Cheap Eat$
Brenda
Tavakoli
With spring upon us, your thoughts might turn to love, as the cliché goes. If you're like me, you could find yourself searching for cooling tropical treats to provide a getaway from the work/school grind.
Look no further than Reggae Cafe for your respite from all things mundane. This glimpse of Jamaica costs significantly less than a plane ticket to the tropics.
Though Reggae Cafe calls a busy Westheimer strip-center home, the outside heat and hustle seem to melt away as you glide into this smartly decorated, air-conditioned hut. Paintings of Bob Marley, celebrity-autographed glossies and pattern-topped tables allow this cafe to radiate a cozy, yet breezy aura.
In the evening hours, spare but cheerful light glows soothingly. At any time of day, reggae tunes burble and bounce energetically in the background, infusing the family-run cafe with a mellow, celebratory climate.
The atmosphere and cuisine play off each other to create a knockout dining experience. But take a mellow attitude when you visit; the service, while cordial, slinks along at a snail-like pace.
An affordable meal can be had here for around six bucks (not counting tip and drinks). One can accomplish this in a couple of ways: by ordering a less-expensive entree or by creating your own custom meal, choosing from the myriad of side dishes and appetizers.
The jerk chicken, a Caribbean classic combining spicy and sweet flavors, will cost you a whopping $9.50. Diners can circumvent this wallet-draining price tag by ordering the $5.95 Caribbean chicken salad. An entire jerk chicken breast is mixed with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and pineapples. The only thing this perfect salad lacks is fresh onion slivers to further set off its flavors and textures.
Side dishes abound, from the smartly seasoned vegetables ($3.50) to the fragrant rice ($1.00 per cup or $2.00 per bowl). Don't pass up either. The rice rivets with a heavenly, almost perfumed scent. Its mellow sweetness compliments the other menu items commendably without overpowering their worthwhile flavors.
The stir-fried cabbage, carrots, onions and bell peppers star in an entree of their own, the $6.50 stir-fried vegetable plate. A cup of rice and a side salad accompany all entrees.
While you're waiting for the entrees to arrive, sample Bammie, a lightly fried rice-flour concoction with a crunchy exterior and chewy middle.
Dip the $2.50 Bammie into the fish soup (only sold on Saturdays). At $1.95, the soup possesses a rich beige broth with plenty of fish and potato chunks. One caveat: The thick, gumbo-like soup would taste much better in the winter months, when it can stick to your ribs without weighing you down.
Other dishes that might catch your fancy without clearing your wallet are the chicken roti ($5.50) and the goat roti ($5.95). Some entrees, like the shrimp curry or browned stewfish, will cost you more. Brown bag it for a couple of days to save money and then sneak back over to Reggae Cafe for a splurge.
Finish off your meal with the Sorrel. $3 might seem a steep price to pay for a 14-ounce punch concoction, but it is worth every penny. Sorrel, a flower that only blossoms once a year, provides this drink with a smart kick.
Don't try to slurp this one down quickly. Sorrel's sour-sweet spiciness hits the back of the throat with delayed but forceful impact. Savor it: It just might soothe a sore throat. Guzzle it and you might cough enough to create a sore throat.
Keep those Cheap Eat$ suggestions and comments rolling into my email at btavakol@bayou.uh.edu.
Reggae Cafe
6100 Westheimer
(713) 977-3963