Island Taste Caribbean Grill — Restaurant in San Jose

I ordered the chicken dinner (or Sunday Dinner) at the Island Taste Caribbean Grill. The meal consisted of chicken, a lot of rice, cucumber salad, and plantains. But the food was all scrunched together tightly packed into a plastic container and I did not care for that in the least. I prefer to have the food items served separately.

The chicken was very dry, that is, overcooked, so that was not enjoyable. I asked for all dark meat but was served white and dark meat, which was a big mistake because I do not enjoy white meat. So those ere two major problems.

The meal was served in a plastic container with plastic utensils, and non-recyclable cups for water. I urge the owner to change that. Plastic is polluting our environment. Re-usable dishes and utensils are better for Mother Nature.

The owner said he had no experience cooking or running a restaurant and that gave me pause. Still, it is a new small business that might deserve local support if they stop serving over-cooked chicken.

Parking can be a pain. I had to park a block away and pay the meter. Not available today, but other days there are 4 free places in front of the restaurant.

The owner is a nice guy. I wish him good luck and hope he takes my...

No waiter. Seat yourself. You can ask for a menu from the cashier or order using their website. We tried: Island tacos (oxtail), 1804 (Tasso/Fried Goat), Bang Bang (Griot/Fried Pork), What a Gwaan (Brown Stew Chicken), St. Ann (Jerk Pork), Mac & Cheese, and Jamaican Patties (Beef, Curry Chicken, and Veggie).

Everything was delicious.

My favorite was the oxtail taco followed by the tender fried pork. My friend's favorite was the fried goat. I appreciated that the dishes were not overly peppered because I have a food intolerance to capsicum. The spiciest dish we ordered was the St. Ann (Jerk Pork), which I would describe as mild. Everything else was flavorful without pepper heat (less than mild). There were two hot sauces available as well as little cups of toppings which were likely where the spice was at. If you're looking for very hot, you might want to place your order with the cashier to indicate that. The Jamaican patties are like a very delicious Jamaican empanada. They are similar in size to a large empanada.

Even though I ordered pickup using their website, they kindly brought food to our table. Estimated wait time for order to be ready was...

Food=VIBE Atmosphere=VIBE Music=VIBE

Good vibes all around....

Let me start by saying there is no picture of my curry goat because it is already in my stomach! With that being said, I found my new spot for authentic Caribbean food here in California. Growing up in New York I've eaten West Indian food my whole life and I can tell when it is the real deal. This spot also carries some Haitian delicacies as well which is very rare...two words BLACK RICE...yes lawd.

The curry goat is phenomenal. That needed a sentence all in itself. I rarely order curry goat at restaurants because I'm always afraid that it is going to be tough but this goat definitely fell off the bone. The peas and rice is made with Jasmine rice so it is not as heavy and it holds the flavor really well. The cabbage was cooked perfectly and the portion was huge so I was able to eat out of it three times! The quality of the food and the value of the portion hit the spot.

I've been telling everybody about this place because spreading love is the Brooklyn way! Stop in this spot and try a few different things so that you can see for yourself. See you there and make sure you leave some curry goat...