Restaurant: Juici Patties
Cuisine: Jamaican/Caribbean/Fast Food
Last visited: October 8, 2011
Location: Multiple locations in Jamaica
Address: Multiple locations in Jamaica
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 1.5
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Since 1980
• Restaurant chain/franchise
• Famous for Jamaican patties
• Authentic Jamaican patties
• Some modern flavours
• “Best in City”
• Fast food
• Some “healthier” options
• Cheap eats/budget friendly
• Eat in/Take-out
• Open daily lunch & dinner until late

**Recommendations: Beef Patties, Beef & Cheese patties

Jamaican patties! It’s one of the more popular Jamaican foods in North America, and it’s nice to know that they are still just as popular in Jamaica. There’s a constant debate between Juici Patties and Tastee Patties, which are the two biggest Jamaican patty chains in Jamaica. Both claim to carry the best patties, but I probably came across more locals that took a liking to Tastee Patties.

I had tried Tastee Patties a few days ago at my visit to Belcour Preserves, but they were take out and reheated so it didn’t count. Therefore I can’t really say which I liked better since I had Juici Patties on the spot, but there are differences that I want to show. They’re both considered “creme de la creme” of Jamaican patties, so it’s really based on personal preference.

I was invited on a culinary bloggers tour in Jamaica and we had just finished lunch at Scotchie’s Jerk Chicken and a second lunch at the only Irish pub in Jamaica. Most of us were ready for a nap, but I was ready to try Jamaican patties!

Well actually, to be honest, I wasn’t planning on going for patties, what I really wanted was dessert! In particular Devon House Ice Cream, which is supposed to be the best ice cream in Jamaica. So technically I shared 6 softball sized scoops of ice cream before these Jamaican patties. *Oink*

It was after ice cream and we were on our way back to the Sandals Resort when our driver drove by Juici Patties. I couldn’t hold back and asked him stop. I had to make the pit stop to try Juici Patties before I left Jamaica. I was determined and still craving an authentic Jamaican patty experience since my Tastee Patties experience didn’t count. I was also curious to try Juici Patties for comparisons sake.

Juici Patties started in Jamaica and they have restaurants all over there, and their other factory is actually in Toronto, Canada. You may have come across Juici Patties in the freezer section of some specialty grocery stores, but I’ve never tried them.

I’ve only had a couple Jamaican patties to date, so my expectations were rather neutral. Nonetheless I was excited to try them fresh on the spot! This post is more for my self-satisfaction of having a point of reference to draw back to when I come across another Jamaican patty outside of Jamaica. Sure, it won’t be fair to really compare them, but as a “foodie”, I think it’s important to know the difference and what they should taste like.

On the table:

**Juici Jamaican Patties – 5/6

• Jamaicans actually feel really passionate about their Jamaican patties, so it was nice to know it wasn’t an Americanized Jamaican specialty.
• The traditional Jamaican patties are beef, but nowadays there’s a lot of non-traditional flavours and even patties made with whole what pastry and soy.
• I think of them as Jamaican style “pop tarts”.
• They’re served piping hot and I could barely hold them.

**Juici Jamaican Beef Patty – 5/6

• $85 JMD = $.99USD
• Beef is the traditional Jamaican patty.
• If it was my first time trying these outside of Jamaica, I would think that they bastardized the recipe by skimping on the filling, but it turns out that’s how they are there too.
• So there isn’t much filling and the beef and onions are really minced up that it almost seems pureed and more like a creamy meat sauce.
• It was very saucy with some curry and spices and a bit spicy from perhaps scotch bonnet pepper sauce.
• The pastry I was more impressed by.
• It was super light, crispy, tender and flaky with multiple layers, and it was likely made with butter and shortening.
• It was really good, but you’re not chewing into any beef and it could almost pass off as mashed beans with a little ground beef.
• The filling seems like it’s made with a lot of fillers, but if that’s how it’s authentically made, then that’s how it’s authentically made, so I can’t complain.

Tastee Jamaican Beef Patties - n/a

• Just for comparisons sake, this is the Beef Patty from Tastee Patties which is the other local favourite for the “best Jamaican patties”.
• I tried these reheated so it wasn’t the same as fresh on the spot, therefore I can’t rate them.
• The beef was more like a beef stew and it was still very creamy.
• I know the photo looks dry and more like beans, but it wasn’t the case.
• This is apparently the best beef patties get in Jamaica, so it’s nice to have for reference.

**Juici Jamaican Cheese Patties – 5.5/6

• $125JMD = $1.45USD
• These are modern day Jamaican patties and the cheese is an Americanized twist.
• Despite them being not traditional, I actually like them better than the authentic beef ones.
• It was the same thin and flaky pastry with the rich spicy beef sauce, but with added cheese .
• The cheese was almost like Velveeta. There wasn’t much, and it’s probably really bad for you, but bad stuff always tastes good, and this was really good!

Juici Jamaican Chicken Patties – 4.5/6

• $110JMD = $1.28USD
• This one definitely had a stronger curry flavour, but it was the same creamy pureed texture and it was more like a chicken sauce than a hearty chicken stuffing.
• I was expecting shredded pieces of chicken with diced onions and veggies, but I guess that’s not how they’re authentically made.
• However the chicken patties at Tastee’s Patties did have actual pieces of chicken in it, although not much.
• It was perhaps even spicier than the beef ones, and there was some also potatoes in it so it came across as “filler” stuffing again, but I guess that’s just how they are.

Tastee Jamaican Juice Patties – n/a

• Again, just for comparisons sake, this is the Chicken Patty from Tastee Patties which is the other local favourite for the “best Jamaican patties”.
• I tried these reheated so it wasn’t the same as fresh on the spot, therefore I can’t rate them.
• They looked really different and they even tasted different than Juici Chicken Patties.
• I could actually bite into pieces of chicken (thigh I think) and it also had some mashed potato, but less curry flavour.
• It was moist, but not as saucy and kind of reminded me of chicken pot pie.
• It definitely had more of a chicken flavour and stuffing, which I liked.

Juici Patti’s CoCo Bread – 4/6

• $55JMD = $.64USD
• The CoCo Bread was a last minute decision and it was because they looked like they were being freshly baked in house and I couldn’t resist.
• I totally ate this wrong and I wish it came with a manual!
• I thought it was a dessert bread, but it’s actually a sandwich bread!
• You’re supposed to sandwich your Jamaican patty into this! That’s heavy!
• To me that sounded like major carb overload and way too much bread, but now that I know that’s how you’re supposed to eat it, I want to try it again properly!

• It was super fluffy and almost layered and it tasted just like those fluffy Chinese mantou buns.
• I was almost peeling it and I thought it would be much lighter, but I don’t think there’s much sugar in it and it’s not dessert like at all.
• It was a sweeter bread, but it was hardly sweet and it’s definitely milk based and made with white flour and likely some egg.
• Apparently it’s made with coconut milk, but I couldn’t tell in this one and it just tasted like regular milk.
• It looked better than it tasted, but I also ate it wrong.

Restaurant: EITS Cafe (Europe in the Summer Cafe)
Cuisine: Jamaican/European/Fusion/brunch
Last visited: October 6, 2011
Location: Blue Mountains, Jamaica (Near Kingston)
Address: 17 Mile Post Newcastle Road, Irish Town Blue Mountains Jamaica, St Andrew
Price Range: $10-20+USD

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Off the beaten track
• On Blue Mountains
• Incredible view
• Father/Daughter operation
• European-Jamaican cuisine
• Popular to tourists
• All vegetables grown on site
• Almost all organic
• Vegetarian friendly
• Meat/Seafood available
• Cocktails
• Mount Edge Guest house available
• Brunch/Lunch/Dinner
• Reservations: foodbasketjamaica@gmail.com

**Recommendations: Tropical Cocktail, Pea & Mint Soup, Callaloo Rice, Carrot Cake

We stopped here on our way down from our visit of the Blue Mountain Coffee coffee bean farm (see here), which is famous for being one of the best coffees in the world. After trying raw coffee beans and enjoying an afternoon “coffeetime” of traditional Jamaican pastries, alongside freshly brewed 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, it was time for lunch! This was all part of my invitation to explore Jamaica’s culinary scene and it took my definition of “coffee break” and “lunch break” to a whole new level. A much, much higher level.

EITS Cafe, which stands for “Europe in the Summer Cafe”, was our pit stop lunch on Blue Mountain before heading back to the city. It’s definitely off the beaten track and from the outside I would have thought it was a house, not a restaurant.

From a North American perspective it comes across as a little hole in the wall eatery, but in Jamaica it’s not. Although this is technically along the roadside, this is not a roadside diner or shack. EITS Cafe is actually a European influenced Jamaican restaurant and it is considered quite nice. Even if the ambiance isn’t your style, the view is incredible and it’s a unique and affordable mountain top dining experience in Jamaica.

Although I consider it first and foremost a cafe before a guesthouse, it does also operate as the Mount Edge guesthouse. It’s father and daughter operated and owned and they actually live here as well, but the top floor is available for tourists to book. It’s suitable for tourists who are low maintenance, not accustomed to resorts, and those looking for a sense of nature and adventure… you may or may not be an European backpacker or a hippie.

When it comes to farm to table, Jamaica could easily put us to shame. On the other hand how we treat the idea of “farm to table” is very different. In Jamaica, they’ve always been doing it. It’s a country that has relied on its natural resources and surroundings, however in North America it has almost become a new trend in the dining scene, or revived idea of the past. To be fair, it’s a lot easier to provide this experience in Jamaica due to the climate and overall landscape.

It’s also a lot easier when your farm or backyard looks like this!

This is the source for the ingredients at EITS Cafe. It’s literally their backyard. They own acres of this land and grow almost every (legal) herb and a wide range of greens used at their restaurant. The cafe is mostly organic, but not certified organic, although they say they have plans to eventually become certified.

I was actually very lucky to get the previous photo, because just an hour before it looked like this!

EITS Cafe serves European-Jamaican cuisine and I would say it is frequented by tourists. The food was good and the ingredients were grown in their backyard, but personally I would prefer more Jamaican flavours and it seemed very Westernized. I know that’s their theme, but even so, I was looking for more delivery in the food. In the context of Jamaica, it’s considered a gourmet cafe, but I found the story behind it more interesting than the food. The father and daughter owners of EITS Cafe are incredibly sweet, and even with the tropical showers, the view is something to experience and that is what I appreciated more.

On the table:

**Tropical Cocktail - 5/6

• Around $450JMD or $5.20USD
• I don’t remember the exact name for this cocktail but it was made with fresh pineapple juice, passion fruit, ginger and sparkling wine.
• The fruits were naturally sweet and the ginger gave a nice aroma, subtle warmth, but not spice.
• It was almost like a Jamaican Mimosa and it wasn’t too sweet or tart. I loved it!

Complimentary Scotch Bonnet Peppers (Condiment)

• Just seeing this photo makes me start to sweat.
• I didn’t see many authentic Jamaican restaurants serving it as a condiment like this, and usually it was just an ingredient in the dish or served as a hot sauce on the side.
• Do yourself a favour and avoid the seeds at all costs, unless you handle “authentic Indian food hot spicy” or “authentic Thai food hot spicy”.
• This is “authentic Jamaican food hot spicy”, but even Jamaicans avoid the seeds and don’t eat them whole.
• The pepper is initially sweet, then in 5 seconds it’s spicy, then it gradually gets spicier and hotter, and by 15 seconds your mouth is burning!
• Do not drink water if you need to kill the spice. Drink milk, eat sugar and never touch your eyes or eat these with your fingers.
• I had a bad experience with them at an authentic Jamaican seafood restaurant – see my post for “Spicy Shrimp” at Prendy’s on the Beach.

Complimentary Condiments

• Parmesan Cheese – This was for the salad.
• Smoked Shark – 4/6
• They kept calling it “smoked shark”, but I think it was smoked Marlin.
• When I heard it was “shark” I was pretty “no-no” since I gave up eating shark’s fin years ago, but shark meat was new.
• To be polite I did try it, and I received confirmation from the owners of the restaurant that it was ethically caught from a local fishery.
• It was almost like pounded smoky, salty tuna sashimi but a bit tougher and more fiberous.
• It was my first time trying it and I did really enjoy the flavour.

**Pea & Mint Soup – 4/6

• Served with organic mixed green salad and house baked bread About $450JMD or $5.20USD
• It was a creamy pea and mint soup made from herbs and vegetables grown in their backyard.
• It reminded me of a lentil soup meets a split pea soup with added carrots and okra, and it was all blended and pureed until creamy and smooth.
• I could taste a hint of mint and a bit of all spice for some warm cinnamon like flavours, and it was peppery, but not spicy.
• It wasn’t sweet for being a pea soup, but more savoury and spiced.
• I found it almost Middle Eastern in flavours, and it was more European than Jamaican, but it was still good.
• An authentic Jamaican soup would be a lot more hearty and the vegetables wouldn’t be pureed.
• Although different, an excellent pea soup in Vancouver is from Market by Jean-Georges – see Sweet Pea Soup.
• Bread
• It was baked in house in an antique oven and it was very doughy, moist and chewy and almost like half cooked bread.
• It seemed a bit stale, but I’m not sure if that was the style.
• Organic Mixed Green Salad
• The salad was no doubt fresh from their garden, but the leaves just seemed a bit wimpy. They weren’t wilted, but just less developed.
• It was romaine, basil, small tangy cherry tomatoes, and arugula, but arugula in Jamaica tastes different. It was less peppery and very mild.
• It was lightly drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Chicken Pasta with Arugula Pesto - 2.5/6

• About $1200JMD or $13.97USD (I’m guessing)
• The chicken is grown on the farm and it was seasoned with rosemary, cilantro, thyme, oregano, two types of parsley and mint which was also grown on the farm.
• I couldn’t really taste all the herbs that went into making the chicken.
• The chicken was fried in olive oil and then steamed, so it resulted in a very flavourful, moist, and juicy chicken skin, but it was also soggy and the meat was drier.
• The pasta was overcooked and a bit bland and it was dressed in a home made arugula pesto, but it just tasted like pureed arugula, garlic and olive oil so it was quite bland.
• I needed to use a lot of Parmesan cheese for the pasta and I just wanted much more sauce and flavour for it.
• There was also some roasted eggplants, bitter green peppers, tiny sauteed mushrooms and organic green salad as a side.
• I appreciated that everything was organic and homegrown, but the vegetables and flavours just seemed under developed.

**Callaloo Rice with Prawns – 4.5/6

• About $1400JMD or $16.80USD (I’m guessing)
• I didn’t get to try a prawn, and I doubt that’s grown on the farm…
• The rice on the other hand was delicious! It was one of my favouite rices on the trip.
• I couldn’t really understand the owner’s accent but I think he called it Callaloo Rice. I didn’t see any Callaloo which is a kale like vegetable and it wasn’t the variety of rice either, so I’m not sure what kind of rice it was.
• The rice was extremely nutty, fragrant, firm and aromatic with fried garlic, herbs, toasted sesame seeds and carrots.
• The grains were well toasted, infused with flavour, separate and very well fried yet not oily or greasy.
• They fry the herbs in olive oil first, toast the rice in it, and then add a little chicken stock and leftover water from the boiled carrots to make it.
• It was simple, but there was effort and it was almost like a fried rice meets a pilaf.

**Carrot Cake – 6/6

• Around $550JMD or $6.36USD
• In all honesty, this is the one item that I would actually go back for and still remember in a couple years.
• The other carrot cake I’ll remember is the Organic Multi Seed Carrot Cake I had at Life Cafe in Hong Kong about a year and a half ago.
• This is one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever had.
• A carrot cake really isn’t a big deal, but when it’s baked in an antique oven, topped with whole walnuts, and covered in a sweet sticky ooey gooey caramel sauce like a cinnamon bun, it’s memorable.
• It was fresh from the oven, warm, ultra creamy, moist and very heavy and rich and it was a dessert you had to have taken away.
• The caramel sauce was very sugary with a hint of rum and the whole thing tasted like cake batter meets a half baked cake.
• It had some shredded carrots, currants and walnuts, but it was much more of a dessert than a bread.
• It was a full on cake and almost like a bread pudding and it was incredibly decadent and delicious!
• If it was served with ice cream, it would have been even better! And FYI they do serve ice cream.

• It seemed almost fried around the edges, but it wasn’t crispy.
• Along with the Rum Cake at Blue Mountain Coffee, I would take this cake back home to Vancouver, BC with me.
• It’s one of their must try specialties, and I can see why.
• If you’re in Vancouver, this will also do the trick – see Beet and Carrot Cake with Blue cheese cream and candy walnut from The Oakwood Canadian Bistro.

Restaurant: Prendy’s on the Beach
Cuisine: Jamaican/Caribbean/Seafood
Last visited: October 5, 2011
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Address: 7 South Ave Kingston 10, Kingston
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 3 (for a weeknight)
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Authentic Jamaican seafood
• Local favourite
• Famous for seafood
• Catch their own fish
• Cheap eats/budget friendly
• Good for groups
• Beer available
• Some dance nights
• Covered outdoor seating
• Eat in/Take-out
• Mon – Thurs 9am-9pm
• Fri – Sat 9am-11pm
• Sunday 8am-2pm

**Recommendations: Fish Tea, Steamed Pumpkin & Conch, Escovitch, Roast Snapper, Garlic Shrimp

I was invited on a culinary tour of Jamaica and when the itinerary read “Prendy’s on the Beach” for dinner, this isn’t what I was thinking. We were advised to dress nicely, but not formally, so I was imagining some type of romantic atmosphere along the beach. I think I thought it was going to be like Bali, so this was not what I was expecting. Forget the all inclusive, expat favourites or resort dining choices, this was the real deal. Hello Jamaica!

From the outside it looked like a preschool, with the Crayola crayon like fence, and I’m actually not even sure if it was on the beach. We came at about 8pm and it was too dark to tell, but research shows that it is. Apparently they have dance hall nights and the place gets pretty lively on weekends, but for a Wednesday night dinner I unfortunately didn’t get to experience that atmosphere.

I definitely considered this a hole in the wall, but again, in Jamaica, this is not a hole in the wall. Their definition of a hole in the wall is literally a shack, or some hut along the roadside. Prendy’s on the Beach is an actual restaurant and despite the plastic lawn chairs, it’s considered kind of a “nice”restaurant for a nice seafood dinner.

This was my first dinner in Jamaica and they threw us in the cold water fast. It’s popular for seafood since they catch their own fish and prepare it in house. The prices will vary accordingly to seasonal fish.

In a way it reminded me of Chinese food and how they prepare fish. Everything was served whole, but after a while, just like many ethnic cuisines, everything started to taste the same. At times the seafood was overcooked, but traditionally I think it tends to be the Jamaican style. It was no doubt the most authentic Jamaican dinner I had for seafood. As for the meat it was probably my authentic Jerk chicken I had from Scotchies.

I was looking for the sign, so you would know what to look out for if you’re ever visiting Jamaica and want to try this place. And there it was! Exactly what I expected. Beat up, faded from the sun, and ghetto. In fact, I was surprised there was a sign at all and this is considered a “nice sign”. Most of the restaurant signage in Jamaica is non-existent or just written on a piece of wood.

To be honest, if you’re the average tourist in Jamaica, chances are you won’t come here. However, if you’re a foodie like me, and you crave what the locals eat and something not watered down for Western tastes, then I strongly recommend it. Compared to the other places I tried for dinner, this just felt the most legit.

What’s more is that when I spoke with other locals, they also recommended Prendy’s on the Beach for an authentic Jamaican experience. Perhaps it was because it was the only one they could direct me to since there was legit signage and a registered address, but the way the food was prepared and presented was reassuring as a local Jamaican favourite.

On the table:

**Fish Tea (Fish Soup) – 5/6

• Almost every traditional Jamaican meal starts off with soup, which I found very Asian.
• They start it early in the morning and it just sits on the stove all day so the flavours are really intense.
• Fish tea is a local favourite and expected from a restaurant that specializes in seafood.
• It was very fishy, but not in a non-fresh way and it was almost like a semi-creamy fish stock soup.
• It’s not rich and I’m quite sure dairy free, and there’s no actual tea in it either.
• It’s made with fish heads and the entire fish to reach that fishy flavour.
• Usually the bones and skins would be included, but most of it was removed from this one and there were pieces of tender flaky white fish throughout.
• It almost tasted like a fishy vegetable and lentil soup, even though there were no lentils.
• It was starchy and thickened from potatoes and carrots that were so cooked down they almost melted into the soup.
• There were some eggplants that were so cooked that they became a bit slimy as well.
• The overcooking of vegetables almost makes it more authentic and it’s supposed to be like that, however usually the vegetables for fish tea are potatoes and plantains rather than eggplants and carrots.
• It was quite salty and spicy with a bit of scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, and thyme, so it carries a lemony tang and mild-medium heat.

**Steamed Pumpkin and Conch - 5/6

• This is one of their signature dishes.
• They steam pumpkin with any fresh seafood and the lobster is a popular choice, but we had the conch.
• Pumpkins are really popular at this time since it’s Fall, and what they call a pumpkin is what we would call an Acorn Squash in Vancouver, BC.
• It was the sweetest dish we had which helped balance out some of the spicier things.
• It was conch (sea snail) which I’ve had numerous of times in Asian cuisine. It’s like firm chewy clam meat without the mushiness.
• The conch was steamed and cooked in a sweet, creamy and slimy pumpkin stew, and the okra made for the slimy texture.
• It had a nice seafood flavour throughout and it was an easy dish to warm up to even if you’re not an adventurous diner.

**Garlic Shrimp – 4/6

• This reminded me of a shrimp scampi with more spices, but it wasn’t spicy.
• The shrimps were a bit overcooked and didn’t have the shells which kind of surprised me.
• It was quite oily, but very aromatic with green onions, thyme, allspice and lots of nutty minced garlic which infused into everything.

Curry Shrimp - 4/6

• I was thinking it was going to be like a South East Asian creamy coconut milk curry meets a creamy Indian curry, but it was neither.
• It was a very thin sauce that was quite tangy with lemon juice and it had some garlic, scotch bonnet peppers for heat and some sweet onions and bell peppers.
• The shrimps were a bit overcooked again, but the flavours were there.
• The curry flavour almost seemed more tomato based and acidic than a traditional curry.

Spicy Shrimp - 3.5/6

• This was so flavourful and pretty greasy, but I almost shut down after I accidentally ate a whole scotch bonnet pepper in it.
• The shrimps were a bit overcooked again, but the sauce was good, just like the other shrimp dishes.
• The initial bite of the dish is sweet and garlicky and it seemed to be cooked in jerk seasoning and jerk sauce and lots of scotch bonnet peppers.
• There was also some fried onions and bell peppers for a bit more sweetness to balance out the spice.
• This was a hot spicy and the spice gradually creeps up on you and lingers, but the pepper starts off sweet so it tricks you.
• Scotch Bonnet Peppers
• Remember my Follow Me Foodie to Jamaica post where I mentioned a scotch bonnet pepper experience that made me want to puke? This was it.
• Almost every dish had scotch bonnet peppers, but they didn’t include much of the seeds which is where the spice is. However this one had way more scotch bonnet peppers and the seeds!
• I thought the scotch bonnet pepper was a vegetable and I ate the whole thing with the seeds and all.
• At first it was sweet so I thought it was a bell pepper and didn’t panic, but it gradually started to get spicier and then my whole mouth was burning within 10 seconds.
• It took about 5 minutes before I started tearing uncontrollably and my nose started running. If you ever need to clear your sinuses, this will do it.
• The spice was in my lips, tongue, throat and face and I just couldn’t stop it. It sneaks up on you and it doesn’t go away and lasted about 30 minutes.
• I could feel the heat travel down to my stomach and then later on that night I could still feel it.
• If this ever happens to you, drink milk or eat sugar. Unfortunately they didn’t have either here so I had to eat the deep fried breads which helped a little bit.
• Do not drink water, that’s adding fuel to the fire.
• Do not eat this with your hands and do not touch your eyes. I’ve accidentally done that before too.

**Escovitch – 6/6

• I give this a 6/6 based on what it is, not on a scale of culinary enjoyment, although I did really like it.
• I had lots of Escovitch in Jamaica, but this was one of the best and most authentic ways I had it.
• Escovitch is a style of cooking with vinegar that was introduced to Jamaica by the Spanish and Portuguese.
• It’s almost always done with fried fish, and to have it served with the whole fish is a treat since most restaurants will serve boneless skinless fillets to appeal to the majority.
• Being Asian, I’m used to seeing fish being served whole, so I loved this.
• It was a roasted fully cooked red snapper marinated and cooked in vinegar and topped with chilled pickled onions and scotch bonnet peppers.
• There’s also a lot of whole allspice used so it lends an aromatic flavour of warm and sweet spices. The flavour is similar to cloves and it was quite strong.
• The fish was crispy, tangy and moist, and sour and spicy with a fresh crunch of chilled onions and scotch bonnet peppers for a nice contrast.
• This was basically the only fish that had a distinct flavour from the rest, the others just started to taste the same after a while and I found the Escovitch refreshing.
• My first time trying Escovitch was actually at Jamaican Pizza Jerk in Vancouver, BC – see Spicy Snapper.

Roasted Parrotfish in a Brown Stew – 4/6

• Again, the fish is caught in house and served whole which is great and the bones are long and easy to remove.
• It was crispy and roasted, but overcooked and dry so it was a bit like jerky and I couldn’t taste the flavour of this delicate tropical white fish.
• I actually found a few of their fishes overcooked, but I think that’s the authentic Jamaican style.
• This tasted like sweet and sour sauce to me and it was topped with a stew of vegetables including carrots, okra, onions and bell peppers.
• There was some whole allspice for that warm and sweet aromatic flavour and it wasn’t spicy.

Steamed Parrotfish with Okra – 4/6

• This was another Parrotfish cooked in a different way with a different sauce. It was lighter and seemed healthier.
• The sauce was more savoury than sweet and sour and it almost reminded me of the fish tea soup, but not spicy.
• The sauce was au natural with fishy flavour and it was sweetened with the natural vegetable juices and perhaps the zing of some lemon juice.
• It was topped with carrots, bell peppers and lots of tender slimy okra and it wasn’t spicy.
• I enjoyed the Parrotfish most this way because I could really taste the flavour of the fish, which is moist, delicate and tender with easy to remove bones.

Deep Fried Parrotfish – 2/6

• This was the third version of Parrotfish we had and it was sauceless.
• It was crispy and deep fried, but overcooked and dry so it was a bit like jerky.
• I couldn’t taste the flavour of the fish as much and it was quite firm and it’s supposed to be a delicate and tender fish, so I didn’t enjoy it as much.
• The crispy skin was good and the bones were easy to remove, but even if it wasn’t overcooked, it was a bit bland.

**Roast Red Snapper – 6/6

• This was one of my favourites.
• It was simple, not overcooked, and well flavoured.
• It was the biggest fish on the table and the meat was moist and flaky and the head was stuffed with carrots and onions to develop aromatics.
• It was funny because almost everyone ate the body of it and considered it finished… I happily ate the rest, which there is a lot of. Double fish cheeks for me!

Roasted Butterfish with Okra – 3.5/6

• This was a rich and oily buttery fish and it was cooked in an okra and vegetable stew so the texture was all a bit slimy.
• The fish was roasted and the sauce was almost the same as the Steamed Parrotfish with Okra I mentioned above.
• At this point a lot of the fish and sauces started to taste the same.
• If the fish came with a sauce it was likely topped with okra, carrots and onions.
• I felt like I was eating Chinese seafood when almost all the sauces are some variation of soy sauce, or Indian food when all the curries start to taste similar.

Festivals, Bammys & Plantains

• These are the most typical authentic Jamaican starches to serve with seafood.
• Festivals is deep fried bread that is similar to Hush Puppies. They reminded me of Johnnycakes, but they’re different and served as logs rather than round balls. These absorbed the sauces of the fish well and they’re often served with Jerk chicken. The best Jerk chicken I had in Jamaica was at Scotchies – see here.
• Bammys are another deep fried bread and it’s made out of cassava root, which is a starchier more fiberous potato, or yam. It was very crispy and almost like fries, but it’s an actual bread and not crunchy like a crouton. They didn’t come up as often as festivals, Johnnycakes and plantains.
• Plantains are in the same family as the banana, but they’re not sweet. These were deep fried once, creamy and obviously oily. I often had them like this, or at times deep fried twice like patacones or a patty, but most places do offer both. I also had them boiled for breakfast – see here.

Jamaican Deep Fried Dough Patties? - 1/6

• I actually have no idea what these were. It looked like dessert, but I think it’s meant to be a side.
• They were super dense chewy deep fried patties soaked in a sweet and savoury syrup, but more sweet.
• It was very doughy and tasted like heavy and hard perogie skins meets a stiff mochi made of cornmeal.
• The only flavour was from the sauce and I just didn’t understand them.
• I didn’t see them come up anywhere else in my trip.
• I actually had a boiled version of them at Jamaican Pizza Jerk in Vancouver, BC – see here.

This is just the communal salad and they also served a potato salad which was similar to an American one.

That is a banana pod! And those are baby bananas (or banana hearts)!

Follow Me Foodie to the Prospect Plantation in Jamaica!

Come mister tally man tally me bananas
(daylight come and me wanna go home)
lift six foot seven foot eight foot bunch!
(daylight come and me wanna go home)”
- Day O Lyrics, by Harry Belafonte

Actually me don’t wanna go home quite yet! Why would I want to leave this?!

I was invited on a culinary press trip to Jamaica and we were taken to Prospect Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica to learn about Jamaica’s agriculture. I know. Snooze right? That’s what I thought too, but I’m also the kind of person to be excited about almost everything. So after a hearty Jamaican breakfast at Sandals Royal Plantation, I was ready to hike and learn about where my food that morning actually came from.

And when I say “hike”, I mean sit in this powdered by diesel jitney that took us around on a Jamaican safari!

The culinary itinerary read “visit Prospect Plantation”, and being the foodie I am, I misunderstood what that really meant. I thought we were going to a plantain factory and that we were going to have a plantain chip sampling. I thought it was going to be like visiting the Dole Pineapple Factory in Hawaii! Boy, I was so wrong. I know what a plantation is, but I guess I was just in major foodie mode… but plants?! Visiting plants?! I felt like I was 10 again going to the tulip festival with mom. On the other hand, visiting plants that grow food?! Now that’s more like it!

By the way, there really was a pineapple portion, so it really did remind me of Hawaii! These are pineapple plants.

And this is overgrown Marijuana. No, just kidding! But that’s what our tour guide called it and I almost believed him! It’s actually sugarcane! We also saw cassava, coffee, allspice, lime, ackee, pimento and many other crops on this tour.

I’d never get to see these plants in Vancouver, so it was pretty interesting for a foodie, but I won’t deny that there were times when I wanted to jump off the jitney to actually pick the things. On the other hand, it was October and this isn’t a working farm, so the fruits and vegetables you see are limited. Also, if you really want a true Jamaican coffee experience and to see coffee crops, I suggest visiting the Blue Mountain Coffee – see my experience here.

Along the way we made a stop at the coconut tree where we were greeted by this talented barefoot man. He ended up climbing the tree to fetch us coconuts. I’ve seen this done in Thailand before, but I’m always still in awe! I can’t even climb a rope.

I tried it too, but it didn’t work out so well.

After fetching the coconut, he opened it right on the spot so we could enjoy fresh coconut milk and coconut. I have to give a major shout out to both these gentlemen. They made the tour so entertaining and were half the experience! The whole thing was a comedy show and that’s how they arrange all of their tours. It’s literally a hilarious ride around the plantation and their like for sarcasm was so unexpected and well delivered that I never knew when they were telling the truth. They’re witty and smart jokes and they couldn’t make learning about plants more fun! Unless they were in costumes… hmm.

Along with eating the coconut plain, he also sprinkled some cane sugar on top for us to enjoy. It’s such an easy and simple dessert.

This is a breadfruit! It’s a very popular Jamaican ingredient that shows up at almost every meal. It’s treated just like bread and the name could not be more literal. It exists in South East Asia too, but it doesn’t come up nearly as often. In Jamaica it’s one of their side starches and when it’s raw it’s green, but after it’s roasted it’s brown. (That may not sound too surprising). I only tried it roasted, so I’m not sure what it tastes like raw, but when it’s cooked I found it rather bland and boring. It just tastes like a very starchy and fibrous potato or yucca root, but much lighter in weight and not juicy at all. I had it along with authentic Jerk chicken in Jamaica (see my post for Scotchies), and pretty much with everything else.

Since I was visiting in October they were into their fall ingredients and pumpkin is a big one! In Vancouver we would call the above an acorn squash, but they call it a pumpkin, which people sometimes do here as well. It was everywhere though. Pumpkin rice and pumpkin soup came up most often, which I have no problems with since I love pumpkin. I think I was most intrigued by this! It’s a banana pod! So cute right!? He’s actually lifting up a banana petal and underneath are the baby bananas, or banana hearts. They’re not edible yet (apparently they are) and they looked like delicate flower petals and it was hard to imagine that these would eventually grow into bananas! There were so many of them! It was like the Cabbage Patch Kids and I wanted to just take them all home with me! And put them in pyjamas!

Ackee! I was hoping to see this! In Vancouver we can only get canned versions of it, so it was great to see the real thing. Ackee is most commonly used in Jamaica’s national breakfast dish, which is Ackee and Saltfish. I had it numerous times there. I had it once in Vancouver at Jamaican Pizza Jerk, and I loved it from the first time! It was actually very authentic, despite it being canned ackee, but it’s the only resource for the ingredient and therefore very acceptable.

The fruit is surprisingly poisonous. It’s only when it’s fully ripe and opened, like the one above, that it becomes safe to eat. The fruit is the yellow part underneath the black seed and it is cooked in ackee and salt fish. The texture is reminiscent of durian, but it has no rancid smell. I could just tell it was one of those cholesterol rich fruits and it’s super creamy and almost silky smooth like scrambled eggs after it’s chopped up and cooked.

Moo! No I mean ___ ? What sound does a camel make? Hack too? No that’s the sound of people spitting in China (j/k… sort of), but this camel actually didn’t spit, although I’m sure he does. I heard him working up to one, but he never actually did it in front of me. What a gentleman!

I keep calling it a he, but it’s actually a she. Meet Katie! I know! Such a random name for a camel! And I know!! Even more random that there was a camel in Jamaica. This is where the tour got a bit Disneyland, but Disneyland can be fun!

Pretty!! Look how long her eyelashes were!! I should have known it was a girl! I was just trying to get a bit closer and have her hold her head steady… so I could just… do…

This! And there! Tada! Pretty!!

She loved it!

Okay I promise this is my last camel shot! Everyone loves picture day!

And we also got to go camel riding! Okay, now I’m really done.

A chocolate plant! No, that was just Katie’s “chocolate”.

Definitely not as pretty as Katie, but these were also on the plantation. Alfred Hitchcock should have used these birds for his movie!

On another note, I couldn’t help but to think how something so scary looking could be so delicious. No they don’t eat them here and I didn’t see them on any menus in Jamaica, but ostrich is edible. And it’s delicious! It’s more common in Asia (ha! surprise, surprise), but they’re really good! It tastes like super tender and lean beef, but it’s still juicy! If you’re in Vancouver you can get try it at Pink Elephant Thai – see Double “O” Lettuce Wrap.

Follow Me Foodie to Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Visiting the Blue Mountain Coffee coffee bean farm, picking coffee beans & Afternoon “Coffeetime” in Jamaica!

The Blue Mountain Coffee’s coffee bean farm in Blue Mountains, Jamaica

“‘Cause baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, baby”
- Lyrics from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Diana Ross

Except that there is. Poop. No not cat poop coffee (the most expensive Indonesian coffee in the word), but I mean “poop” that there are many mountains, valleys, and rivers keeping me from one of the best coffees I’ve ever had. I introduce to you Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. Unfortunately we don’t have it in Vancouver, BC and 80-90% of it is exported to Japan, but apparently sharing is caring and things will eventually change. Vancouver has a great independent coffee scene, but I hope to see this Jamaican gift here one day.

A Blue Mountain coffee plant still in its baby stage. The fruit takes 8 months to ripen.

I was invited on a culinary tour of Jamaica and the Blue Mountain Coffee farm was one of the foodie destinations. Jamaica is famous for coffee, and this is undoubtedly one of the most highly prized and popular high end coffees there. It’s actually considered as one of the most expensive coffees in the world at about $35/pound due to its high quality and limited quantity.

I was brought right to the source to learn all about this bean. This was actually my first time seeing a coffee bean plant and I couldn’t resist picking one… even though it wasn’t ripe yet.

By the way, this private tour of the Blue Mountain coffee farm can be arranged upon request, so it’s definitely something to plan ahead for if you’re visiting Jamaica. I can say for a fact, you won’t get this experience anywhere else.

I also couldn’t resist a preview of what to expect before getting to the top of the mountain. So we made a pit stop to Cafe Blue, their own coffee shop, which is located about half way up Blue Mountain.

When it comes to a coffee bean farm, the higher the mountain the better. We were informed that there was a bit of a hike and the anticipation was killing me, but my preview coffee sure helped.

The berries for this coffee are specific, and they can’t be picked from any part of the mountain. They have to be picked from a legally defined area of the Blue Mountains in order to be certified as 100% Blue Mountain Coffee. The very best coffee beans are grown at high altitudes in a climate with a lot of topical rain (the plants need a lot of rain in the earlier stages), so Jamaica is really an ideal place in general. I also learned that a characteristic of a good coffee farm is the sound of birds, which means the crops are healthy… and I can tell you at first hand experience, that they were chirping!

The coffee culture can be very much like the wine culture, but instead of a grape, it is the fruit of a coffee plant. The fruits (also known as cherries or berries) are hand picked at their ripest point which is when they’re bright red like cherries. Seeing all the berries brought me back to the day I visited the blueberry farms at home – see here.

The coffee bean is not the whole berry, but the seeds inside the fruit. There’s two seeds in each fruit and you bet I tried them!

I thought the flavour would be bold, but I was surprised it was quite the reverse. It tasted like seeds with a very thin layer of clear fruit around it. There’s actually very little fruit on it and the fruit layer was the texture of Dragon Eye fruit. It was a bit sweet, slimy and a bit juicy, but I just felt like I was sucking on a seed. It’s a bit honey-ish and floral, and almost like sucking on the juices of a tapioca pearl that was soaking in sugar syrup. I was amazed at the flavour these coffee beans would eventually produce.

They use a wet processing stage which is more time consuming and expensive than a dry processing stage. The wet processing stage is when the beans are removed from their shells, pulped, and soaked in water for 16-18 hours until the fruit on them is completely removed. The pulp is used as fertilizer and the water is recycled, so there is social awareness and responsibility on the farm, which is mandatory in order for them to be part of the Rainforest Alliance anyways. The beans are then cleaned and dried at their coffee bean plantation.

I asked if they were organic and they are only 75% organic because they do spot spray them, which is better than the general mass spraying technique. A pest can wipe out their entire operation so they have to be very careful.

At the very top of the mountain was the owner’s summer house, which is open for employee use. Summer internship anyone? I was pleased to know that the staff is well treated there and I even spoke with them privately to ask! Such a “reporter” I am . Anyways we were invited inside for an authentic Jamaican style afternoon tea… or I mean coffee!

For a foodie like me, watching them unwrap each one was like Christmas all over again! The lady in the photo is responsible for all their baked goods, and I forgot to ask if these were available at their Cafe Blue locations. I did see them at the cafe, but I’m not sure if it was the same.

On the table:

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

• Of course we started off with a freshly brewed cup of 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee!
• Black. It’s how true coffee drinkers drink coffee.
• If you get the coffee from their cafe, Cafe Blue, it’s filtered brewed with Blue Mountain Spring Water!
• I definitely don’t mind black coffee, but it’s got to be a great quality, and this was.
• The flavour was incredible and drinking black coffee has never been so enjoyable and easy.
• It was a medium roast, not bitter and very fruity, which is ideal for my coffee flavour profile.
• It was very mellow, naturally sweet and had a clean finish.
• I tried the coffee at other restaurants that were serving it in Jamaica, and it just wasn’t the same as it was when it was prepared by their baristas.
• There are other high end brands of Jamaican coffee, but every restaurant I ate at serving great coffee was serving this one.
• It’s also available pre-packaged for purchase, but the brewing is key, so if you’re not going to do this tour, at least try and get it at Cafe Blue!
• Enjoying this cup of coffee at the source, at the tip of the mountain, straight from the owner of the farm, definitely had to do with the experience. However, I can tell you for a fact  that it doesn’t become internationally recognized as one of “the world’s best coffees” without actually being one.

Banana Bread

• For baked goods, it’s almost a Jamaican staple. It may not be “authentic” Jamaican food, but it sure is popular there.
• Jamaica does grow amazing bananas, unlike the ones we get in North America, so I had a slice every chance I got… which ended up being everyday since it was always available at breakfast.
• This was a super moist banana bread and the flavour was almost a bit floral with lots of Jamaican home grown bananas.
• The bananas are sweeter there so although it still had sugar, the flavour was naturally sweet. It was delicious!

Rum Cake

• Omg. OMG. This was hands down the best rum cake I’ve ever had in my life.
• Seriously, I have never shoveled so much cake in my mouth at once. I couldn’t be ladylike about it all!
• This rum cake melted in my mouth! I chewed each piece maybe 3 times before it disappeared.
• It was super tender, fluffy, airy and light and in between a spoke cake and a pound cake.
• It was the lightest thing ever and I felt like I was eating air.
• It must have been made with cake flour that was sifted twice or something.
• Of course there was also some good quality rum mixed into the batter, but it was so light and aromatic, caramelized, and not that strong at all.
• Forget about wrapping slices to go, I wanted to wrap that Jamaican lady who made all these desserts to go! She’s amazing!

Plantain Tart

• This is quite traditional. It was a light, tender, flaky and crumbly tart, similar to a pie crust, filled with plantains.
• The filling was very creamy and it tasted like creamy fibrous smashed potatoes with a bit of tartness.
• The pink colour threw me off and I thought it was strawberry and it almost tasted like a slightly tart strawberry and potato fruit puree.
• It’s funny how changing the colour can play tricks on you.
• The pink was just food colouring… which I could have done without, but it’s a traditional pastry, so I have to take it as is.

Coconut Tarts

• This is another very traditional Jamaican dessert which they call Coconut Gizzada (pinch-me-round).
• The coconut tarts are always presented in this style with pointy crimped edges.
• It’s a bit of a dry tart made with freshly grated coconut, brown sugar, and maybe some nutmeg and ginger. It’s combined and cooked before it’s baked.
• I love coconut and this was made with fresh Jamaican coconuts, so it was still somewhat moist.

Cappuccino

• I had this earlier at their coffee shop Cafe Blue half way up the mountain.
• I ordered a cappuccino with a hint of mocha for a chocolaty finish. It’s never too early for coffee and chocolate.
• Again, If you get the coffee from their cafe, Cafe Blue, it’s filtered brewed with Blue Mountain Spring Water!
• I added no sugar and it tasted like caramel because it was so naturally sweet, and of course the chocolate did its thing.
• It was a bit foamy from the steamed milk, mild and mellow, fruity, and just as clean in finish.

And to top things off… there were “pet” peacocks in his backyard! Forget about chasing chickens…

I chased a peacock!

Follow Me Foodie to Jamaica!

I did it to you again! Did you know I was gone!? Well I was! But I’m back, and this time from foodie paradise! I was recently invited on a culinary bloggers press trip to Jamaica, and I think I ate my weight in fish and sweated it all out in Scotch Bonnet peppers. Hot damn those are spicy! But you know what else is spicy? My upcoming Jamaican blog posts! Can I get a “Day O”?! Daaaaaay O… daylight come and me didn’t wan’ go home!

Climbing the coconut tree barefoot at Prospect Plantation in Ocho Rios… that isn’t me though.

But everything has to come to an end, and I can’t complain when home tastes good too! Of course, if you’re familiar with my blog, everything will be based on honesty. So if you’re ready, Follow Me Foodie to Jamaica!

Wait! Isn’t this New York? Yes, but just a heads up, I haven’t quite finished with Follow Me Foodie to New York and there’s still more to come! And of course I’ll never ever be finished with Vancouver, so I’ll have posts for that too. I’ll just be switching things up here and there to keep things interesting. Anyways, I’ll say a temporary farewell to city life and slow things down, and I mean really ssllooww things down… to island time.

The Jamaican “Statue of Liberty”

“One Love! One Heart!
Let’s get together and feel all right.”
- One Love lyrics, by Bob Marley (Photo from the Bob Marley Museum)

If feeling all right meant stuffed, I definitely could relate to Bob Marley’s state of mind. He enjoyed his country’s home grown herbs, and I enjoyed his country’s homegrown food! But wait, can you grow rum cakes?

It was a packed eating itinerary of exploring Jamaica’s culinary scene in Kingston and Ocho Rios, and you can be sure I tried everything in order to report back. I can’t say I was too familiar with Jamaican food before this trip, but now I have a better idea.

I have visited Jamaica on a Caribbean cruise way back when, but at that time I was more interested in the banana boats than the bananas, so that doesn’t really count. Other than that, I think the closest I’ve come to authentic Jamaican food is from Jamaican Pizza Jerk in Vancouver, BC. Okay, but wait, don’t roll your eyes! The word “pizza” might throw you off, but after this tour, I can say that it was actually a pretty good representation of the food there. Pizza is really just a small portion of what they offer.

There’s also The Reef (which is more Caribbean) and a few other Jamaican restaurants in Metro Vancouver, but I have yet to explore them. But now I’m even more eager to do so!

I got to explore the low and higher end dining options in Jamaica and I’m sure I barely scratched the surface of what the country has to offer, but it gave me an idea.

It’s a country that’s reliant on its natural environment. From home grown herbs (legal ones), to tropical fruits and the fish from the surrounding sea (always served fully cooked), it can be a healthy diet, although most of the time it’s served with heavy or deep fried starches. It can be vegetarian friendly, but it’s ideal for fish lovers and pescatarians (vegetarians who eat fish/seafood).

At Scotchies, the place for authentic Jerk chicken.

And if you’re a meat eater, no worries for sure! You’re guaranteed to settle your carnivorous cravings whether it’s from goat curry, oxtail stew, and of course Jerk chicken.

Scotch bonnet peppers roasting for a home made hot pepper sauce at the Belcour Blue Mountain Preserves farm.

I have to give a shout out to these. Scotch bonnet peppers came up often, but not everything is spicy. I wouldn’t say the spices are as strong as they are in Indian food, but there are some cultural influences from cuisines including Indian, African, Chinese and Spanish. I warn you though, these scotch bonnet peppers are ridiculously hot.

I had a horrible eye touching experience with them when I was 11. My mom brought them home thinking they were mini orange bell peppers, and I discovered the hard way that they weren’t.

Anyways, during my trip in Jamaica I accidentally ate one with all the seeds, and all I wanted to do is curl up into a ball, puke, and cry myself to sleep… it was bloody painful. Most Jamaican people don’t even eat them whole and they even try avoiding the seeds… it was an experience I’ll never forget and I hope not to relive.

I must say that it’s really hard to give restaurant recommendations if you’re unfamiliar with the area. Actually even if you’re familiar with the area, it’s still challenging. Mainly because none of the “real deal” Jamaican restaurants have signs. Most of them are literally hole in the walls, or shacks, next to rows of other hole in the walls, or shacks, so describing which shack, or how to get there is near impossible.

I could only go as far as the tour took me, and it was enough to give me an idea of what’s considered a local favourite and what’s a tourist trap. To be honest, I had a taste of both. However, what’s important is that I got familiarized with the ingredients, food and culture, and there’s definitely lots of delicious things to report back on.

Don’t you even think that I forgot about the desserts! I could never. As for the desserts, carrot cake, banana bread and coconut tarts come up often. I was surprised that rum cake actually didn’t, although I did have an amazing one while I was there. I’m trying to land my hands on the recipe, but watch for my posts!

The more traditional Jamaican desserts and candies include Grater Cakes, Coconut Drops, Jackass Corn, Coconut Gizada, and Rum Balls, which I got to try compliments of Jaci’s Multi-Treat Pack.

And of course, for some, there is the dessert after dessert… Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum.

So sit back, relax, and let me fetch you a coconut!

Jamaica starts tomorrow!

Restaurant: Pambiche
Cuisine: Cuban/Latin American/Caribbean/Tapas/Desserts
Last visited: August 18, 2011
Location: Portland, Oregon (Kerns)
Address: 2811 NE Glisan Street
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 3.5
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Cuban owned/operated
• Local & tourist favourite
• Award winning
• Extensive menu
• Local/sustainable ingredients
• Family friendly
• Casual/lively
• Good for sharing
• Affordable
• Patio seating
• Breakfast Sat-Sun 8am-2pm
• Lunch Weekdays 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun 2pm-5pm
• Daily Dinner 5pm – close
• Sun-Thur until 10pm, Fri & Sat until midnight
• Happy Hour Weekdays 2pm-6pm, Fri & Sat 10pm-midnight

**Recommendations: The Happy Hour, Papa Rellena Croquetas, Masitas, Sandwich Cubano, Vaca Frita, Island Carrot Cake, Lime in the Coconut

Where to eat? Where to eat? Where to eat? I’m hungry! Hungry and crushed that my plan A to visit Pine State Biscuits for a late lunch was an epic fail. Well it closed at 2pm, but I eventually made my way there the next morning – see here. So what was plan B? Pambiche!

So why Pambiche? Well being from Vancouver, BC I wanted to try something new and different that isn’t as available up North. Cuban food or any Latin American cuisine for that matter is limited at home, so that’s why I wanted to check it out. It’s also a popular choice for locals, and the numerous awards it has won just made me that much more curious.

I know this isn’t Cuba, the Caribbean, Spain, Africa or anywhere close to South America or the Islands, so I’m not going to talk about “authenticity” too much. That, and I’m also not Latin, so I only know what I know and can only compare with what I’ve tried. However, Cuban cuisine is a fusion of all those cuisines from the places I listed, so what is “authentic” is debatable, and therefore I’ll mostly go by what I liked and what tasted good.

The owners, chefs and cooks are all Cuban, or of Latin decent, and they claim the food is authentic. Many of the recipes are ancient recipes from the chef/owner’s grandma and mother, and the ingredients used are all fresh, local and sustainable.

It was around 2:30pm and Happy Hour was in full force! Yes! My favourite! Tapas style dining and at very affordable prices… bonus! Keep the small plates coming and you bet I’ll order almost the whole menu. I strongly recommend coming for happy hour or lunch because it’s great value, but the dinner can get quite pricey at $17-20 for mains. Although dinner does offer bigger portions, it was essentially the same thing and I wouldn’t find it as worth it.

If you care about the touchy subject of “authenticity” though, I will say that even I could tell it was a bit more Cuban American in style than traditional. It’s not a bastardization of the cuisine, but the flavours were a bit muted at times and seemed catered to North American palates.

Beside the decor, there was just something a bit “Mickey Mouse” about the whole thing. I’m sure some dishes are true to the culture, but perhaps just not everything. I couldn’t help but to think “I bet you make this better at home”. It was an enjoyable experience though and nothing was disappointing, but perhaps just not as good as I was expecting at times.

The food was generally good, all house made with quality ingredients and the atmosphere is fun. It’s just not somewhere I’d put on my “must try” list for Portland if you’re visiting for a short time. I’d put it on a list, but just not as priority, however if you have time, it’s nice to check out.

On the table:Mango Milkshake (Batidos) - 4/6

• $3.75 (Happy Hour $3.25)
• It was very thick and creamy and quite sweet and milky, but there’s no ice cream in it.
• I question if the mango was fresh mango though.
• It wasn’t pulpy or fibrous or very strong with mango flavour, but I could taste it for sure.
• It was more like a mango smoothie and not as rich as a traditional mango milkshake, and it was my favourite of the 3 drinks.
• My favourite mango shake is the Mango Moo Shake from Phnom Penh.

Naran Mango Batido – 3/6

• Orange and mango shake (Dairy free) $3.75 (Happy Hour $3.25)
• I actually ordered the Mango Pineapple shake, but there was a mix up and I got this instead.
• This was icy since there was no dairy, but it was still very thick and more tangy with orange flavour than sweet with mango.
• It wasn’t pulpy, but stronger with orange juice and again I question if the mango was fresh or just a mix.

Mango Pina – 3.5/6

• Mango and fresh pineapple shake (Dairy free) $3.75 (Happy Hour $3.25)
• This is what I had originally ordered.
• It was thick, but not creamy since there was no dairy, and I think it could have been fresh pineapple, but I question the mango again.
• It was an icy drink and it didn’t make my throat scratchy. The acid in pineapples and fiber in mangoes can do that sometimes if you know what I mean (it’s not an allergy).

**Papa Rellena (Beef) Croquetas – 4.5/6

• 4 crispy golden brown Cuban croquetas stuffed with mashed potatoes and ground Cuban beef served with ensalada $4 (Happy hour)
• I love croquetas and I’m picky about them too because I was spoiled with home made ones in Spain. I make them at home as well.
• I’m used to the ham or chicken version, but the beef was recommended so I went for it.

• These were great! It was crispy and very lightly battered and fried with a saucy filling of beef and the creaminess of mashed potatoes.
• It had more beef filling than potato and the ground beef was almost like crumbled meatballs with beans and bell peppers coated in gravy.
• The beans were a bit nontraditional, but it tasted good and made it seem like a cream based chili, but it had no spice.
• I think these ones usually have a cheese aspect to them, unless that’s American, but regardless they were delicious!

Pollo (Chicken) Croquetas - 4/6

• 4 crispy golden brown croquetas stuffed with Creole chicken seasoned with Spanish chorizo sausage $4 (Happy hour)
• The chicken croquetas were very good, but they didn’t have as much flavour as the beef ones.
• It was very lightly battered and fried with a crispy exterior and then a very creamy and saucy filling of shredded chicken and bechemel sauce.
• I couldn’t taste much chorizo, but it was still savoury and well seasoned.
• These were very soft and moist it melted in my mouth, but at times there were some chewy chicken bits.
• It was likely chicken tendons, and since they probably use the chicken scraps to make them I was bound to hit a couple, but most of it didn’t have any.

Tostones – 3/6

• Fried green plantains, the French fries of the Caribbean $3.50 (Happy hour)
• They were made quite authentically, but I’ve just never been a fan of tostones.
• They’re fried plantains, pounded into a flat disk, and fried again.
• They were crunchy and well seasoned with salt, but a bit dry at times. They naturally are a bit dry and starchy though since they are fried plantains.
• If you want them in Vancouver, El Barrio does a great job with them – see here.

Yuca Con Mojo – 3.5/6

• Fried cassava root served with Creole garlic mojo $4 (Happy hour)
• This is a very typical and traditional item to order, but I’ve never really cared for this item either.
• They’re firmer, starchier, thicker, and more fiberous yams or potatoes.
• Some sticks were dry and some were moist and they were crispy, but a bit bland and could have been more seasoned.
• What made this special was the creole garlic mojo dipping sauce. This is my first time trying that sauce and it’s amazing!
• It was almost like a tangy vinaigrette, but it’s thin and almost watery, but it’s packed with flavour.
• Mojo sauce is a cooked sauce made with pureed garlic, onions, cumin, salt and lime or orange and it was like a bright roasted garlic vinaigrette.
• It’s garlicky, but the sour lime and zesty sweet orange cut through that garlic flavour so it’s not overpowering and it’s not spicy. I was addicted to it!

Frijoles Colorados – 3.5/6

• Cuban red beans and pork served with arroz blanco (white rice) $3 (Happy hour)
• The beans were a bit soft and they were missing that bite, but they did have flavour and it was a good deal.
• It was smoky and stew like, and chunky but not hearty and more like a soup.
• There wasn’t much pork, but lots of stewed tomatoes and onions, but it was missing spice, and there’s normally spice to this side dish.

**Masitas – 6/6

• Creole fried pork served with garlic mojo $5 (Happy hour)
• Anything served with a mojo is good!… Okay that sounded really bad, but in this case it’s true!
• This is a must try! It was perhaps my favourite tapas and the portion was generous for the price. I’d come back for this alone!
• It was lightly battered and fried cubes of ultra tender and moist pork shoulder or pork butt. It was crispy, yet soft inside and not chewy at all.
• It really reminded me of Chinese roasted pork in flavour. I’m sure there was some soy sauce in the marinade or 5 spice action going on.
• The pork pieces were excellent and well seasoned as is, but what made the dish even better was the garlic mojo sauce that it sat on.
• It’s a traditional Cuban condiment and it’s watery, but has so much flavour.
• As I mentioned above, Mojo sauce is a cooked sauce made with pureed garlic, onions, cumin, salt and lime or orange and it was like a bright roasted garlic vinaigrette.
• It’s garlicky, but the sour lime and zesty sweet orange cut through that garlic flavour so it’s not overpowering and it’s not spicy. I was dipping everything in it.

Ropa Vieja – 4/6

• “Old Clothes”. A typical Cuban dish of Cascade Natural shredded beef slow simmered in a garlicky tomato herb broth, with yellow onions and green peppers and garnished with petit pois. Served with pan frito $4 (Happy hour)
• It was pretty much a braised beef stew and the flavour didn’t come across as Cuban, but it is a popular Cuban dish.
• I prefer the beef to be more soppy, finely shredded and falling apart tender, and although it was saucy, the meat itself was a bit dry.
• It was quite home style and cooked in a tomato broth made of tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes, as it should be.
• It was very good, but I didn’t find it as unique to the restaurant, but for $4, just order it.

Lengua en Salsa - 4/6

• The highest reward to ever come out of  Mama Ivonne’s kitchen! Carlton Farms pork simmered tender in a rich red sauce, built with bacon sofrito and scented with plump raisins and toasted almonds! A real chef’s favourite! Served with arroz blanco (white rice) $4.50 (Happy hour)
• Apparently this was the dish I couldn’t leave without trying, so I had to try it!
• Lengua means tongue in Spanish, so when I read “pork” I was pretty disappointed.
• This is the kind of “Mickey Mouse”and “Cuban American” thing I was referring to in the introduction.
• This would have been so much better with tongue, but I guess it wasn’t appreciated by diners. So unfortunate!
• For being pork the dish was still pretty good, but the flavours again seemed mild and lacked spice or Cuban flare.
• It was basically a roasted pimento, tomato, and bell pepper stew with chunks of very tender pork and crunchy almonds, but the raisins were so cooked that I couldn’t tell they were raisins and they almost dissipated into the sauce.
• It was almost Italian meets Spanish in flavour and the stew was savoury, sweet, and tangy, but I found the description more exciting than the outcome.
• This is something I’d put my money on that they make better at home.

**Sandwich Cubano – 6/6

• A Cuban classic! Roast pork and smoked ham with Swiss cheese and dill pickle pressed together inside a fresh Cuban roll. Available on whole wheat or white. All sandwiches served with tostones $10
• I had to order something from the lunch menu and the Happy Hour tapas don’t always offer the good stuff.
• I had to try the Cubano sandwich as typical as the choice was, just because Cubanos tend to suck in Vancouver.
• It’s basically a “grilled ham and cheese sandwich”, but way better.

• If this is what a Cubano sandwich is supposed to taste like, then I’ve never had one until today.
• Drool! This is the best Cubano sandwich I’ve had to date, but being that I haven’t had many, it didn’t have much competition. However my Cubano fan friend was equally as impressed.
• The bread was ultra thin and crunchy and crispy and the pork was plentiful, tender, juicy and incredibly moist.
• I could taste the layers of ham, melted ooey gooey cheese and tang of pickles and each layer was well represented.
• It was saucy without being saucy and I could taste the natural pork juices and the meat was melt in your mouth tender and soppy.
• I loved everything about this sandwich and I wanted to pack it home and share it with Vancouver.

**Vaca Frita – 5/6

• “Fried Cow”. Citrus marinade Cascade Natural beef, shredded and char grilled with garlic and onions. A humble Cuban classic that characterizes Creole cookery. Served with your choice of Cuban beans (negros or colorados) and arroz blanco (white rice) or Moros Cristianos $11
• Geez, the name sounds so vulgar… but “fried cow”… yes please!
• This was from the regular lunch menu, and the portion isn’t that big, but it’s enough for one.
• Yum! This was great!
• The beef almost tasted like pulled beef and it was a pretty fatty, but not obvious. There’s no chewy or gelatinous fat.
• It was full of beef flavour and bursting with beef juices and I could taste the subtle hint of what seemed like orange in the marinade.
• The beef was a bit crispy and smoky and also sweet, salty, tangy, and quite garlicky.
• Since the beef is quite heavy and greasy, the extra mojo sauce on the side was the perfect accompaniment.
• The mojo sauce just cut through the oil and made the beef come alive, even though it was already marinated in the sauce as well. It’s a magical sauce!
• The rice was stellar and the side of red beet salad was very good too.
• The rice was a bit mushy and creamed with beans, onions and chunks of pork and it was incredibly flavourful although it looked regular.
• The red beet salad is a Cuban staple. It’s fresh beets, watercress, diced red onion and extra virgin olive oil and sour orange vinaigrette.

Desserts

The Chef and owner John Connell-Maribona is also the executive Pastry Chef at Pambiche. Being the “dessert queen” I am, I immediately took notice of their display of baked goods and cakes at the front of the restaurant. They were all quite fancy and professional and the offerings are traditional and modern Cuban/Latin desserts. Many were made with contemporary and gourmet twists.

**Island Carrot Cake - 4.5/6

• A true Pambiche classic, unlike any carrot cake you’ve ever tasted! Superbly enhanced with a rainbow of tropical fruits. Bacardi Select dark rum and guava cream cheese $6.75
• Wow! The description sounds good, but I don’t remember it tasting that good! I mean it was good, but the description was a bit more exciting.
• This is their signature and most popular dessert, but obviously it’s not traditional Cuban.
• The cake itself is light and moist, but with the alternating layers of rich and creamy cream cheese icing, it became quite dense.
• It was a bit sweet for me and very cheesy, but there wasn’t much shredded carrot, and I could have used less icing and more cake.
• I could taste a hint of cinnamon, but it’s not strong at all and there was some dried coconut crumbs as well, but the flavour doesn’t really come through.
• I actually couldn’t taste much guava or rum and I was missing my “rainbow of tropical fruits” too.
• It was a very good cake, and it’s definitely a non-traditional carrot cake, but it wasn’t a must try dessert for me.

**Lime in the Coconut – 5/6

• A tropical variation of the tres leches cake. Lime sponge cake drenched with saoco (sweet coconut milk, fresh lime + Bacardi Superior rum), filled with coconut custard cream and dressed with crema chantilly $7
• I had my eye on this one. I love lime and coconut and this was also recommended.
• The cake was bursting with lime zest and it was more sweet than tangy, but still not too sweet.
• It was almost like a coconut cream pie meets a key lime pie, but milder versions of both and in cake form.
• It was a very light and moist cake and I could have used more coconut flavour and shredded coconut for texture.
• The coconut custard was a bit eggy and I couldn’t taste the rum or a strong tang from the saoco.
• I could have used some vanilla to enhance the overall flavour of the cake, but I would order this again.
• Looking back, it’s not as memorable as I thought it would be, but I did enjoy it.

Cuban Cigar – n/a

• Dense chocolate truffle cake rolled in the shape of a Cuban cigar and covered in dark chocolate and cocoa. Served with Strawberry Daiquiri salsa and macaroon coconut $5.50
• As much as I don’t want to encourage unhealthy habits for a younger audience, this dessert was so cute and creative!
• I didn’t order one, but I sure wanted to! Next time!

Restaurant: The Reef
Cuisine: Caribbean/Jamaican/Breakfast/Brunch
Last visited: January 9, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Riley Park/Little Mountain)
Address: 4172 Main Street
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Since 1999
• Caribbean cuisine
• Caribbean “pub food”
• Not authentic, but good
• Busy
• Home made sauces
• Big portions
• Affordable
• Good value
• Selection of cocktails/beer
• Reservations recommended
• Catering available
• Great outdoor patio
• Brunch: Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
• Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-3pm
• Dinner Mon-Sun 5pm-late
  

**Recommendations: Plantain Chips, Jerked Wings, Island Thyme Chicken, Deep Fried Bananas

Being in Vancouver, BC we don’t have much choice when it comes to authentic Caribbean or Jamaican food. I think there’s about 8 in Metro Vancouver and this is really the only one I’ve tried so far. Sad I know, but I can only try and eat so much food… which is still a fair amount I think. I’ve actually been to The Reef a few years ago, but I didn’t remember what the food was like, so it was about time I re-visited and made a post out of it.

The Reef has two locations, one on Commercial Drive and the one I visited on Main Street. It’s the most popular for Caribbean food in Metro Vancouver, just because the most people know about it and it’s been around for a long time. Both locations are in in the hippie areas of Vancouver so the menus are also very vegetarian friendly.

The atmosphere is casual and it’s almost everything you want in a Caribbean restaurant. It’s a bit gimmicky, but it’s fun and casual and suitable for relaxing times, although it’s always packed and busy so reservations are recommended. It is family friendly, but it does cater to a younger “Main Street” crowd and there’s quite the list of cocktails and alcohol available.

The food is pretty good depending on what you order of course, but generally it’s all quite impressive. It’s not authentic Caribbean food, but the value is there and you’ll be full without breaking the wallet. The portions are big, but it’s nothing gourmet and it was almost Caribbean/Jamaican pub food, but all homemade. So If you can overlook the occasional overcooked/dry meats and frozen fish then the experience is quite enjoyable. The flavours are there, but it’s toned down to appeal to the masses. I’m going to try and not compare it to the real deal… however if you’ve tried authentic Caribbean or Jamaican food it’s hard not to compare. I’m not Jamaican (surprise, surprise), but I’ve tried some of the real stuff.

Overall it’s satisfying and I can see why it’s a local favourite. It’s different, funky, fun, casual and affordable so I would come again… especially to try the Ackee and Saltfish! They ran out of Ackee when I went. I had my heart set on that dish, which is the national dish of Jamaica… I have a feeling it’s what I ordered when I came here a few years ago though.

On the table:

Complimentary Bread

• This was pretty damn good deep fried bread known as Jamaican fried dumplings.
• It’s not made upon order, unless you’re lucky to get a fresh batch, but they’re still served warm and they’re delicious!
• It reminded me of Hush Puppies (deep fried corn bread) but there’s no cornmeal and it’s made from flour, water and a decent amount of butter although they’re not greasy or even noticeable buttery. **Note: There may be corn by products in this such as corn starch etc. Please see comments.
• It was almost like a savoury sweet donut. It’s a sweeter type of bread, but it’s not as sweet as a donut and still somewhat savoury.
• There’s no real batter other than the fried bread itself and it’s crispy on the outside and the inside is warm and super fluffy, doughy and chewy.
• We asked for refills, which they’re happy to give.
• It reminded me of those savoury Chinese donuts you eat with congee.

Yardie Yam Fries – 3/6

• With Jerk Mayo $6
• I don’t know if these were yam fries as much as they were jumbo sticks of  thick deep fried tender yams.
• They weren’t crispy and not your traditional yam fries, but they were meaty, soft, creamy and sweet with the skins on. They actually tasted like roasted yams.
• Jerk Mayo – Everyone seemed to enjoy the Jerk mayo, but I wasn’t crazy about. It just tasted like savoury mayo with a tang of lemon juice and it wasn’t spicy at all. It should be because jerk seasoning is supposed to be spicy. I couldn’t taste any fresh spices and it reminded me of gravy mixed into mayo.
• If you like this, than I also highly recommend the Sesame Fries with Miso Gravy from The Naam. (I haven’t blogged about it yet)

**Plantain Chips – 3.5/6

• With Jerk Mayo $6
• These are probably the most popular and staple item to start with. They’re just deep fried plantain chips that are well salted, but they’re still good, fun and different.
• Plantains are starchier bananas that are more like potatoes than they are bananas and they’re not really sweet. The yam fries were sweeter.
• The plantain chips are nicely salted, but inconsistent with the small pieces being very crispy and the longer big pieces being soft and chewier.
• Thy aren’t greasy but it’s still pretty heavy considering it’s paired with the jerk mayo again.
• Together the savoury mayo was nice with the somewhat sweeter plantain chips giving it a creamier texture.

**Jerked Wings – 5/6

• Baked not fried $7
• Never did it cross my mind to order wings at The Reef, but I’m so glad someone ordered them because they were delicious!
• They were almost like ribs and the chicken meat was literally falling off the bone! It was so unexpected, but incredibly tender and moist and I felt like I was eating chicken ribs.
• They were a bit greasy and the flavour was savoury and a bit smoky with very little heat, nothing really amazing, but the texture and execution was great!
• The meat was literally melting off the bones as I picked them up. The skin wasn’t crispy but it didn’t matter.

Chana Salad – 3.5/6

• Warm curried chickpea salad with warm Indian flatbread, exotic greens and dahi $8 + Jerk tofu $4
• Jerk chicken $5 Jerk chicken $5 Jerk Tofu $4 Coco Prawns $4
• I ordered this with Jerk tofu so it was vegetarian friendly. I didn’t expect such a big portion either.
• It was the best presented, and quite good, but the 2 pieces of jerk tofu were just charred, but I couldn’t taste any of the jerk spices. I found them a bit unimpressive for the extra $4.
• The curried chick peas were quite good with sauteed onions, green peppers and smoky savoury flavours, but it was also quite muddled and one dimensional if it wasn’t for the other components on the platter.
• I enjoyed eating everything together because the salad was dressed in a tangy vinaigrette so it made the curried chick peas more interesting as well.
• As a whole the platter was nice and I got a lot of variety with the ultra thick tangy dahi (yogurt), savoury smoky chick peas, nutty pumpkin seed crunch and some frozen corn kernels, which I wish were sweet.
• The Indian flat bread wasn’t fresh though. It had smoky aromatic flavours, but the texture was dense and stale.
• The thick creamy dahi (yogurt) was great with the yam fries and plantain chips too. I know it would go well with the chicken wings… but we finished those too soon to try.
• If you like this chick pea salad, I highly recommend the Sesamum Satay Salad from The Foundation Lounge also on Main Street.

Trini Roti – 3.5/6

• All wrapped in a house made flatbread seasoned with tumeric and cumin. Served with cole slaw. Choice of chicken or ital (vegetarian) $9 Goat, jerk tofu, jerk chicken $10
• This was massive and the flatbread wrap was much better than the one in the salad. The flatbread was much thinner, soft and chewy and more like a thick crepe.
• It was almost like a Caribbean style burrito and just like a burrito the edges got really doughy, but it’s well compensated by the amount of filling.

• The inside was stuffed with a hearty thick and chunky stew of shredded dark meat chicken and big pieces of tender creamy Russet potatoes.
• It was all very saucy and the stew was quite salty more so than smoky, and it also had a curry flavour, but it’s not spicy.
• I wanted to see actual roasted cumin seeds in it and the meat was a bit dry, but it was also smothered with gravy so it was a bit disguised.
• The cole slaw was a needed balance since the dish was so heavy and filling. It was a very lightly dressed cole slaw that was tangier than usual since it was made with more vinaigrette than mayo.
• Not comparable, but if you like this you should also try Desi Dosa Madras.

The Jamaican Jerk- 3.5/6

• Served with rice and peas and cole slaw. Choice of chicken breast, pork tenderloin $14 salmon $15 tofu $10
• The chicken was a bit dry and it was very toned down compared to the authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken I’ve tried, but without that in mind, it was still enjoyable.
• It was smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce that tasted more like BBQ sauce than it did Jerk sauce and I wanted to taste more all spice and cinnamon flavours.
• For once it was spicy though, which was almost the only differentiation it had from BBQ sauce. The heat did follow quickly after the sweetness, but it was still medium heat at the most.
• The rice and beans were quite good with big red kidney beans throughout.

Moca Burger – n/a

• Jerk seasoned 100% beef or tofu with grilled pineapple, Provolone and salsa on a Portuguese bun. Served with Plantain chips or exotic greens $12
• This wasn’t my order, but I didn’t hear any complaints except for it being messy and saucy… which isn’t a bad thing!
• The patty was large and nicely coated with melted Provolone, the pineapple looked fresh and nicely grilled and it came with an ample amount of plantain chips. From the outside it looked great!

Maracas Bay Mahi – 2.5/6

• Curry and lime pan seared fillet with a cooling cho cho and apple slaw. Served with coconut rice and local seasonal vegetables $15
• I actually wasn’t too keen on this and I ordered it. It’s a rather light and sour dish compared to everything else.
• The fish is frozen and it’s a firmer flaky white fish. It was quite tangy from the lime and then the apple slaw just made it even more tangy.
• In the Caribbean they probably would have used a combination of apples and jicama root for the slaw… but we’re in Vancouver, so never mind.

• I was most excited about the cooling cho cho and apple slaw but the apples came across as pickles and I wasn’t feeling it with the already tangy fish. I thought the apples would bring a tangy sweetness to it, but it brought a tangy sharpness that was almost overpowering.
• The edges of the fish were also dry, but the middle was decently moist.
• The dish lacked sauce so overall it was all quite plain. The only sauce was the little bit of sauce on the fish that seemed like melted butter, curry powder and lime juice.

**Island Thyme Chicken – 4/6

• Coconut milk marinated chicken, slow cooked in Jamaican thyme. Served with mashed potatoes and local seasonal vegetables $15
• This is a Jamaican Latin dish more so than Caribbean one and it almost tastes Thai.
• The sauce was delicious! It tasted like a sweet, peanutty coconut gravy and it was savoury sweet and nutty. I don’t know if there are nuts in it, but it tasted like it, although there’s no crunch of actual peanuts. Instead there was the texture of actual coconut which was a great surprise! I love coconut and nutty flavours so it’s no doubt I really enjoyed this.
• The sauce was the most addicting and different from all the ones I tried, although not as strong as the one on the Jerk chicken.
• I did want to see fresh Caribbean thyme leaves, considering it was a Thyme chicken, but they were missing. I also got no lemony or herb like flavours, which was what I expected, but what I got was still good.
• The chicken itself didn’t seem very well marinated, but the sauce did give it flavour and made the dish. Again, the chicken was on the dry side.
• The mashed potatoes were a creamy, starchy, grainy Russet mash with melted butter.

Dessert

**Daily Feature – Deep Fried Bananas – 5/6

• Deep fried bananas with mango ice cream and caramel sauce $7.50
• Woohoo! I didn’t expect such a big portion and that made me happy just like this funny presentation.
• If anything the bananas are just lightly dusted with flour before being thrown in the deep fryer because they don’t have a batter. They’re not crispy, but they do have a bit of a crust and then the inside is creamy and warm.
• It was quite a sweet dessert with the caramel sauce and the ice cream was actually very good.
• The ice cream tasted like banana ice cream rather than mango and I’m almost certain it was banana ice cream. It was thick, creamy and chewy and I really liked it.
• I made a little banana ice cream sandwich with those cookies… SO good!
• Overall the dessert would only be better with toasted coconut, (that’s something easy I know they could do) but otherwise it was solid!
• If you like this, I would also recommend the Caribbean Rum Cake from Chop Restaurant that also made my Top 15 Best Desserts List of 2010.

Restaurant: Marimba!
Cuisine: South American/Caribbean/Latin
Last visited: November 21, 09
Location: Everett, Washington (Waterfront)
Address: 1405 Hewitt Ave
Price Range: $10-20 USD (closer to $20)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4 (the huge dance floor + music, you want to dance!)
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Owners/chefs/cooks from South America (Ecuador)
• Specializes in a variety of authentic South American dishes
• Homemade/authentic menu choices
• Popular to locals
• Spacious
• Extensive menu
• Great for appetizers and drinks
• Great for large groups
• Weekly Salsa dancing (Fri/weekends)
• M-F lunch and dinner
• Saturday and Sunday dinner service – 4pm
• Happy hour 4-6pm ($3 selected appies)
• Catering/private party hosting available

**Recommendation: Papas Huancainas, Lechon, Mofongo

I was in Everette for a concert and wanted to find a restaurant nearby. I did my research and I wanted to find something that’s harder to find in Vancouver… at least hard to find done well. I decided to go the South American route and discovered this restaurant – Marimba!

I heard good things about and the menu looks really different and authentic. I’m not too familiar with South American dishes, but I have a good idea about Spanish dishes. Most of what we ordered was Westernized versions of authentic South American dishes…but it everything tasted pretty decent still. I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t blown away either. The dishes were interesting and the owners/chefs/cooks are from South America so the menu selection is authentic, but the recipes… I’m not so sure. If it’s still good, I won’t let the idea of “authenticity” bother me too much, but the food was overall a 3.5/6.

On the table:

• Papas Huancainas 4/6
  • Cooled layered potatoes dressed in a yellow aji pepper sauce and topped with queso fresco and mint $4.99
  • This was really good! I thought it tasted like a Latin version of American potato salad.
  • The yellow aji pepper sauce is homemade and really flavourful. It’s spicy and made with probably a blend of those roasted yellow peppers (the kind from a jar in olive oil), egg yolks and mayo. There’s probably some jalapeño in it too. It’s very pureed so you can’t really pick out the ingredients. It’s served chilled on top of boiled sliced potatoes.They had some black olives on top and they could have included a few more of those.
• Causa de Yuca 2.5/6
  • Our house version of this popular Peruvian dish–mashed yuca served in a yellow aji sauce with avocado and baby shrimp $5.49
  • So I thought the Papas Huancainas was the Latin version of American potato salad…I take it back…THIS is the Latin version of American potato salad. This one really reminded me of potato salad…or even an egg salad.
  • This one had lime juice in it because it was tangier.
  • It was potato on the bottom layer tossed in a mayo dressing and then on top of it was what tasted like mashed up potato salad, but in this case it was yucca (which tastes like potato),
  • They mash the yucca with that yellow pepper sauce again. It’s very creamy.
• Tortilla de Papa 1/6
  • A thick slice of omelet prepared in the classic Spanish-style with potato, pepper, tomato, and onion $5.49
  • This wasn’t good. For what it’s supposed to be it was a 1, but because I could still eat it it was a 1.5.
  • I’ve had numerous tortilla de papa or tortilla de patatas because I lived in Europe with Spanish girls who always made it. I’ve had homemade and restaurant style versions. I was lucky enough to even try their mom’s tortilla in Spain so I know what it’s supposed to be like. Mind you I was in Spain and not South America – so their versions are probably different…but I have a pretty good idea.
  • It’s supposed to be really tender and almost runny in the middle. This one was overcooked and tough. It’s almost fishy tasting or had the texture of overcooked salmon. You can tell it was overcooked by the picture. It was a very rushed version of tortilla de Papa.
• Tequenos 1.5/6
  • Wedges of soft cheese rolled in pastry dough, lightly fried, and served with a special cream sauce $4.99
  • This was basically mozzarella sticks. I don’t know if they’re made in house, but it tasted like how frozen ones would taste. Our server basically hinted to us that we didn’t need to try them, we should have listened.
  • They were fried well and the cheese was ooey gooey, but they were just mozzarella sticks. The dip it came with tasted like tzatziki sauce but with more herbs like parsley blended right into it. Maybe even some cilantro. The dip was good, but the sticks were whatever.
• Lechon 4/6
  • Pork slow roasted in a mix of herbs and seasonings until tender and topped off with sauteed onion. Served with red beans ,rice with pigeon peas, and tostones $12.99
  • The pork was quite tender, but it was probably pre-cooked meat tossed with sauce and reheated. The pork was still good though and it cut with ease.
  • It had some fat around it so it was nice and moist. But the fat or skin wasn’t crispy at all.

• • The Rice: the rice was actually really good! It was cooked well, flavourful, and not clumpy.

• • 
• Mofongo 4/6
  • This Puerto Rican dish features your choice of pork, chicken, beef, or prawns, served over mofongo: smashed green plantains fried with chicharron and garlic. Served with rice with pigeon peas and black beans $14.99. Vegetarian $12.99
  • This is the dish I came for. I took our servers recommendation and had it with pork and asked for it to be medium for spiciness. My pork was quite tender, almost like pulled pork, but overall the dish was a bit dry.
  • The yucca and green plantain mash was dry and I just wanted more sauce. The mash was like the South American version of turkey stuffing. It went well with the pork because it was the complementary starch.
  • This is a really hearty and filling dish. It’s good, but I think everything is more or less pre-cooked and they throw it altogether and bake it off before serving.
• Pabellon 2.5/6
  • The national dish of Venezuela! Seasoned and shredded beef served with black beans, rice, and tostones $12.99
  • This was very bland and my friend ordered it mild – no spice. It really needed spice though. It was basically shredded beef in a tomato based sauce with onions and dried and fresh herbs.
  • It was almost like a South American shredded beef stew. The beef was either a brisket or chuck.
  • The pork was more tender and better than the beef dishes.
• Bandeja Paisa 2/6
  • A traditional Colombian dish featuring chicharron and a fried egg with your choice of seasoned ground beef or skirt steak. Served with red beans, rice, and tostones $13.49
  • This is a popular South American fusion dish. It’s actually a combination of American/UK and South American flavours.
  • I was a bit disappointed by this dish because it was so simple. It should have had way more sides than it had. It was definitely a Westernized version. We ordered it with skirt steak.
  • Traditionally the dish includes 13 things: red beans with pork, white rice, a fried egg, avocado, Arepa (pita), ground meat or steak, chorizo, pork rind, plantain patacones (plantain patties), Hogao sauce (tomato & onion sauce) and black pudding (sausages of patties made of pork blood).
  • The ones in bold is what came with Marimba’s version of Bandeja Paisa.
  • Plantain Patacones: This was pretty good, fried nice and fresh. Served with a dollop of the same sauce they had with the Tequenos. Tastes like tzatziki sauce with blended herbs.
  • Red beans: pretty good, definitely better than my black beans. It supposed to be served on the plate not in a separate dish. All the ingredients are supposed to blend into each other.
  • Fried egg: was overcooked, the yolk wasn’t runny
  • Arepa: it’s a pita made out of cornmeal, but I could really tell. It tasted like a Greek style pita. Nice and soft.
  • Overall the dish wasn’t saucy enough and it was dry. The steak looks well done, but it was actually quite tender and good.
  • It reminded my of the American steak & eggs with some Latin sides and a couple British sides. Or even the Hawaiian Loco Moco (ground meat & a fried egg over rice)
  • Even if they didn’t include everything they should have included Hogao sauce…it needed sauce. It could have used more avocado slices too.
• Rice Pudding 1/6
  • Rice cooked with raisin, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and topped with cinnamon. When available, served with either mazamorra (purple corn compote) or lucuma mousse (Peruvian fruit similar to an avocado) $4.29
  • This wasn’t good. It came in a little bowl and I felt ripped off. The rice was really clumpy and there’s were chunks of rice in it. It was sweet, but not really too sweet or anything either. Rally one dimensional, I like Indian rice puddings better. The didn’t serve it with mazmorra or lucuma mousse either…and that was most disappointing because that was the whole point of trying the dish!