RIP Caribbean Flavours????

[Hux]

Made my first visit to their new location on Carling this week and was totally impressed yet again with the great and friendly service and of course the unbelievable Caribbean cuisine. I had a curry shrimp roti with a side of Plantain. We also sampled the full appetizer menu.

We were the only ones in the restaurant and I asked the owner/cook Frederick how business was at the new location and his answer was not very promising, he kinda mentioned he was hoping for a better summer...

Anyhow, if you haven't been to CF check it out and if you're already a fan, I think they could really use some business these days. It would be a tragedy if they went out of business

Caribbean Flavours website

Edited July 29, 2009 by Guest

[bradm]

Thanks, Hux; I don't live too far from it, so I'll try to check it out soon.

Aloha,

Brad

[bouche]

I'm dying for their codfish cakes. I've only heard about them. The only thing I've eaten there were rotis. I think it was goat and then beef.

after visiting the site, I can see why their business isn't doing well. their prices are crazy. Roti platters weren't much more than 10 bucks before, and cod cakes were probably about 5 bucks.

Recovering from their loss has hit their menu prices pretty hard.

Edited May 1, 2008 by Guest

[Hux]

their prices are crazy. Roti platters weren't much more than 10 bucks before, and cod cakes were probably about 5 bucks.

Recovering from their loss has hit their menu prices pretty hard.

Srsly? Have you ordered from the "new" menu yet? My guess is they have increased portion size, my shrimp roti was about the size of my head and had about a dozen good size shrimp in it - $11.95...GREAT deal in my books...

[AdamH]

The portions were always huge and the prices always a little bit higher than other places.I don't remember it ever being under $10 when it was in Chinatown.

The waiting is the hardest part (cue T.Petty). It's so incredibly slow that the only reason I wait it out is because the food is great. The new location is not really an ideal spot for foot traffic but I'm sure people seek it out.

Have any of you been to Groovy's on Montreal Road? It's about as good as CF though the atmosphere is a bit less interesting.

[rubberdinghy]

I got a huge chunk of plastic in my roti from there once, and when I say chunk, I mean teeth busting chunk.

[AD]

why would you order plastic?

[fluffhead77]

Was it the boneless plastic roti?

[bouche]

ok, maybe they haven't increased much, but platters were not $18.99. the portions were always huge though. I'm not sure I ever finished an entire roti.

[Hux]

Just had a shrimp and veg roti from Groovy's, it was really tasty (no plastic) $11.00 and about half the size of Caribbean Flavours.

Mmmmm. Roti.

[Hux]

So I had another from Carribean Flavours to compare and I gotta go with CF, bigger and a little juicer!

[bouche]

I'm doing my own carribean flavours tonight. I marinated some drumsticks and thighs overnight with a jerk marinade made with orange, lime, habanero, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Now it's slow cooking at about 270 over indirect charcoal heat in my webber.

mmmm...

also, I'll be baking corn in the husks directly on the coals once the chicken is done. I've got a great chili garlic butter to brush on the deliciously baked corn.

[phishtaper]

we had jerk chicken the other night too. signals the start of summer to me.

[phorbesie]

this thread intrigues me. i haven't had much roti in ottawa at all! i had one at bluesfest a few years back and didn't like it, but i'm not sure where that was from. this giant shrimp tastiness roti sure sounds yummy

[AdamH]

I love jerk anything: chicken, pork, tofu, shrimp, etc.

The Grace brand paste is outstanding.

[Ms Zimmy]

I love jerk anything: chicken, pork, tofu, shrimp, etc.

Tofu Jerk

Ingredients

1 lb Extra Firm tofu, pressed for at least an hour*

For the marinade:

1/2 large white onion, roughly choppped

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

juice of 2 limes

zest of 1 lime

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons allspice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (or one if you don't want it too spicy)

Directions

Puree all ingredients for the marinade.

Slice the pressed tofu into long triangles like this:

Slice into eigths width-wise

Slice each eigth in half into a long triangle

Marinade tofu in a bowl for an hour covered adjusting slices once.

Prepare the skillet with a thin coat of olive oil and turn heat to medium high. When pan is hot, lay tofu in a sigle layer. Cook for 8-12 minutes on each side. Add some extra sauce while cooking if needed.

Serve!

*To press tofu, wrap in paper towels or a clean dish towel and press under the weight of a heavy object, such as a skillet with a heavy book in it. Turn over after 1/2 hour. This will get the water out and allow the tofu to soak up more of the marinade.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

I think you should change your username Ms Zimmy

[Freak By Night]

We tried the Caribbean Flavours last night. The jerk chicken was very good, but the beef roti - where's the beef?! The service was quite friendly, but very slow. For their prices, I'd expect better.

[bouche]

you should have tried the ganja fritters.

[Hux]

I had a jerk chicken roti from CF on Friday and it was the bomb, best yet.

Slow service is part of the experience.

There was no beef in the roti?

[bouche]

geez hux. are you keeping them in business?

[Hux]

Possibly.

I need help man. I'm addicted.

:::cry for help:::

[Freak By Night]

What time were you there on Friday Hux? Didn't see ya!

Slow service is agonizing when you're really, really hungry (which is most of the time for me).

[Hux]

I grabbed take-out @ lunch.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

...and that^ is why your lunch took so long, FbN