Caribbean Taste Jamaican Restaurant

Man has it been wet and cold(for SoCal) this past weekend....it's during those times I tend to day dream about crystal blue waters, white sand, and lying on the beach, warmly roasting my internal organs..... So how much is that flight to Jamaica? Egads $900.....well, maybe I'll just move along to day dream #2, that would be, what else.....food! Granted food is usually number 1, but this weather has moved it to number 2 for a while. Ah yes, a nice "food vacation" would do just fine, and this would usually mean a short jaunt to Island Spice for some good Jamaican grinds. But not this time. About 6 months ago, I received an email from a FOY(friend of Yoso) letting me know that Island Spice doesn't have a monopoly on Jamaican food in San Diego. The email mentioned a restaurant called Caribbean Taste located in Encanto.

After driving along on Imperial Avenue, I found Caribbean Taste located in, what else, a strip mall, right past the Encanto sign and almost directly across the Encanto Trolley stop.

Though the exterior of the Caribbean Taste appears large, the interior is not very large. The interior is bright and sunny enough to warm me even on a cold and damp winter day.

There's also a small area in the restaurant with Jamaican food stuffs for sale....I picked up a few bottles of Grace Hot Pepper sauce for only $1.50 each.

Even though the menu is just a single sheet, very concise, and all plates come in two sizes,  small and large, I had a difficult time deciding what to get. So many tempting entrees...should I get the Curry Chicken, or maybe one of my favorite items; Oxtails, perhaps Brown Stew Fish? I finally settled on the Curry Goat (small - $8.00):

All plates come with Jamaican beans and rice, steamed vegetables, and fried plantains. The curry goat was excellent, with a light spiciness, mild creaminess....the goat had been cooked perfectly, fork tender, and moist. Good stuff. I was not a big fan of the bland rice and beans, and I thought the vegetables were also bland.

The curry goat was enough to get me to return, this time I got a variety of dishes, starting with the Jerk Chicken (small-$8).

As Jerk Chicken is concerned, I really enjoyed this. There was a sneaky amount of mild heat, and the chicken was very moist, even the piece of breast. A good mixture of spices, a very mild sweetness, and a decent salty component. The best piece by far was the wing piece. Like my previous experiences with Jerk Chicken, it was not as spicy as I would expect, but I enjoyed the nice roasted skin.

At last, Oxtails (large - $12):

The portion size for the "large" size...was just that, pretty large and generous. Like the other dishes, this was well seasoned, fairly tender, and moist. I prefer my Oxtails to have a good amount of gelatinous bits, these fell short a bit in that aspect.

As I mentioned before, I find the steamed vegetables, a combination of cabbage, corn, beans, and a bit of greens to be on the bland side in comparison to the main course.

I guess that this is where the Grace Hot Pepper sauce comes in. The hot sauce has a initial flavor similar to Tabasco, but it is sneaky hot, and the heat increases with time and quantity.

If I had to compare this to the version at Island Spice, I'd say this was more meaty, salty, and well seasoned than the version at Island Spice, but I enjoy the depth of flavor and velvety smooth textures of Island Spice's "gravy" better. This doesn't mean I won't have this again.......

This is the large size Curry Goat($11.00) - a generous serving, which made us happy, since leftovers are much appreciated in our household. On this day, the goat had a good amount of gamey flavor, and the generous amount of meat was soft and tender. As I mentioned before, if you're not familiar with Jamaican Curry, you may find yourself surprised at the mild flavor, but it is still good stuff.

  I guess one can't help but compare Island Spice and Caribbean Taste....so if I were forced to, I'd say that in most cases Caribbean Taste's food (except for the sides) are much more aggresively seasoned. The atmosphere is also quite different; while Island Spice is much more of a raucous, lively, place. Caribbean Taste, is much more mellow, like a nice, sunny day on the beach, nice folks at both places....... I'm just happy that we have not one, but two Jamaican Restaurants putting out good eats in San Diego.

Caribbean Taste Jamaican Restaurant
6171 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92114

(619)795-1772

Hours Mon-Sat 9am-8pm
      Sunday  9am-6pm

Comments

[RONW]

always nice to have variety in your neck of the woods. I take it that the Jamaican beans was mixed into the rice.

[Kat]

never had goat, but it sounds quite tasty.

[Reid]

Kirk,

You are quite lucky to be able to get Jamaican food in San Diego. The last time I had Jamaican food was back in '93. A Jamaican friend's mother cooked a delicious feast for us!

There was a Jamaican restaurant here, in Waikiki of all places, but it closed down before I had a chance to eat there. I have heard about a wagon that sells Jamaican food, but I am a little hesitant.

[Kathy]

I just ate a Jamacian jerk chicken patty no less than an hour ago! Coincidence? We must think alike, hehe :)

[howie]

Oh, that goat curry looks delicious! For some reason, I keep forgetting that these places are so close to me. I'll have to make a trip soon.

[nhbilly]

I'm starving...got to stop reading this blog especially before lunch time. Thanks!

[Kirk]

Hi RONW - Yes, it was beans and rice.

Hi Kat - Goat when done right, is really hearty stuff...with a more pronounced wild flavor than lamb.

Hi Reid - Yes, we're really lucky to have Jamaican food here. A Jamaican Lunch Wagon....that sounds interesting.

Hi Kathy - Yes, just as all great minds do, right? ;o)

Hi Howie - Yes, this isn't too far from you.

Hi Billy - Sounds like it's time for lunch.....

[Tammy]

Hey Kirk,
What is your email? Can I get a list of some good restaurants in Maui?

You should do a blog about Whole Food in Hillcrest.

Thanks,
Tammy

[Kirk]

Hi Tammy - It's [email protected]

I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

[vincent]

Definitely prefer Caribbean taste.Just a note...the "rice and peas" as they're called in Jamaica have a mild coconut flavor...not bland,just mild to counter balance the spiciness of the food and to soak up all that good gravy!Bout to call in an order for some salt fish and ackee(traditional JA breakfast} for my early mornin charger game tomorrow...peace.

[Marlene]

I go to Caribbean Tastes almost every Sunday to take out a small dinner. I have not been disappointed with any food I bought there but the neighborhood is not very nice. I wish someone made those wonderful homemade meat patties I used to buy when I lived in New York. No! not those horrible precooked things which have awful meat or chicken in them. Or maybe some roti.

[Kirk]

Hi Marlene - I like the very laid back vibe at Caribbean Taste...the folks there are very nice as well.

[Donna L.]

Mahalo for the rec! This was our first taste of Jamaican food and we loved it. We got the beef patty, jerk chicken, and goat. This Maui girl (now living in SF Bay Area) thought it was all broke da mout ono!

[Kirk]

Hi DonnaL - I'm glad you enjoyed the food! Please also check out Island Spice, you might enjoy the Jamaican food from there as well.

[dom]

I just moved to hawaii and I cant find a JAMICAN PLACE!! Im am dying for some jerk chicken! Does anyone know where a jamaican restaurant is? Im on the island of Oahu..HELP ME PLEASE!!

[Kirk]

Hey Dom - Check and see if this place is still in business:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rocksteady-bakery-honolulu-2

[dom]

Kirk,
I tried looking for that place and i didnt see it, but i did find another place by Hard Rock cafe, he has a meal truck out there. The food was ok,but i can't beleive there isn't any real jamaican in hawaii!

[cassandra]

there food is okay but i do love the re currychicken pattys n a real mean red velvet cake omg its to die for