This love letter was light on letters, heavy on love (and flavor).
From Los Angeles to the Caribbean, chef Rashida Holmes pays homage to her Afro-Caribbean roots with this Bajan and Trinidadian family-run spot. I was immediately greeted with a mural of exactly who they are and what they stand for: joy, flavor, love, heritage, innovation, and community. No restaurant has to share their values, but Bridgetown Roti’s effort to share theirs set me up with the comforting energy I needed for the feast I was about to enjoy.
I first stumbled upon Bridgetown Roti back in September 2022, when the concept was just a pop-up achieving their dreams and accomplishing even more. Appearing as a local celebrity chef at the USC Annenberg 50th Anniversary evening celebration, Rashida served up small plates of green curry head-on shrimp & cucumber chutney roti chips, curried yam and mango mini patties, and pineapple upside-down cake.
Perhaps I ate this plate a little too long ago to have a solid review of it, but I will say this much – after eating Rashida’s food that day, I have been a loyal fan, previously mapping out a multiple bus route to their former residence in the shared space, Crafted Kitchen, and staying posted for updates on the brick-and-mortar Rashida dreamed of opening.
And this dream took official flight on July 20th, 2024! Big day for Bridgetown Roti fans. So on my first brick-and-mortar visit just a week ago, I felt honored to be the first customer of the day! Truthfully, I do love me some takeout, but I figured it was worthwhile to stay in the environment I had waited so long to enjoy her food in. Lined with vibrant decorative Bahama shutters and a massive patty warmer, Bridgetown Roti convinces you to stay without even asking. After all, the establishment is set up as a counter-serve, so its purpose is more of a good time rather than a long time. But once the beautifully arranged tray of food arrived, I sat peacefully in my decision to stay.
I was devastated to find out that their doubles, which are staples of Trinidadian cuisine, were only served on Sundays and Mondays, but like any place I dearly love – one item missed just means one more reason to return. At a place with enough options to make my indecision sound off, no doubles, no problem.
The handmade roti is flaky, with an unmistakable fat-laden composition to it. I was trying to figure out if it was vegetable shortening, oil, ghee, or butter, but this Eater video with Rashida cooking up this exact dish shows her use of butter. Scraping softened butter with her fingers and rubbing it across the top of the roti, Rashida demonstrates food is a labor of love. While other parts of the roti-making process require scales to produce exact measurements – like when Rashida measures out exactly 120 grams of dough – the amount of butter to add is something she just feels out with her own ten fingers. A thin wrap would not be able to withstand the saucy goat, cooked two ways, but a thick wrap would dominate the dish in which multiple elements should share the spotlight. Rashida, the master of roti, finds the perfect balance. And after hours of sitting in my fridge, the leftover half of this wrap was still perfectly intact – minimal roti was soaked in the juices, and it did not disintegrate like other wraps that fail the test of time.
The tender red pepper goat, seasoned with Rashida’s curry blend that she purposefully proportioned, was accented by the aforementioned peanut sauce. My immediate reaction was a desire for a stronger peanut taste (I love peanuts), but I remembered there were more guests at this party to make room for.
Rashida also explains in the video that the fried potato is an ode to the potatoes in traditional curries. I loved this twist (and crisp), but found myself wishing that this curry-inspired potato remembered its roots a bit more. In potato curries, the potatoes are like sponges, soaking in every dimension of the broth and infused with spice in most bites. I would want this potato to be smothered with one more gesture of love. But if my only critique of this wrap was a slightly under seasoned potato, then we might as well be splitting hairs.
This roti was decadent, but the ample portion of slaw stuffed inside this juicy wrap was like the sun peeking out of an already delicious rainbow; the roti is a beautiful sight (and eat) itself, but with a necessary brightness we all cherish.
Since I was already committed to a roti with pulled meat, I was initially leaning towards the green curry shrimp patty in hopes of diversifying my protein for this meal. As much as I wish I could say all my choices were original opinions, I fell victim to the crowd’s opinions – the ones found on no other than TikTok – and the people said I could not miss the oxtail patty.
And the people were very correct. The oxtail patty was delightful, and out of all the dishes, the Indian impact in Caribbean cuisine was highlighted most in this one. It was reminiscent of the mutton curries I had previously eaten at Indian restaurants, but enveloped in a turmeric-tinted crumbly pastry. When the British moved enslaved Africans over to America following the abolishment of slavery in Caribbean British colonies, the British exploited and brought hundreds of thousands of Indians to nations, like Barbados and Trinidad, in the 1800s to be indentured laborers. In the words of Rashida, “They brought their breads, they brought their curries, they brought everything there, and kind of created this new cuisine with the local tropical fruit and everything that was already there.” Oxtail is a staple ingredient in Caribbean cuisine, and this patty is an emblem of this culture blend.
Some might be craving a spicy dish – I like heat, but I can only tolerate it in small amounts. But you can certainly find it in their optional sauces, or maybe as a surprise in some dishes. Where else is the heat, you might ask? Well, that would be the dark horse. Pair my favorite fruit with my favorite vegetable, and there you have it: the curried yam and mango with coconut patty. The mango plays second fiddle to the yam, but the sweetness it adds is the kind you can only get from a mango at its prime. The heat level of this patty will not send you into a frenzy, but it may give you a kick if you don’t expect it.
Another unexpected revelation from this meal? How unique a dish of fried plantains could taste. I am a simple girl – I see plantains on the menu, I order the plantains. Yet these plantains are bursting with flavors throughout. While plantains have a natural sweetness to them, the addition of tamarind penetrates with both a sticky sweetness and sharp acidity that keeps this dish firmly on the savory side. Paired with curry powder…give this dish Plantains of the Year, stat.
I ordered the pigeon peas, because of their popularity in Caribbean cuisine, but the biggest surprise of this dish was how it flipped okra on its head for me. Okra is one of the more divisive vegetables out there – people say you either love it or hate it – yet I have always been the in-between. I have been impartial to either side, but never paid much attention to it. But here, I adored the addition of fried, thin slices of okra, because the method of preparation reduced the sliminess that makes people hate it. It was as good as a tasty fried potato – the kind that only requires a perfect pinch of salt to make it shine. My only note would be to add more grated tomato – this dish needed that natural brightness, and because of the acidity present in tomatoes, grating it let that acid come through quite nicely.
Somehow I felt so invested in this restaurant’s success, even though I knew it would likely be just fine. Rashida is a highly acclaimed chef, recognized by the James Beard Foundation and widely respected by publications – both food-specific and general ones – across the nation. But Bridgetown Roti stands out, because it is not every day I see a Caribbean restaurant and chef get their flowers in an industry that tends to prioritize fine dining curated by chefs who master French techniques. Many Americans take advantage of the Caribbean’s proximity for their yearly holiday, yet less remember Caribbean nations are home to rich, storied histories beyond their pristine beaches. Folks go to these beautiful oases and enjoy hospitality as a getaway from the hardships of their lives, but the same folks must remember there are real humans behind each of their vacation experiences – communities who carry legacies of happiness, community, and resilience.
So what can we do to support and appreciate the greater Caribbean diaspora? We can start by learning the history of the West Indies / Caribbean – its history as nations colonized by the British is directly linked with America’s past. We can amplify Caribbean-owned businesses, like Bridgetown Roti, particularly in spaces where their accomplishments are not usually celebrated.
If you remember back to Bridgetown Roti’s values, joy stood at number one. Joy is an act of resilience, and the one value that ignites the other five listed. At Bridgetown Roti, joy is an ingredient you can experience with all five senses: the sound of laughter amongst the tight-knit crew, the smell of curried aromas, the taste of spiced goat stewed for hours on end, the feel of a hand-buttered roti, and the sight of diners who traveled from all over to enjoy a bite of Rashida’s recipes.
This was the loveliest letter to enjoy, Rashida. Thank you, and I hope my letter to you shows how special you are to this one college student. From Carissa to Bridgetown Roti, much love!
See you soon,
Carissa 😊