Description
Puerto Rico native Tony Panelli and Caribe (pronounced ca-REE-bay) chef/owner didn't grow up eating doubles, the famous Caribbean street snack, but the guy must be a quick study. The bread, or bara, is golden with turmeric and tastes like a cross between fry bread, roti, and naan. The chickpeas, or channa, are tender without being mushy, their interiors as creamy as custard. Pair it with jerk chutney and a little scotch bonnet hot sauce, and you'll have one of the best vegetarian sandwiches around. While the longtime local Caribbean eateries Marla's and Harry Singh's tend to focus on traditional cuisine from the West Indies (including delicious doubles), Panelli draws from the broader region, include more of the islands' Spanish and Latin influences, and create new fusion dishes. That means plump shrimp come slicked with a rum-molasses glaze, tattooed with black grill char, and served with curry-citrus rice. Or plantain-crusted grouper is served topped with a bright tomato/olive/caper sauce and plated with thin strips of taro root and yucca. Pair your meal with an imported Caribbean soda and squint your eyes while gazing on the restaurant's bright, beach mural tiny eatery becomes a poor man's seaside vacation.
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