Calabash — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

VERY DISAPPOINTED!! I really hate to have to give less than one star. The lady at the counter was very professional and welcoming. We ordered the oxtail and stew chicken. The oxtails were almost overly salty, very dark like black, tough and seemed to be old. They tasted horrible. The stew chicken was bland with old gravy or whatever. We ordered yellow rice with it, our mistake. It had no taste, usually yellow rice has its own little hint of spice. They loaded the plate down with rice and added extra black gravy from the oxtail, another mistake. As I picked through cabbage/veggies trying to find pieces not saturated with the salty dark overwhelming gravy I had a a spoon full of veggie they were cooked and tasted ok. I just believed this place wouldn't disappoint but it was a true let down. I said maybe this was just a bad day or maybe because we came in early, and maybe give them a second chance, but to waste money on food like that is crazy. If I could I would give them the entire meal and...

I was visiting Tampa and decided to stop by—and let me tell you, I did the happy dance! I ordered the oxtails with peas and rice, and it came with steamed veggies (cabbage and carrots) and sweet plantains. Every single bite was bursting with flavor. The oxtails were tender and seasoned to perfection, the rice had the perfect texture, and they did not skimp on the gravy! The entire plate felt like a warm hug from the islands.

When I first walked in, I didn’t expect it to be such a small spot, but it smelled like an island home and truly did not disappoint.

The only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the person at the counter wasn’t very service-oriented—no “hello” or “how can I help you,” and I’m big on friendly service. But honestly, with food that good, they could say nothing and I’d still come back. Total cost about $19

I’ll definitely be returning next time...

I got the vegan plate. It was a huge amount of food, enough to feed me for 2 days, so definitely a great value.

I have two comments:

I personally do not care to have my plantain mixed in with my food, I like it to be separate so that I can see it and eat it when I want a break from the spiciness. I use it as a palate cleanser and was disappointed to find it mixed in.

Secondly I found the rice and peas to be a bit dry and I prefer to have a little bit more peas in my rice.

The flavors of the food were wonderful, the jerk sauce is very tasty, the kitchen was clean and the stuff very accommodating and kind. Definitely worth...