Best Caribbean in Toronto?
I love Caribbean food. Sorry, let me qualify that:: I love GOOD Caribbean food. Since I have been in TO I have had a lot of BAD Caribbean food. I have had a couple of very good meals, but most have been meh.
What is your favourite Carib joint? It can be Jamaican, Guyanese, Trinidadian...you name it, but it must be great.
I don't mean fancy, which runs completely counter to the cuisine and the culture. I mean good, spicy, stick to your ribs soul food. Served in a friendly, laid back place is a bonus.
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Roti - I was recently informed of a place in Scarborough that has very good Roti. I tried it out, and it was very good, though, they did mess up my order. LOL!
The place is called Roti Hut, and they're at 351 Pitfield. Which is basically Pitfield & McCowan. (major intersection is Sheppard & McCowan)
I would rank this place #2 for roti out of all the places I have tried. #1 would still be Roti n Ting in Pickering. If you haven't tried Roti n Ting, I would highly recommend it. It is absolutely delicious!
Roti n Ting is located at 1298 Kingston Rd., which is the northeast corner of Kingston Rd. & Liverpool. It's a small place, with just one, or maybe two tables. It has been years since I have been there last, but the Trinidadian women running the place there know their roti, and are tops on my list.
Jerk Pork - Best jerk pork I've ever had is still the one that no longer exists. Charles's Mr. Jerk franchise that was located at Yonge & Dundas was the best for me! Sadly it is gone, and as one of the posters here (YummyYummy) determined, he is gone too, having moved to the US. :( There is hope still though, as that same poster discovered a relative of his (nephew in law, I believe) is running the Mr. Jerk store at Lawrence & Keele. I went there a few weeks ago, but, as luck would have it, my visit coincided with their relocation (apparently, they're moving just a few doors down from where they once were) so, I didn't get to try this location's jerk pork yet. :(
I did try the jerk pork at this Peanut Plaza mall, and it was okay. Nothing I would highly recommend to anyone here. The server was very friendly, but the jerk was average.
As I've mentioned in an earlier post, the best jerk I've had, post "Mr. Jerk at Dundas & Yonge days" would be the jerk at Beryl's Pepperpot in Ajax. In my opinion, it rivals Charles's jerk pork. The place is located on Westney Road south of Bayly in a somewhat deserted strip mall. The exact address is 467 Westney Street South, and it's in the same mall as Silver Carpet & Rugs. The beef & pumpkin soup is also excellent here, and they also have food in the form of boiled yam, dumpling & banana. I believe Beryl has also opened a location in Oshawa.
I tried the Jerk Joint just last week, which is located at 238 Queen Street West, and it was good. The female employee seemed somewhat disorganized but was quite friendly. It was a bit of a wait to get my food, as they don't really have the food sitting in a heated case or anything, but, with so few good jerk places around, I don't mind waiting for something that's even average to good, like this place was. I'll want to try it again soon just to make sure my experience wasn't a one-off, as someone else here posted quite a rave review of this place.
Jerk Chicken - This is not something I prefer to order very often, but, when jerk pork is not available, I usually defer to this. Two places that I have had jerk chicken from are the two locations of Ritz on Yonge St. One is at Yonge & Shuter (211 Yonge St.) and the other is at Yonge & College (450 Yonge St.). I find both to be equally good, though, I think I prefer the one at Yonge & College.
A new place I tried out when I was testing the roti at Roti Hut over at 351 Pitfield, is a place called Island Spice. It's literally 5 stores over from Roti Hut. I went there for jerk pork, as I was told they had jerk pork there, but, sadly, they did not. So, I settled for the jerk chicken, and it was delicious! So, if you're looking for a place to try jerk chicken, and you haven't tried Island Spice yet, I'd recommend it. It was my first time there, and I felt it was very good.
@YummyYummy - Thanks for finding out that information on Charles and his Mr. Jerk franchise.
If you're looking for great fish n chips, I would recommend the following places:
Olde Yorke fish n chips at 96 Laird (Laird S of Eglinton)
Kingsway fish n chips at 3060 Bloor St. W (Bloor W of Royal York)
Off the Hook fish n chips at 749 Broadview Ave. (Broadview S of Danforth on the east side)
Sun Crisp fish n chips at 2047 Weston Rd. (Weston Rd. N of Lawrence).
AC
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The best jerk I've had was from Mr. Jerk at Yonge & Dundas. That place has been long gone now, and nothing that I've tried in Toronto comes anywhere close to that. I've been settling for the jerk pork at the Mr. Jerk on Wellesley in Jamestown, but, sadly, it's quite a few notches below what the Yonge/Dundas location was serving.
Right now, the best jerk pork, in my opinion, can be had at Beryl's Pepperpot - 467 Westney Rd. S. in Ajax. (south of Bayly).
The best roti I've ever had is from Roti n Ting at Kingston Rd. & Liverpool. I no longer live in Durham, but, those two places were my fave places to get Roti & Jerk pork.
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re: fickle
Thanks for the tip fickle! Wow! Has it really been 20 years already? Sheesh!
I'm scratching my head trying to remember the employees there. I think there were two Chinese Jamaicans that worked there. The main guy, a lot of the customers would refer to as Mr. Chin. Not sure if that was his real surname, or just a racial slur on the customers' part, but either way, he didn't seem to take offense to it. There was a black lady and a younger black man there too - I always got a chuckle out of his way of dealing with barking demands from the over-zealous West Indian patrons. They'd be saying: "Put in more meat!" or "Give me more gravy!", and he'd fill the gravy spoon with gravy, bring it close to the styrofoam container (that was already overflowing with rice & peas, jerk pork/chicken, oxtail or stew beef), and pretend to pour it into the container, but it actually went back into the warmer. LOL!
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re: AConACon
I've posted in this very thread before and also stated that Mr.Jerk at the Yonge/Dundas location was hands down the best Caribbean food on this planet. No other Mr.Jerk franchise location even came close to matching the Chinese Jamaican owner's taste and quality in food.
I am so curious if this owner did relocate to the Lawrence and Keele location??? I've been in search of this man for years. When I investigate and if indeed it is the same man, I will report back ASAP. From my memory, I believe his name was "Roland" and he wore thick glasses and had a mustache. This Chinese man had the best authentic Jamaican accent ever. I just loved hearing him speak Patois to the black Jamaican customers during lunch hours. LOL
It hasn't been quite 20 years since it disappeared, however it has been many years. The restaurant still existed back in 1998 before the Adidas store and movie theatre in that corner were ever built. God, I miss this place! :(
Mr Jerk
8 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 2G9
Phone: 416.596.7782-
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re: Matt H
First of all nobody said his accent was different from other Jamaicans. I just found it very cool to hear a Chinese man with a thick Caribbean accent, you don't see it that often in Toronto. LOL
Here's my quick report after visiting this afternoon. Of course, I went there to eat and sample the food. The curry chicken was very good and did not disappoint. I did not try the jerk chicken today because I ate some yesterday at Tropical Joe's. Plus, I was really in the mood of curry chicken so that's what I had for lunch. However, I mostly went to follow the above lead from "fickle" hoping the Chinese Jamaican owner was the same guy. Drum roll...
It was a very busy Saturday afternoon for this hole in the wall restaurant, so the guy running the restaurant only had a quick minute to chat with me as it was busy. Here's the scoop, he is actually the nephew-in-law of this infamous Chinese Jamaican man that I was seeking. His aunt is married to the "Mr.Chin" I was looking for and his first name was Charles not "Roland". My mistake as it has been roughly 15 years since I last saw the man. Now Charles brother also had a Mr.Jerk franchise once at 1552 Eglinton Avenue West. Both brothers are currently no longer associated with any of the 6 Mr.Jerk franchises that exist in the GTA now. Both restaurants that the brothers owned have been closed for a long time.
Here's the bottom line "Mr.Chin" or "Mr.Jerk" or simply Charles moved to the U.S.A. some time ago. He doesn't even live in Toronto anymore according to his nephew-in-law. Well, this is everything I learned in my short conversation with the proprietor of this Mr.Jerk located at Walmart Plaza near Keele and Lawrence.
http://www.mrjerk.com/index.php/locat...
Now there you have it...A bit of a semi-wild goose chase for my nostalgic and illustrious Mr. Jerk hoping it was the same guy from the Yonge and Dundas location from the 90's, but it was not. :(
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Jerk King is the best and I have been to a lot of these restauraunts. The Jerk pork and chicken is dynamite. The fish tea is also stellar!!! I actually like the small shop beside Nicey's Market in North Toronto. The soup at this place is great as well. Have also had excellent ackee and saltfish (although I like my home version better;) I think it is Finch and Vic. Park area. Lastly, I did really enjoy sitting at The Real Jerk all of these years. Food is usually good but it is all about the Red Stripe, the reggae and the irie vibe...I hope the new location has the same feeling.
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re: Matt H
I really like Peppers West Indian Restaurant at 3125 Dufferin Street. It is a couple of block north of Lawrence. It is an order at the cash sit at a window counter kind of place. I find the jerk chicken to be great. For $7, the chicken is a leg and thigh cut up with rice and peas and coleslaw. The heat level is just right. It is run by a nice couple and seems to do quite well.
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re: Matt H
I've only had the jerk chicken and absolutely loved it. Only problem is I live in Vaughan now so I never have it anymore. I used work a guy who live near Gerrard Square so he would pick it up for us once in while. I would actually even agure it's the best jerk chicken I've tried in toronto made by a restaurant. (as in not by a friend) If they had one even close to Vaughan I'd be hitting it up all the time.
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re: Davwud
Googs
Jul 23, 2012 08:19 AM
You know I like you, Davwud, but I have to take exception to that. The best Caribbean food is made by people who have had generations of practice. It can't be well made by a novice kid with a cookbook. Never tell your mother you said that homestyle can be faked.
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Dr. John
Jan 24, 2012 04:02 PM
Bacchus has been a favourite for me for nearly two decades.
I used to eat at Coconut Grove and liked it, but haven't been in several years.
Mr. Jerk was great when I used to live near it, but also haven't been back in years.
Sounds like I should check out Tropical Joe's since I live near Gerrard Square.
-John
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I enjoy the meals I get from Michael's in South Etobicoke, on Lakeshore Blvd near 13th Street. I always get stew chicken, rice and peas and the chicken is very moist and flavourful. The rice is also really tasty. The don't need to add gravy tasty........lol. They also have jerk chicken, goat and I think ox tail. They also have fish.....forget the kind. Yummy food.
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The best Caribbean food I've had in Toronto is a place whose name I'm unsure of, but it is on the east side of Yonge St, just north of College. For lunch, they also have a $3.99 jerk chicken special, and the line-ups are really long here in the summer so get there for 11:45, because if you get there at 12:15; you'll be waiting outside.
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I have been lurking on this site for a while and I wanted to mention a small take out place that IMO has the best jerk chicken in the city, it's called Sansimian at Victoria Park and Sunrise Ave, it's one block south of Victoria Park and Eglinton in a small strip plaza.
It's owned by an older Jamaican lady, the chicken is flavourful and moist and the rice and peas with oxtail gravy on it, is pretty tasty. It's not well known because of the area and the people that frequent it from the closeby government housing, never post online reviews. Also, the owner doesn't seem too friendly unless she knows you but the food is excellent nonetheless.
I tried numerous different jerk chickens all around Toronto and they definitely are one of the best, one place commonly mentioned is the Mr.Jerk at Peanut Plaza which is a favourite of a few posters on this site, it's not even close in comparison.
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Brendan Roti Corner @ 345 Bloor St E. has never let me down.
Teekam's Taste @ 1160 Bloor Street West is new and tasty. I grabbed a small veg plate for about $4, tasty okra and squash!
Also, Coconut Grove is decent and cheap near the finance district @ 183 Dundas West.
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Coconut Grove
183 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5G1C7, CABrendan Roti Corner
345 Bloor St E, Toronto, ON M4W3J6, CA›8 Replies-
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re: YummyYummy
Wow, Brendan's is closed? :( Coconut Grove isn't the best, but it's cheap -- and central.
Went to Teekam's Taste again on Friday - they're becoming my favourite in Toronto. $4 and I had an entire plate of great food! Ask for the homemade hot sauce.
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Coconut Grove
183 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5G1C7, CA-
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re: garfield
foodyDudey
May 31, 2010 09:43 AM
Yikes, thanks for telling us. That is just unacceptable. I guess the secret herbs can make you do things like that. :-o
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My favorites are
Randy's at Eglinton & Oakwood - best patties I've ever had
Spence's Bakery - Just a bit east of Randy's. I like their Oil Drum Chicken w poundbread cooked outside on the sidewalk during the summer. I've had Rap's as well but it was so long ago I can't remember what it was like.
Pat's Homestyle - Queen & Bathhurst - some may disagree, but I still love the jerk chicken with oxtail gravy, and that tasty sweet slaw. Hasn't failed me yet
Someone mentioned upthread the Mr. Jerk that used to be on Yonge street, and I have to second that. It was inconsistent, but when it was good it was hands down the best.
I'm still looking for a really good place for curry chicken. Any suggestions?
If you are really into good carribean, and don't mind crowds and LOUD noise: Caribana parade. The best stands are on the south side of the route, west of medieval times.
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Another old school favorite of mine from when I lived in the area was RAP's on Eglinton Avenue West just west of Marlee Avenue and east of Oakwood. It was my favorite late night after clubbing take-out place for great Jamaican food.
Do a search on this site if you want to find more info about RAP's here. I know it has been mentioned before.
Never mentioned Albert's because I've only had negative things to say about them. Starting with their overpriced and terrible food. Now Randy's I'd better revisit again because I forgot how great their Jamaican beef patties were.
Now I'm getting nostalgic and really miss being young and living in the "Little Jamaica" area in my early twenties and sticking out like a sore thumb. That was a different lifetime ago! LOL
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No one has mentioned Albert's at St. Clair and Bathurst - is it safe to say that the places mentioned here are as good or better? I haven't tried any of them here, but do like Albert's. Always happy to taste something even better, though, and Albert's is a trek for me.
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re: SNACKeR
Don't hurry to Albert's
For 20 years I got my monthly Roti fix at Albert's but in the past few years they have been disappointing as well as expensive.
5-6 weeks ago I went back for old times sake for a take home Roti. It was terrible. About 4 ounces of chicken curry (mostly chickpea and potato) wrapped in a pound of roti skin for about $9!!!
I had been speaking to Albert while one of his people made my Roti and so I phoned back 20 minutes later to register my displeasure, but he had left.
I am aware that Miller's Mess has really screwed up St Clair West and at some stage I will go back to speak to Albert but I will not be buying his rotis until he has made good on the last one.-----
St Clair Restaurant
69 St Clair St, Chatham, ON N7L3H8, CA-
re: sumdumgoy
Matt H
Apr 27, 2010 08:36 AM
I have also always found Alberts to be a perfect example of what is wrong with the Jamaican food scene in Toronto. Very mediocre, under spiced, inconsistent and no real burst of flavor that those of us who grew up eating Jamaican food have come to expect. I have never been to a JA Restaurant in TO that has blown me away.
I have alot of family in the Supply side of the West Indian food business in Toronto, and they say the main reason why the food is so mediocre is that Toronto does not have the consistent ingredient trade that cities like NYC and Miami do (For example you can get Pimento Wood Chips in Minnesota of all places, but not in Toronto) so the Chef's and restaurateurs are working at an immediate disadvantage.
The Bakeries on the other hand are great, one of the best cities outside Jamaica for pastries like Patty's, Gizzada and Plantain Tarts, but the cooked food just always falls short.
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Herb
Apr 26, 2010 09:27 AM
One Love, Bathurst north of Bloor across from the subway/streetcar loop,
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re: Herb
my fave is Shandra's in Mississauga on Eglinton just west of Dixie.
The Goat and OxTail dinner is f'ing Ah-MAZING!!! it's a hole in the wall type place, but the food is tasty as hell. This dinner is about $13.xx and when you're paying this much for food without atmosphere, you know the food is epic!
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Davwud
Apr 26, 2010 07:47 AM
Absolutely the best I've had is A Taste of the Islands in Newmarket. A small simple place in a strip mall. We've had just about everything on the menu and it's all good. They alternate Saturday's between Akee and Saltfish and Liver and Onions.
http://www.atasteoftheislands.ca/HOME...
DT
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I still can't tell you where the best Caribbean joints are exactly, but the Roti Hut on Pitfield Rd. and Mona's Roti on Sheppard east of McCowan are good places in Scarborough. Personally, I can only get to these places when I've convinced a hungry friend of mine to drive to these places since I don't drive and live downtown.
Here's a little secret I wanted to keep to myself, but I'll let it slip out. I'll never say this place is the "best", but I keep returning again and again because it is not too far from where I live. I go to TROPICAL JOE'S a Caribbean fast food take-out and eat-in place at Gerrard Square's food court. Over the years, I've tried probably 50 Caribbean food places locally and abroad, no joke and no other place gives you BIGGER PORTIONS than this place, at affordable prices.
I return again and again for this very reason...TROPICAL JOE's is very generous with their portions and the opposite of the cheapest and most stingy place ISLAND FOODS.
BTW, one of the employees mentioned to me they have another place in Scarborough under a different name just in case there are some Chowhounders interested in trying the taste of TROPICAL JOE's, but don't live near Gerrard Square. If I remember, I'll try to get the name and address of the Scarborough location next time.
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Roti Hut
351 Pitfield Rd, Toronto, ON M1S3E5, CA›6 Replies-
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re: Gary
grandgourmand
Apr 26, 2010 05:53 AM
I enjoy their rotis as well. Love the tangy heat of their hot sauce.
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re: Gary
Just came back from Gerrard Square and I probably jinxed it by talking about Tropical Joe's here. Their prices have gone up more or less by $1.00. Used to pay $6.25 for my large goat roti or dinner with rice and peas and now it is $7.25 plus taxes coming to $8.19. :( Anyway, at least the huge portions are still happening. Now I'd better shut up or something may change about that. Hope not! LOL
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Roti Palace at Bathurst/Bloor is pretty good, one of the better roti places in Toronto.
Bhara Hut is Mississauga is good but be prepared to wait a long time.
Island Foods has to be the worst Caribbean food out there. There curries are watery and their service is very lacking. It is no wonder they shut down the one in The Grange, you had to wait almost half an hour for those slow pokes.
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Roti Palace
1845 Finch Ave W, Toronto, ON M3N2V2, CA›1 Reply-
re: lululemon
There's only one thing I don't like about the Caribbean Roti Palace and it is the reason I haven't returned in about six months. Sadly, it is this one lady I keep getting who takes my order. Not very friendly and no customer service or people skills whatsoever. Definitely know I'm not the only person who feels this way about her. Pretty sure somebody else mentioned her unfriendly nature in another thread here or was it BLOGTO. LOL
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Caribbean Roti Palace
744 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5S2R6, CA
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smudgebee
Apr 23, 2010 02:07 PM
I really like the Caribbean Bistro, north of Eglinton on Yonge Street.
The lady who runs it makes her own amazing hot sauce and the doubles and roti are damn good!
What I like about the place is, that if something is not her best that day, she will tell you and guide you on what to order!
Did I mention the hot sauce?
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Matt H
Apr 23, 2010 11:18 AM
Bacchus (Queen & Dufferin), Drupati's (Albion & Islington) and Blue Water (VP & Lawrence) are my favorites for Roti (My wife who is from Trinidad agrees as well)
For Doubles ACR (Lawrence and Midland) is the best you will find IMO
For the best Patty I have tasted outside of Jamaica Randy's at Eglinton and Oakwood is a cant miss. Allans in Peanut Plaza is the runner up.
As far as Jamaican cooked food is concerned, honesty don't bother. No one knows how to do it right in TO. Give the options above a try and see how you like them.
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I really cannot quantify what "best" is exactly and can only make recommendations for what I like. However, for years I'm still searching for the "perfect" roti and great Caribbean food in the GTA myself.
Just a few hours ago, I had a goat roti at Island Foods at the King/Dufferin area. It cost $6.25 plus taxes coming to a total of $7.06. Anyway, the establishment is "safe" in my opinion of good Caribbean food. They are Trinidadian and I definitely feel they are better than Ali's another Trinidadian fast food place in the Parkdale area on Queen West and Lansdowne area. Island Foods is better than Ali's, The Roti Lady (Indo-Guyanese) and Bacchus (Afro-Guyanese) all in the Parkdale area.
My all-time fav Caribbean joint used to be the Mr.Jerk right at the heart of downtown located at Yonge/Dundas owned by a Chinese man from Jamaica with the accent too. LOL That store has been closed for years, but the other franchises such as the stores at Wellesley near Sherbourne and the other shop up north at the Peanut Gallery along Don Mills Rd. just aren't as good as my favorite Irie hole-in-the-wall.
I've also tried Caribbean Palms and think they are okay as well. In all honesty, I've tried lots and lots of different places in search of the best Caribbean food in the city.
My quest continues for both the best Caribbean food and fish & chips in the city. Two very different cuisines, but I have yet to be fully satisfied by either so far. The very reason for this is because Toronto has just too many choices when it comes to variety and personal taste.
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Caribbean Palms
747 Don Mills Rd, Toronto, ON M3C1T2, CA -
Jerk King at Morningside and Kingston, in the No Frills plaza. Their jerk pork would make me push your mama down a flight of stairs! They have decent stew beef and their jerk chicken is really good too, but the pork is IT. They do really good patties too, homemade.
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Jerk King
2079 Lawrence Ave W, Toronto, ON M9N1H7, CA›1 Reply -
Well...I'm not sure if this would qualify as GREAT...but this to me, is good solid food and very enjoyable. It's Guyanese...love their boneless chicken roti...great spicing.
Caribbean Palms Restaurant
Don Mills Rd. north of Overlea in the Flemingdon Park Plaza.-----
Caribbean Palms
747 Don Mills Rd, Toronto, ON M3C1T2, CA
