my language for these reviews but in a way, maybe this can be my Redemption Song.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish Jiggaz huge success in Andover, and a massive thanks to Jai for allowing me behind the scenes, and for cooking up some fantastic food! I’ll leave you with one last thought, you can’t spell Jiggaz without putting Gaz in it.
One Love Andover.
Your Sincerely,
Burgers He Wrote.
Freddie’s Funny Stories:
So young Freddo has just started secondary school and comes home with this little doozy.
It was the night after a recent storm which had kept him awake, so whilst he’s sat in French class, he lets out a yawn. Having observed this, the teacher asks the class, “Is anyone else finding my lesson boring?”, Freddo responded, “Sorry miss I’m just tired, I didn’t get that good a sleep last night”, from which she gave him a warning and told him not to talk back. Now I don’t know where he gets this from, but he’s only gone and said, “That’s how a conversation works though miss?”.
This burger descended upon me like the Windrush generation, and I for one am thankful for that. She was beautiful, inside, and out. She asked me why I kept coming back for more, so I said to her, “Coz Jamaican me crazy”, it was at this point she told me I was a Jerk and left me, so I wondered to myself, “Could You Be Loved?”. No Woman, No Cry, I guess.
