67. Guadaloupe and Martinique: Le Ti Colibri

Le Ti Colibri
291 Augusta Avenue 
(south of College)
(416) 925-2223

Don't be in a hurry to be greeted and served, unless you're one of the regulars, at this long narrow shop in Kensington Market. There are a few seats indoors and a couple of tables out front. I was watching the food being prepped while I waited for my lunch and thought to myself, "they're lucky I'm not a health inspector". There was little evidence of hand washing and keeping ingredients free from cross-contamination. 

I tried the Callaloo Veggie Fish plate which, seen above, comes with a mixed salad, fried plantains and a mini bokit  (a yeasty type of deep fried dumpling). The callaloo mixture is well seasoned and has okra and onions.

Rating: Ambiance (2)
Service (2)
Food Presentation (3)
Food Quality (3)
Value for Money (3)

66. Trinidad: Ali's Roti

Ali's Roti West Indian Food

1446 Queen Street West 

(East of Lansdown Avenue) 

Between the walls painted with murals of Caribbean landscapes, there's a steady stream of take-out and dine-in customers that represent a cross section of Toronto's population. You order and pay at the counter and the food is brought to your table when ready. You get the feeling that regulars are treated more graciously than walk ins.
Luckily, I'm with a Trinidadian friend who explains the menu and helps me decide what to try. We start with doubles which are made of bara (fried, yeast raised bread) filled with curried chickpeas. For our main course, we choose king fish which comes with rice and salad (pictured below). Realizing that the portions will be generous we opt for take-out containers to leave room for ice cream. There are many different flavours in tubs in the freezer. The soursop is delightful and refreshing.
While I drink my mango nectar, my companion sips on her Busta Kola Champagne and shares stories of growing up "back home". I can't resist taking some currants roll  (flaky pastry filled with currants and cinnamon) to try at home with tea - delicious.


Rating: Ambiance (3)
Service (2)
Food Presentation (2)
Food Quality (4)
Value for Money (4)

15. Jamaica: Ocean Grill

Ocean Grill
2442 Dufferin St
(just north of Eglington)
416 787 9181

It's Friday night and the crowd of young locals waiting for their take-out orders is loud and boisterous. There are disputes over who's blocking in who in the parking lot and a tussle over the TV remote. The wall sized murals of sandy beaches and the blue Caribbean help you forget about the below-freezing temperature outdoors.
Raphael comes out of the kitchen to greet us and recommends I try a fish dish. I opt for the red snapper [pictured above] that comes cooked to perfection with mixed vegetables in a delicious sauce and serving of rice and peas on the side, $12.65. Our other main courses are curry goat, with an extra helping of oxtail, that comes with salad and rice and peas $9.00 and a portion of curry shrimp that my friend takes home. We sip ginger beer and bottled water.
Total including tax and tip $40 for three dinners.
It is basically counter service and a large part of their business is take-out. They also do catering and serve traditional Jamaican breakfast dishes like ackee and salt fish, cornmeal porridge and fried plantain in the morning hours.

Rating: Ambiance (2)
Service (2)
Food Presentation (3)
Food Quality (3)
Value for Money (3)

6.Cuba: Julie's Cuban Restaurant

Julie's Cuban
202 Dovercourt Rd
(east of Dufferin, between Dundas and Argyle)
416 532 7397
Reservations recommended.

Ideal restaurant service is friendly, fast and efficient and not condescending or "in your face". The service we received at Julie's Cuban Restaurant came very close to that ideal. The ambiance on a freezing Friday night was enchanting. Picture a retro snack bar in a downtown residential neighbourhood that's been preserved and jazzed up, Cuban style. However, we got an icy blast every time customers did not close the entrance door firmly behind them - this needs fixing.
After starting with a traditional soup - Potaje de Frijoles Negros (Black Bean) that was thick and tasty, I chose two veggie options from the tapas menu: the Tostones Rellenos - green plantain cups stuffed with a creamy avocado and onion mixture (pictured here) was exceptionally good both in presentation and taste; and Yuca con Mojo which was nicely cooked if a little bland. Yuca, known variously as manioc and cassava, is a starchy root vegetable and a staple food in the tropics. It is also what tapioca and the "bubbles" in bubble tea are made of. In Cuban cuisine, mojo is sauce made with garlic, olive oil and a citrus juice, frequently lime.
The tapas menu and entrees are good value for money. The Camarones al ajillo (garlic prawns), $7.25, were very good and Pollo con Platano Maduro (chicken breast stuffed with plantain), $16.95, was a huge portion if a little bland. We found the wine list (no house wine, cheapest bottle $33) and the peppermint tea at $3.50 a cup to be pricey. The Key Lime Pie was heavenly. Total cost incl tax for three persons $111.89 plus tip.

Rating:
Ambiance (4)
Service (3)
Food Presentation (4)
Food Quality (4)
Value for Money (3)