Rethinking fast food at Rainbow Caribbean Cuisine

As featured in the August 16, 2012 edition of Dining Out, Waterloo Region Record (photo credit, The Record)

Last week, all eyes were on Jamaica after its Olympic sprinting team capturing four gold, four silver and four bronze medals, smashing world records along the way and declaring Usain Bolt the most decorated sprinter in Olympic history. Like many, I was awestruck watching these races and two things left an impression in my mind: the unconscionable speed of these super-athletes, and the jovial spirit of the yellow-and-green nation, which celebrated its 50th year of independence earlier that week.

As a restaurant reviewer, this digested into one delectable idea: getting me some scrumptious Jamaican food — and fast. But was fast-food, Jamaican-style, even possible in the K-Dubs?

Turns out it wasn’t a mere island fantasy. In fact, Kitchener is turning out some culturally diverse eateries within its urban core, including Rainbow Caribbean Cuisine on King Street East downtown.

Walking into this fast-food cafeteria-style restaurant on a Friday at noon, we were met by a long string of customers lined up to satisfy a hankering for the hot, sweet and spicy flavours that comprise Jamaican cuisine.

We started with a vegetable Jamaican patty ($1.40), which is also available in ground beef or chicken. This savoury turnover, encased in a flakey whole-wheat pastry, popped with peas, onion, garlic and carrot. The combination of cumin, turmeric, cardamom and peppery allspice berry, while sounding complex, seemed to meld together as effortlessly as a Montego Bay breeze. This patty was medal-worthy in my books, especially when dowsed with a few drops of scotch-bonnet pepper sauce.

Unfortunately, the mains dropped in standings. I ordered the jerk chicken lunch special ($10.95), which came with a choice of garden, coleslaw or macaroni salad, with beans and rice, and both fried and boiled plantains. Even when slathered with delicious hot sauce, the chicken still tasted dry to me, although the portions were massive and could satisfy the hungriest of Olympians. I regret not ordering one of the roti dishes — a massive mound of pastry encasing curried goat, chicken or beef — which I realized was a No. 1 hit with patrons after scanning the room.

My husband had the red snapper special ($12). Not for the squeamish, it was presented whole with both head and tail. What he didn’t realize was this dish was already plated in one of the display cases and later reheated. As a result, it also tasted pretty dry (fish jerky?) and there were lots of bones to pick through. It was served with beans and rice, which my adventurous husband drenched with oxtail gravy, and was served alongside fried and boiled plantains and a salad.

For dessert, we shared a plantain and pineapple turnover ($1.25), which tasted like something we’ve sampled on Caribbean vacations. While the dough was quite heavy, the treasures inside were golden.

After returning to our car 40 minutes after parking, full and relatively satisfied, I realized my mission was indeed possible. While I’m not convinced Rainbow Caribbean is medal-worthy, it definitely deserves honourable mention. It made an ordinary day a little more interesting, and I like how the region’s restaurants are rethinking fast food.

1.5 FORKS

Hours
Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Wheelchair Accessibility
Accessible

Cuisine
The title says Caribbean but it’s mostly hearty, homemade Jamaican fare.

Reservations
Not necessary.

Atmosphere
Cafeteria-style tray service. Bright yellow walls, green décor, fast-food bistro tables and chairs. A TV in the back corner blared Olympic events while we were there.

Menu
Lunch and dinner specials include fish, beef, goat, pork, jerk chicken mains with a soup or three salad options, beans and rice and plantains. Roti dishes stuffed with curry seemed popular, as did the oxtails. Fried chicken, Jamaican patties and lots of tropical pastries.

Drinks
Homemade ginger beer, freshly-squeezed carrot juice available when we were there, tropical juices, pops.

Service
Cafeteria-style tray service. Staff members were kind, answered our questions and seemed a bit overrun with a long line of patrons.

The bill
$31.19 for a Jamaican patty, two mains, two bottles of water and one pastry dessert.

In a nutshell
For fast food, skip the golden arches. Go green-and-gold instead.