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Good Jamaican Food in Margate
• Chef Paul makes his own beef patties
Sunday,
May 10, 2009
We’ve been looking for homemade Jamaican beef patties for some time…and we found ‘em! Alexsandras Caribbean Restaurant in the Dunkin Donuts plaza just west of Rock Island Road on Royal Palm Boulevard. They do dine-in, take-out and serve up the tenderist, tastiest slow-cooked jerk chicken, oxtail, brown chicken stew and curried goat this side of Montego Bay. You’ll leave full and it won’t cost you a bundle.
Chef-owner Paul Garrick is committed to his slogan ‘Where great food and excellent service is no problem.’ He says customer service is where a lot of Caribbean restaurants fall down on the job. “You can have good food,” he says, “but if you don’t have good service; forget about it.”
Paul lets you taste before you buy. In fact, on our first visit we had no intention of eating until we sampled Alexsandra’s oxtail and dumplings – tender, flavorful and not overly spicy. The secret to his food, says Paul, is that he slow cooks everything, starting at 7 a.m.
“Some Carribean restaurants have a tendency to cook their meats quickly because they can’t get in early enough and want to start work around 10 or 11, leaving their meats tough and flavorless.”
Meals at Alexsandras come with a side of thinly sliced cabbage salad, delicately seasoned with spice, peppers, corn and peas – very healthful and a stand out in an already palate-pleasing menu.
Although Bob Marley would probably roll over in his grave if he heard me say that Alexsandra’s red-pea soup tastes like really good beef stew, Paul says there’s a reason for this. A lot a Jamaican dishes he said are fashioned after European tastes, as Jamaica was originally a British Colony.
Why is Alexsandra’s jerk chicken a step above the rest? Paul wouldn’t tell me exactly his secret, but he says in addition to slow cooking, he seasons it just right so that you sense the jerk flavors in the back of your palate – not in the front. This allows you to still enjoy the chicken without experiencing ‘too much heat.’ Alexsandras Jerk Chicken has just the right amount of fire to wake up the taste buds without leaving them numb.
Paul may be the only Carribean chef for miles around that makes his own beef patties. And when they’re good, it makes all the difference in the world. Alexsandras' flakey crusted patties are soft and sweet with a hint of curry, and the filling zingy with Scotch Bonnet. Perfect for a quick snack or as a meal with coco bread, a sweet pocket bread that surrounds the patty.
While there is no dessert menu, Paul asked us to try a recipe he is working on: vanilla ice cream with a mango & passion fruit sauce. Get that on the menu! The light sweet finish cooled my palate perfectly. Ahhhhhhh…
The service at Alexsandras is friendly and attentive. The prices are reasonable- large meals for $5.99-$9.99 whether you want to dine in or take-out. They serve beer and wine on the premises and Paul will be there with a bright smile to welcome you.
Alexsandra’s Caribbean Restaurant
7236 Royal Palm Boulevard
In the Dunkin’ Donuts Plaza (just west of Rock Island Road).
954-973-2902
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Copyright Cassius Group 2009
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