Monday, December 28, 2015

Doing Dishes: The Caribbean Series - Dutch Pot

Dutch Pot appeared on the scene in recent years,  describing themselves as Jamaican and setting up shop near the corner of Madison and Lark in a small storefront. There are a dozen or so chairs, so eating in the restaurant is an option, and takeout is also common here.  They offer online ordering from the website, which makes takeout very convenient, and they also offer delivery.



Service is prompt and friendly at the counter. The staff is helpful regarding making selections if you're not familiar with Jamaican dishes. I've been tasting my way across the menu by ordering chicken dishes and patties as well as the oxtail and I've never been disappointed.


Once the staff at the Hot Spot turned me on to red plum Nantucket Nectar I've been drinking it with my Caribbean food, but there's a nice variety of juices and other soft drinks on offer at Dutch Pot.



The storefront windows offer a view onto Madison Ave.



The mac and cheese here is not made with sauce, but melted cheese and herbs, which makes it dense and full of flavor. The oxtail falls off the bone, as it should, and has the deep brown gravy that calls my name.  It has an intense beef flavor with thyme in evidence and the mellow sweetness of carrot and onion. The spiciness is a very mild background flavor.  I'm only guessing that other veggies may be involved, but the slow cooking process blends everything into the divine intense stew and makes individual flavors hard to identify. With rice and peas as the perfect food for soaking up the gravy, you can most often find me in that pensive mood that truly comforting food brings to the forefront while I relish the sheer homely goodness. Their sweet plantains are also a typical side dish and I prefer them over the mac and cheese. 

The Dutch Pot jerk chicken is lively, tender and moist, also perfectly accompanied with peas and rice. The stewed chicken is full flavored and simmered until completely tender. A fellow customer was emphatically singing the praises of the curry goat, so it's on my list of dishes I must try. 

I am a sucker for the patties for the same reason I love the oxtail.  It's just some of the most straight up meat and onions wrapped in pastry savory flavor. If you like spicy patties they're always an option too.

So LorreBob sez: check them out, mon!

2 comments:

Julie said...

Love Dutch Pot, they are my go to take-out!! That mac n cheese is amazing, so is the jerk chicken.

LorreS said...

Such nice people too!

I'm warming up to the Hot Spot also - they're up next in the series.