511347 Mon Apr 21 06:11:34 -0700 2008 24 19 Outer Boroughs 0 3614076 Upon the rec of the great JFores, I went for the first time with my wife last night to this small take out place. I guess it was Guyanese-Indian. It was really really good. I had the goat. Unlike most goat I have had in Indian places it was totally lean and without gristle. This means a lot, because I have not been lucky goat-wise at places like Spcy Mina's, and usually find the meat almost inedible. But it was sublime. The sauce was thick and had a great punch, but not a punch of chiles, just a full bodied spice mixture that certainly wasn't your standard 'curry' (whatever that might be). The roti came separately wrapped in paper, and it was fantastic. Perfect thickness and not at all greasy. My wife got a black-eye pea dish which was also piquant and amazing, and a chicken curry with a thinner sauce that was very interesting, but not as blast-you-away rich as the goat, but still great and I would get it again for sure. We also tried a side dish of squash and onion which was a bit salty, but I suspect that is the way it is supposed to be. A little of that goes a long way. In the final analysis, I loved this very cheap and amazingly tasty food, and I have a car (which means I will be back very soon). I definitely recommend it for a take-out adventure, particularly for those who have never had this type of thing. Mon Apr 21 06:11:34 -0700 2008 94651 NYJewboy 1 3614228 Definitely try Annie's down the block. TBH I think they're even better. Their chicken curry might as well be home made and their roti (well, Trini versions of dal pooris for them) are made to order. Also, look out for the duck curry. It's not always there, but should not be missed. I suspect the quality of the chicken at these places might be influenced by the 2 live markets that are within a 3 block radius. Mon Apr 21 07:05:52 -0700 2008 3614076 113604 JFores 2 3614432 JFores (or anyone) how do Annie's and Rockaway Roti compare to Singh's on Liberty Ave in Richmond Hill? Do these places have doubles? If so, how are they? (I won't trek out to rockaway without doubles, which i am addicted to) NY Jewboy, for a good roti a little closer to home, try Ram's on church ave, close to ocean ave. (not sure of the exact address) They do nice roti skins. Haven't tried the goat, we usually get the potato and channa roti, as that is what my kids love. All the veggies are good, in fact and everything else looks tasty. As a plus, they also in the evenings do a nice jerk chicken. Take out only, and you have to put up with a deafening bass-heavy sound system as you wait to get your food. But it's worth it. Mon Apr 21 08:09:45 -0700 2008 3614228 12221 missmasala 3 3614540 Oh I am going to Ram's missmasala, no question about it. I have heard of it but never tried it. I am unfamiliar with that area, so it will have to be on a day for exploration. The one thing I wished that Rockaway Roti had more of was veggies, so it sounds exciting! Mon Apr 21 08:38:18 -0700 2008 3614432 94651 NYJewboy 3 3614614 They have doubles and a double bakery is on the same stretch too. I haven't tried Singh's yet (though I passed it twice, both times were returning from Rockaway and Annie's after eating a lot.) Mon Apr 21 08:54:20 -0700 2008 3614432 113604 JFores 2 3616093 You are right again JFores. Annie's is better. I had several things: 1. Wonderful silky spinach 2. Fantastic cabbage curry 3. Daal filled roti 4. Chicken curry I was really partial to the veggies, maybe because I was in the mood. The chicken seemed super fresh (it is next door to a live chicken dealer). Plus they have some of the best hot sauce I have ever had. Mon Apr 21 14:22:41 -0700 2008 3614228 94651 NYJewboy 3 3616373 Great hot sauce? I've got to try annie's. The west indian hot sauce with the fruity scotch bonnet kick is what sends me over the edge for this food. Can't get enough of it, even when my mouth is burning! Mon Apr 21 15:35:20 -0700 2008 3616093 12221 missmasala 4 3616683 It's called 'peppa'! When I first started to go to these places I would ask for extra hot sauce and was corrected to peppa. After a few more times I started to ask for more peppa, and eventually they would just smile and say "I know, I know..." as they loaded it on. I agree- it's a great aspect of the cuisine. Mon Apr 21 17:26:31 -0700 2008 3616373 12713 TongoRad 5 3616829 ah, that would explain why the famous jerk chicken place on flatbush is called Peppas. Mon Apr 21 18:13:59 -0700 2008 3616683 12221 missmasala 4 3616962 Well missmasala, I think Annie's has the great hot sauce. Rockaway's I like less, but it is still great. Mon Apr 21 18:50:36 -0700 2008 3616373 94651 NYJewboy 2 3624767 Is Annie's open on Sundays? Anyone happen to know the hours? Wed Apr 23 22:43:52 -0700 2008 3614228 13402 Joe MacBu 3 3624818 I'm almost entirely sure that it's open Sunday as I'm pretty sure it's Hindu or Muslim owned anyway. If it isn't, then Rockaway Roti is just down the block and I'm sure that they are. I can't speak on the hours definitively but these places exude that feeling of "I'm open REALLY late." Wed Apr 23 23:48:36 -0700 2008 3624767 113604 JFores 4 3627345 Just called up Annie's to ask about their hours. I was asked why I wanted to know. Um, well....All I could get was that they open at 7am. They close "sometime at night, maybe around 8:30." And they're sometimes open on Sundays, though I was assured they'd be open for my arrival. Thu Apr 24 16:20:46 -0700 2008 3624818 13402 Joe MacBu 1 3614253 When I worked in the area the goat curry was the thing to get at that place. I loved the sauce, rich indeed, and recall that I would also be served large chunks of potato that were cooked along with the goat and picked up the flavors. Good stuff. Mon Apr 21 07:13:41 -0700 2008 3614076 12713 TongoRad 2 3629318 You know, the second time I went back to Rockaway Roti the goat was a little gnarly: too much gristle, fat, and bone. I don't know how I lucked out that first time when the meat was absolutely pristine. I am used to my goat being a bit gnarly, and I was so shocked it was so good that first time. The sauce was a bit oily too. I guess that place can be a bit off. I think JFores is right: Annie's is better. Fri Apr 25 10:27:42 -0700 2008 3614253 94651 NYJewboy 3 3629390 I worked in the area for years and those shops were regular lunchtime haunts. There is bound to be some inconsistency, particularly with items like the goat or beef curries (especially in terms of fat or gristle)- it is essentially cheap eats so I expect a bit of that to come with the territory. In general I liked the goat better at Rockaway, the chicken at Annie's and the pumpkin and doubles at Island Cuisine. If you are not going for something specific and thinking in broad terms the Annie's is probably the best. They can all have their off days, though, and sometimes the time of day can play a factor (at Island Cuisine, in particular, I noticed that if the beef curry was near the bottom of the tray then what was left were the least 'desirable' bits.) Another difference is that Rockaway is Guyanese, whereas Annie's and Island Cuisine are Trinidadian- that can make a difference if you want your roti/curry served as a wrap, which they don't do at Rockaway (at least, not the last time I was there.) Fri Apr 25 10:45:09 -0700 2008 3629318 12713 TongoRad 4 3630242 Annie's serves a daal filled roti seprately wrapped like Rockaway does. I had one today with pumpkin and chana, and a jerk chicken that blew my front teeth up into my frontal lobe. It was incredible. The peppa sauce is not to be messed with unless you mean buisness! Fri Apr 25 14:22:11 -0700 2008 3629390 94651 NYJewboy 5 3630683 Just to clarify- a roti wrap is when they stuff it with the channa, potatoes, and whatever curry and peppa you like, kind of like a giant burrito. I had a Jamaican co-worker who was particularly adept at eating the chicken curry wrap (the chicken is still on the bones as it is wrapped, and you have to pick them out as you go), something I could never quite master without making a giant mess. Obviously, something like the shrimp is easier, but not as tasty, imo. I always liked Annie's jerk chicken, glad to hear it's still good. Now you've gone and gotten me craving the stuff again. Fri Apr 25 17:32:57 -0700 2008 3630242 12713 TongoRad 4 3630887 i thought they were always served as wraps, and that if you wanted the roti separately you had to ask for a "buss-up shot." are rotis always served on the side in guyanese places? see, you learn something new on every visit to chowhound. Fri Apr 25 19:25:50 -0700 2008 3629390 12221 missmasala 5 3630942 Today I got the Roti separately at Annie's, but there was a thin layer of daal inside the roti. I wouldn't call it a wrap (or like a masala dosa is filled), it was more like a thin layer of daal paste in the roti for kick. It was amazing. With the chana on the side I ended up making some sort of wrap myself, and that peppa sauce, holy cow. Tomorrow my wife is making me go and pick some up for her. I'm definitely going to try the black-eye peas. If anyone knows anything more about this stuff I am facinated to hear it, and amazed at how good it is. Fri Apr 25 19:59:13 -0700 2008 3630887 94651 NYJewboy 6 3631152 It's a dhal puri, mentioned in passing by JFores above. It has origins in the Indian Subcontinent (Bengal region). In addition to pulses, it may contain cumin, garlic, pepper, etc. Sietsema mentions it in the penultimate paragraph of his Little Bangladesh review: http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0401,180336,50175,16.html Fri Apr 25 22:22:28 -0700 2008 3630942 13402 Joe MacBu 7 3631754 Yeah, it was the puri that threw me. Sat Apr 26 10:02:13 -0700 2008 3631152 94651 NYJewboy 6 3633927 If you're getting a taste for those scotch bonnets keep an eye out for the mangos- they are marinated in the peppers and cilantro, maybe some red onion as well. You do have to be careful, though, that you're getting a good batch- about half of time I found that the mangos were cut up before they were fully ripe, and some times were even on the crunchy side. But if they're good- ho boy! I don't exactly recall how Annie's serves them these days, but at Island Cuisine they were in take out containers in a fridge by the register, right where you could grab them. That makes it easier to get a close-up inspection before buying some. Sun Apr 27 11:00:11 -0700 2008 3630942 12713 TongoRad 7 3634939 The first time I went to Annie's I ate so much of that peppa sauce that I had to take medication. In the final analysis: it was worth it. I guess my priorities have been writ large in the fabric of my psyche. Who am I to argue? Sun Apr 27 18:41:18 -0700 2008 3633927 94651 NYJewboy 8 3923455 am reviving this thread because i finally went to annie's today. got doubles, a potato roti (for the kiddies) and a plate of rice and peas with calaloo, black-eyed peas, and stewed green beans (or something--it wasn't clear what all was in that third veggie.) the verdict: The rice and peas with veggies was very very good. I thought the potato roti inferior to ram's, but my SO really liked it. Unfortunately, the doubles were eh. which is a shame, as doubles are like my favorite thing in the world.(they were popular, though. everyone in the long, slow line was ordering them) I should have read this thread first and headed to island cuisine for my doubles. Also, while annie's had the best tamarind sauce i've ever had (spicy and not too sweet) their peppa left me cold. It was spicy, but didn't have nearly enough of that fruity (not sweet) scotch bonnet kick. in the end, i think i prefer singh's as the best all-around joint. otherwise, i like ram's for roti and jerk and ali's on flatbush for doubles. Fri Aug 01 19:11:36 -0700 2008 3634939 12221 missmasala