Little Belize Restaurant - Inglewood

I took a trip to Belize many years ago as a single lady, in the company of another single lady and had the time of my life. Zip lining, diving, yoga poses for pictures atop majestic temples; it was a celebration of a friendship that I hope will last forever.

I learned a lot about myself too on the trip, falling into the kind of introspection that only happens with travel. I have only amazing memories of Belize, many of which are all about the food, their colorful combination of Latin and Caribbean,  memories I will never hesitate to eat. 

For starters, I love starters. Their Sampler Platter is a selection of important classics, including panades filled with fish encased in crispy corn, garnaches of fried tortillas garnished with beans and a tomato and onion semi-jam, and salbutes with a thicker base and juicy shredded chicken in the same sweet tomato and onion sauce. All are hearty, none too heavy, and every bite tastes better when it’s shared.  

There was also a Plantain Boat, which didn’t seem like it should go together. The plantain is sweet and deliciously fried, but the tangy-savory chicken-tomato-onion filling is far better served on a simple tortilla or something similar as they simply didn’t go with the sweeter, fruity plantain notes. 

The Oxtail is a decent entree, doused in a heavy brown gravy that tastes like viscous beef. A bit on the salty side for me but not so much that it’s off-putting, especially over rice. The oxtail itself requires minimal coaxing to abandon the bone. A solid stew overall, but it’s the actually the rice and beans I can’t forget. Stewed and spicy, the savory flavors run so deep that it could be a stand-alone dish. The cole slaw is mayo soup - opt for literally anything else as a side.

Desserts are nice but not a necessity. Milk Cake is simply sweet with a thin layer of dulce de leche, a bit dry overall.

Lemon Pie is lovely, with a custard-y filling of zesty lemon.

Nothing tastes better than nostalgia, and I like Little Belize for it. Are they the best Caribbean cuisine in Inglewood? Probably not but that’s okay too - competition is keen. I plan to try the other options before I decide which one to stick with, but as of now, I’d gladly order Little Belize again.

Bridgetown Roti - Hollywood

There are two kinds of people: those who can deal with traffic and those who cannot. And then they marry each other. I will drive anywhere in anything to get to my food but my husband will not. And then he knocked me up so here he is, driving me to Bridgetown Roti. 

After a single bite of the Chicken Curry Roti, he declared, “I would drive here anytime to eat this again.” He has never before uttered these words because I have never known anyone who hates Hollywood more than he does. So try the chicken curry here. The thigh meat is tender and soaked in an ethereal spice mix, full of island charm…and whatever powerful witchcraft can propel my husband back to Hollywood. 

The Red Pepper Goat Roti is a hard-hitting, spicy, goat-gamey stew-wrap of shredded meat that melts in your mouth. 

Soothe the burn with a bite of the creamy Mac and Cheese but beware the hint of ghost pepper that sneaks up oh-so subtly. 

Cool down with the Jerk Cucumber Salad as well if you wish. The vinaigrette is quietly refreshing and delivers a satisfying crunch in every bite. 

But if you do nothing else here, be sure to snag the Wings. A jerk brine followed by a jerk sauce sinks the flavor in and with that sweet sear of honey…well, there are no better wings in the world. 

I don’t need to tell you how special this place is. Arguably the first real roti in SoCal, they’ve already carved out their niche. Every item on their menu will sear itself into your memory, and their house-made mixes of powder and curry will make them a legend. 

Ackee Bamboo - Los Angeles

"Hold the bag by the bottom, the gravy tends to leak."

The gravy should always leak. If you're not given a portion so generous that there's a brown mushroom cloud of gravy running over the sides of your styrofoam take-home, you're not getting real Jamaican. Ackee Bamboo is real generous, and Ackee Bamboo is real Jamaican. 

They were talking about the Oxtail, which, authentic as it was, wasn't my favorite dish. Delicious, but not as gooey and gravy-y as I've had from others. Still, it's a tough meat braised tender, smothered with a kicking spice. 

I love any Curry Goat, and theirs is a good contender. Spicy and hot, it's rich, stew-y comfort.

Jazzed about the juicy Jerk Chicken. This one isn't just a spice rub - the soup soaks to the bone. 

The sides are important too. Rice and peas are full of flavor, like they've been steamed in broth. Plantains are sweet as sugar, soft enough but not quite caramelize. Cabbage is a cool-down, and Festival Bread is a light and fluffy fry for a mouth-party made of cornmeal. 

Like the restaurant, love the cuisine. Wish I lived closer so I could keep coming back for more. 

Blessed Tropical Jamaican Cuisine - Inglewood

I’ll go Michelin if I want something pretty. But today I want to be Blessed so give me the nitty-gritty. Skip the little flowers and garnishes that can be garish and spoon me up some of that strip-mall chic. I don’t want portion control and a coursed meal with wine pairings and pacing. Just leave me with a heaping platter of something real. Give me those island flavors that got lost when I left the Bronx. I want some of that spice, that tickle, that dig-deep sizzle and burn. 

They’re not so shy about the spice. The Curry Goat is raging wave of gravy that taps the peppery notes and pounds the turmeric. The spice is a tiny bit sweet, and I hope it’s scotch bonnets doing the scorching.

Their goat may fall right off the bone, but their Oxtail melts in your mouth. The meat is so tender it’s practically the texture of the gravy, and there’s even some marrow in the bones. 

They were out of jerk chicken so this flaky-pastry Beef Patty and a side of Plantains will have to do. This patty packs some punch, filled with a pasty, beefy, spicy schmear.

Now THIS is Jamaican food. Down and dirty, gravy  and curry. Sauce dripping through the rice, all the fat and oil stewed all day and night. They make it real and they make it with heart and you can tell. No matter where you’re from, all the food at Blessed will taste like home.

Natraliart Jamaican Restaurant & Market - Los Angeles

Good food is an art, and Natraliart employs some in making Jamaican food in a way that is healthy. 

Fortunately, it is healthy. They minimize their use of grease, and you can gorge to your heart's content and still feel like you did okay. 

Unfortunately, it is healthy. Too healthy. The rice is dry and the peas are bland. The Oxtail is juicy and flavorful, but there's no grease drippings for the rice to catch. Meat is tender and it does fall off the bone with minimal help. Always love a side of plantains, and the greens are bright and refreshing.

A crusty Beef Patty is a must, and I must say it is delicious. The filling has a spice mix, and it's on the mild side for those who sweat at a little spice. 

The Curry Goat is a personal favorite, but this one lacks the spice and sass. The color is almost the same as the oxtail, which already says that something is wrong. I still like it, but I wouldn't call it a standout. 

It’s pretty and it’s clean with straightforward flavors, but somehow it's a little too clean. The minimal grease is a buzzkill, and it robs the food of the depth and breadth of flavors that make it truly island. That said, I've never seen anyone get so much flavor into a chicken breast. The Jerk Chicken is impressive, sharp spices that nip at your tastebuds, a profile that will dally and dance. I really hate white meat, but their white doesn't mean vanilla. 

Natraliart is nice. Maybe it's a little too nice. Jerk Chicken aside, I don’t want my island food to be nice. I want the warmth of the sand and sun, and I want the golden rays of grease. The fat is supposed to be in the stew, and the sauces and gravies should have a bit of color, preferably a color that looks a little bit off. I wouldn't dissuade you from Natraliart, but I've already found a place that's better. 

Carnival Food Fair – St. Thomas

Clearly this island had more food than the regular carnival stalls could hold. Which is why, for just one day of Carnival, Emancipation Park turns into an unrecognizable sea of stalls, with each booth washing up something special like seaglass in a surf.

Advertised by islanders as the can’t-miss-it food event of the year, they hyped up this Carnival Food Fair even more than DJ Cypha hypes up himself. Though he IS the best DJ in the Virgin Islands…just ask him. And if you’re too shy to ask him, just turn on his radio station. This is a guy who makes you miss half a song so that he can chant his own name like a séance.

So I didn’t miss this food festival. I even got there at 11 AM on my day off because I heard they’d start running out at noon. I started with a cold Passionfruit Juice and probably spent half my money on drinks that day. The sweltering sun showed no mercy so this tropical fruit and others like it were worth their weight in sugar. If you don’t already have a passion for this fruit, you’ll discover it in a couple sips.

Unfortunately, for everything there is a price, and the price for the food entrees was quite high. So high, in fact, that I couldn’t try more than one main dish and spent at least an hour walking in circles trying to decide what to have and where. Good thing I had these Tamarind Balls to hold me over. These spicy little sugared sourballs are dense yet strangely refreshing no matter how hot the day. Just make sure to find the pits so that you don’t spit out your molars too.

I finally decided on the Crab and Rice. I really wanted some shellfish, and after those Carnival Village whelks, I wasn’t about to make that mistake again. I rarely get crabby about the price of good food, but $15 is a bit much for legs in a ton of rice. Apparently mine had less crab so they only charged me half, but I honestly wouldn’t pay more for more crab. Then again, the rice was plump with all the sweet juices of the crab infused all the way through, and this palatable yet monotonous pile left me nothing less than totally satisfied. Good thing this curbed my seafood craving or I’d provide all the crab my rice was missing.

If I’d skipped the food festival this year, I probably would have cried. If I skip the food festival next year, I probably decided not to go. The food is good, no doubt, and clearly it’s something you need to do once. The colorful variety of canned fruit stews and bundles of baked goods are truly spectacular, but when it comes to buying food, I don’t really recommend anything that you can’t take home in a bottle or jar. The entrees look pretty good, but you can get more for your money almost anywhere else.

Carnival Village – St. Thomas

Every year Carnival comes to St. Thomas. People parade through the streets, a queen is crowned, and nightly performances of live music really add some life to this little island. And with large-scale celebrations like this one, it takes a village. This village just happens to be bordered by colorfully painted food booths. Ranging from French fries to tofu to roti, this village easily houses some of the best food options on this island. Some are hits, some are misses, but overall, I’d eat here every day if I could.

I don’t give a Flying Fish about your food-stand qualms. These people from Barbados are clearly onto something. Flaky like cod, darker than butterfish, firmer than tilapia, this breaded filet packs some serious flavor. And no food is complete without a slice of fried-dough Johnnycake, and at a dollar a pop, there’s no reason to miss out.

This King Fish had potential. Meaty fried fish resembling a non-pink salmon steak looked like a sure thing, but this one was fried tragically dry.

Well the Stewed Whelks were a mistake. Too much stewing and no other flavor turned these giant snails into a giant disaster. Snails already sound gross, why try extra hard to make them taste that way? The Shrimp in Butter Sauce was solid but nothing to write home about, and the Rice & Beans were pretty tasty. Overall, not a bad deal for $9.

Sometimes it’s all about the simple things. I’m never too chicken to try something new, but sometimes a perfect Chicken Wing is all you need. I’m not sure if the island chicken is less processed or more farm-raised, or both, but these wings have an amazing flavor – probably the best chicken wings this southern girl ever had. Now if only they sold it with syrup and waffles…

Fresh out of empanada country, I decided to give the Caribbean pate a try. Pronounced like mashed up liver, this flaky pastry shell held some serious potential. The Conch Pate was chewy with a sauce that I can only describe as salty, savory, and darkly delicious, but they skimped on the filling just a bit. The Shellfish Pate was stuffed full of shredded crab, and the Chicken Pate had flavorful marinated meat.

Sadly all good things must come to an end, and carnival ended only a day ago. And with it went some of the best food I’ve had in St. Thomas. I’m hanging onto the hope that the food will get better, but I’m not hanging onto much. I’m sure I’ll find some chicken wings elsewhere, but I’ll miss that flying fish.

La Estrella – Bronx

Nothing breaks up your work day like a good hot lunch. My lunch at La Estrella was served piping hot but the service was cold as ice. Actually, I don’t know what the service is like because our server never acknowledged me and only spoke Spanish to my dining companion Tomas. My Spanish sounds like nails on a chalkboard except the chalkboard is lodged inside your ear.

“I would like the Pernil with a side of Maduros.” The server didn’t even start writing until Tomas translated. This wasn’t hard, but I can say “yo quiero pernil” about as accurately as the politically incorrect Taco Bell Chihuahua.

Most people would be put off by this kind of linguistic snobbery, but I thought, “This is my kind of place.” A place that is so authentic they will ignore you for not speaking Spanish is bound to have fantastic food. The pernil came steaming hot, the rice and beans were perfect, and the maduros were soft and sweet. I expected the bill to be huge, but this table full of food cost me a mere $7.50 and an extra $3 for the side. With food this good, I can learn Spanish just to order at La Estrella. With prices this low, I can save up for Rosetta Stone.