"If you live or work in the South Bay, you’ve probably chowed down on a jerk chicken and oxtail combo plate from Back A Yard. Since chef Robert Simpson and his wife Annetta opened their Menlo Park restaurant in 2004, they haven’t slowed down. They just opened a fifth restaurant in Campbell (open for takeout and delivery only), and have a spinoff called Coconuts Bar & Grill in Palo Alto. They cater to a diverse crowd with a Jamaican-meets-soul-food menu that ranges from jerk tofu and coconut curry shrimp to barbecue pork ribs and macaroni and cheese. Kick up your meals at home by adding a jar of their hellfire sauce or jerk barbecue sauce to your order." - Maria C. Hunt