The deal: This duo of mom-and-pop Jamaican eateries offers a bunch of stick-to-your-ribs meals for under $10. One is near Broward Boulevard on 441, the other on 441 near Southgate.
What you get: Daily lunch specials cost $4.77, which is crazy cheap for what you get: fried, brown stew, curry, or jerk chicken loaded with rice and peas and sides like salad or stewed cabbage.
We tried: The chicken curry was loaded with onions and
thyme, and the sauce had a really vibrant chicken flavor. The meat itself was completely falling apart -- at one point, I stabbed a piece
with my fork to give to my friend and it fell apart before I could pass
it to his tray. Because of its texture, the curry is ideal for that
habit islanders love so much: sucking on the bones. For a non-islander,
I think I cleaned mine off pretty damned good.The curry wasn't much on
the spice, however, so I grabbed a bottle of Gracie hot sauce from a
nearby table. This stuff was superhot -- a blend made from
Jamaican-grown Scotch bonnet peppers. I needed only a few drops total
to turn the curry up to scorching. If you ask the ladies at the counter, you can get some of the fantastic
oxtail gravy ladled onto your rice. It's rich and almost sticky with
rendered marrow. A couple of pieces
of oxtail even found their way into the mix.
Bonus points: The northern location sits in a plaza with tons of other ethnic food options for adventurous types.
Dutch Pot
6029 Kimberly Blvd., North Lauderdale
954-979-1915
and
111 N State Road 7, Plantation
954-583-4657