DaJen isn’t afraid of color — in its food or on its walls

DaJen Eats Cafe & Creamery has made a colorful space for itself in Eatonville. Diners don’t just sustain themselves on the Jamaican vegan fare, but also on books thanks to a mini library and community with a new monthly book and dinner club.

What I would try a second time DaJen’s build-a-bowl options let me indulge in my favorite way to eat: a bite of (nearly) everything. In true form, I opted for all four of their entree options for lunch ($12.99).

I feasted on two forms of cauliflower: sweet and spicy florets coated in piquant sauce and a brown stew-inspired version cooked down to a lovely caramelized — yet salty — flavor.

Strips of seitan get crusted with smoky jerk seasoning layered with spices.

All of these expertly doled out flavors made the crispy air-fried chick’n a bit of a let down — a simple remoulade provided most of the flavor to the tough patty. A colorful broccoli slaw made with carrots and cabbages and Jamaican rice and peas (kidney beans) made up the base of the entire dish.

What I didn’t like

The fare at DaJen Eats has that classic mix of sweet and savory flavors in Jamaican cuisine, but the spice is lacking in certain dishes.

What I would put on Instagram

DaJen isn’t afraid of color — in its food or on its walls. Take advantage of this colorful backdrop.

Other eats

Rounding off my lunchtime experience at DaJen, I was a bit unsure of my experience with the Looney Toona sandwich ($11.49). While I appreciated the texture transformation of chickpeas into a tuna-like consistency, the taste didn’t quite hit the funky, tangy flavors I expect of tuna.

Brunch is not to be missed. Many dishes are available on the restaurant’s weekday breakfast menu, but you may find a few specials during the weekend.

Flaky biscuits covered in jerk gravy ($6.95) started our brunch off on a delicious note. The sauce had just the right amount of pepper.