Caribbean Stove Pickup - A Taste of [Downtown] St. Thomas

11/24/2021

Discovering new flavours is one of the joys of eating. I was fortunate to be introduced to Caribbean dishes early in my life through family members from Trinidad. It's been tough to replicate at home since my coveted bag of West Indies spices has long been bare, and my roti never did turn out just right. I need more practice.

But with the arrival of Caribbean Stove Pick Up to St. Thomas, it's unlikely that I will be putting in the practice anytime soon.

The location at 647 Talbot St. is the second for the Lambkins, expanding from London earlier this year. Part of an expanding dream to share a taste of flavours from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago across Ontario. Their plans developed as they grew tired of long trips to Toronto for an authentic taste of home after moving to Canada in 2014. After a few years of recipe development cooking for family and friends, the Lambkins opened the London location in 2018.

Caribbean Stove Pick Up is open Tuesday- Saturday 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm for pick up and delivery; the Lambkins have enjoyed meeting new customers. The opportunity to hear about customers' Caribbean experiences and expand their palettes to try new flavours is rewarding for the pair. They encourage customers to share stories of their experiences and embrace the reminder of Caribbean getaways. It makes for a happy, fun-filled experience tying new memories with old ones. I love that food has that power.

One might be concerned that the food is overly spicy for the Northern Maple Syrup crowd, but the flavour is the priority with heat being customizable. I wouldn't consider myself to run a preference for mild. But understanding the authenticity of the food, I did opt for the Island Fire Sauce on the side. I was glad I did. One doesn't need much to feel the heat - but it is quite a flavour forward kick.

I went right for the Chef's recommendations with my order and sampled the Jerk Chicken with Rice & Beans, Coleslaw, and Plantains. I added some jerk sauce on the side and just a *hint* of the Island Fire. The chicken was so tender and mouthwatering. The key is to get a bit of everything in each bite to fully appreciate how the flavours complement each other - if you don't like your food to touch, please close your eyes and try it! It's worth it!

A comfort food family favourite is Trini-style curry chicken with potatoes; I had to try that too and was left similarly satisfied. But my absolute favourite part of this meal was the Doubles. Doubles are a Trinidadian street food often eaten at breakfast. It consists of two flatbreads served with curry chickpeas with the option to add toppings (curry mango, seasoned cucumber, and the Island Fire Pepper Sauce).

Tamarind Syrup is another sweet bonus topping option to add. I loved the Tamarind syrup with the savoury flavours - it made a simple dish exceptional.

If you are looking to warm up this winter, head to Caribbean Stove Pick Up to experience the authentic flavours of the Caribbean in the heart of Downtown St. Thomas!