Caribbean Flavor, brand new in freehold nj

Apparently this place opened up 2 days ago, literally.

The website is not really working well yet but I will try to get here soon. I might give it a week or two so they can iron any kinks out. I’m a big west indie food fan but haven’t tried trini food. I hear it is awesome. @joonjoon @marlboroman

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Went for lunch. First the good news. They have doubles and they are really good. At $2 each I wish I had just eaten three of them for lunch. Not as good is the lukewarm food from their steam table. Their beans and rice really suffered for this. I would like to try some jerk wings one day.

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Thanks for the report seal. I am hoping to get there one of these weekends.

I liked the rice and beans a lot more upon reheating. I’m thinking that most of their food may be better as take out, but definitely eat at least one double there. Make sure you ask for everything on it. Their hot sauce is really good in small doses.

Picked up something for lunch today. $10.50 ($11.20 to be exact after tax) got me this Jerk Chicken with Rice and Bean, Plantains, and curried mango:

I liked it but i am no expert in Caribbean food. For me, any Jerk Chicken with rice can go no wrong. Their hot sauce does pack some heat…

So the place looks to be all take out at the moment. There is a standing table by the window but there are no chair and tables other than the bench on the side for you to wait for the food for take out.

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I had to look up what you’re talking about, I had never had or heard of doubles before! Now my curiosity is piqued. The menu at this place seems pretty legit, I’m excited to try it.

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Heck ya. Doubles and roti, gotta check it out.

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Yum! Thanks for the report. I’m pulling for this place. We need more carribean in the area.

They seem to be popping up everywhere. Another one opened in Wall or something, and also in Long Branch. There’s also another in Freehold right down the street from Caribbean Flavor. Woo!

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Wow where in LB?

Shore Caribbean Restaurant
425 Liberty St, Long Branch, NJ 07740

I won’t link their web site, I’m pretty sure it gave my browser cancer.

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Thanks. Is this norahs son? I think his name is Mark.

Upon further investigation, they have fish on Fridays which is what Norah does too. I’d say there is a good chance this is her son and that guy makes some good food.

No clue if there’s any relation. It seems weird for her son to open up shop a few minutes down the road though…

I have an interesting story about one time I was at Norah’s. While I was eating there with friends, we heard a car crash into a pole just outside. The cops showed up and came inside and Norah goes outside to talk to them. She comes back in and is like “that’s my neighbor… oh boy… is he driving drunk again? He’s gotta stop driving drunk.”

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@ycf04
We were at Caribbean Flavor yesterday too! We went strictly for the doubles which we’ve had in Queens (supposedly the epicenter of Trini food outside of Trinidad).
We thought they were very good though the dough was soggy and I remembered it as having a more fried bread texture. The cucumber relish is my favorite part and I did not think there was enough on the sandwich. Next time I’ll ask for more. I think they may have been hesitant to do it up for an old white lady. @corvette_johnny The website is up now.

@joonjoon
We stopped at the Jamaican place in Wall, JamaGrille, on the way home. We did take out of oxtail, curry goat and a beef patty. Everything was pretty meh.

Islander in AP or Norah’s remain our favorites. Caribbean Flavor could rate up there if they had any kind of seating

Missy

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Thanks for the report. So have you, and anyone else, been eating anything good at Norah’s lately? I blew them off after my last lunch experience. The dishes are like 6 bucks but I’d say a quarter of the size as the old lunch dishes. 10 or 11 bucks used to give me two decent meals. The 6 dollar lunch just didn’t do it so I stopped. I have to try again though.

I feel bad not going, but I got disgruntled after getting huge tins of food that were several pounds a piece to a tiny stryofoam container.

So my friend went today and tried some things. The report was positive!

Not the most glorious pics, but then again, this food isn’t about presentation. Double…

Fried plantains…

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I was there again yesterday also. Went with a charming local couple. We had doubles first, and you were right @MsBean , the extra cucumber relish made them even better. But their process of frying the bread in batches and leaving them on the steam table makes the bread a tad soggy. We luckily got a couple of freshly fried ones. Then we got some jerk wings, and I was surprised to find them to be regular, fried chicken wings then coated with a fairly mild jerk sauce. I was expecting grilled jerk wings like from an old kettle drum on the islands. Tasty though and lots better than the boneless breast version I had last time.

Talked with the owner a little and found out they are in the process of applying for sit down status with Freehold and cannot have any chairs until they get it, so even the few stools they had earlier are gone.

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Good stuff seal. Do they have any interesting hot sauces?

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Just the one, and they do sell it. Go easy when you ask for a taste as it is killer. The tiny bit they put in a double is more than enough.