By Jay Whipple
Trend Magazine Online™
Authentic Jamaican Cuisine!
Trend Magazine Online™
Authentic Jamaican Cuisine!
Tucked away in a lively strip mall adjacent to a bustling Wal-Mart 🛒 and other fast-food chains 🍔🍕,
Island Flavor Café in North Lauderdale, Florida, has long stood as a quiet but flavorful oasis on my walking route 🚶🏾♂️.
Though I had passed it numerous times, I finally arrived at dinnertime—ready to indulge 😋.
Its street signage is easy to miss but for those in the know, it's a well-loved gem among the many
Jamaican restaurants in Broward County, especially in a region with one of the highest concentrations of Caribbean transplants in the United States 🌍.
The modest dining area is cozy and clean 🧼, equipped with a handful of tables, cafeteria-style service 🍽️, and splashes of local pride—including pictures of
Usain Bolt and Bob Marley prominently featured on the wall 🖼️🎶.
Upon entering, I was greeted quickly and warmly by a helpful and knowledgeable staff member 🙋🏾♂️ who explained the menu and service format without delay. The chalkboard menu items are clearly posted on the wall behind the counter 🧾, and the food is pre-cooked and served cafeteria-style for quick turnaround ⏱️. Given that I had picked up a whole rotisserie chicken earlier during my walk 🍗, I bypassed their widely praised jerk chicken and curried chicken in favor of a hearty pork-based dish 🐖. I ordered the Large Stew Peas with pork 🫘, a lesser-known but equally authentic staple of Jamaican cuisine. This comforting dish came paired with brown rice with broccoli bits 🥦, stewed cabbage 🥬, and fried plantains 🍌—a combination that looked as satisfying as it sounded. The pork was flavorful and fall-off-the-bone tender 🍖; the cabbage was surprisingly crisp (in a good way), and the plantains, though limited to just two pieces, were soft and naturally sweet without being greasy 🧡.
To top off the meal 🍽️, I added a slice of their sweet potato pudding 🍠, which was conveniently located in a clear display case near the register—an effective marketing move that worked on me 📍. Unlike the overly sugary American sweet potato pie 🥧, this version was more subtle and earthy, with just the right amount of sweetness to complement rather than overwhelm 🍬. My total came to $18.92 💵, which I consider a good value, especially with dessert included. While I wouldn’t claim to be a Jamaican cuisine expert 🧑🏽🍳, I know delicious food when I taste it—and this experience checked all the right boxes ✅. The rice was perfectly steamed, the pork slow-cooked to juicy excellence, and the pudding a great finale to a flavorful meal 🎯.
Authentic Jamaican food is hard to come by in many parts of the U.S., including North Carolina 🧭 and surprisingly even in Miami 🌆,
where international flavors abound but true island soul can sometimes be diluted.
Island Flavor Café delivers the real deal 🌟 in a laid-back setting that feels like a neighborhood gathering spot 🏠.
If you’re ever near Broward County and craving a satisfying Caribbean meal that doesn’t come from a chain 🔗, this is your spot.
From the quick service 💨 to the generous rice portions (and even the stingy but memorable plantains), this place gets high marks for authenticity, flavor, and value 🏅.
Find Island Flavor Café listed in CBP's Black Pages Worldwide™ directory under Authentic Caribbean Cuisine – South Florida Region 🌎.
You’ll be glad you made the stop! 🏖️🍴🌺
They are located at 7958 West McNab Road, North Lauderdale, FL 33068. Their phone number is (954) 597-6083, and website https://islandflavorcafe.com/. Tell them that Trend Magazine Online™ sent you!
#CaribbeanFlavor 🌴, #TrendMagazineOnline 📲, #BlackPagesDirectory 📘, #FloridaFoodie 🌞, #PorkStewPeas 🍖, #SweetPotatoPudding 🥧, #AuthenticEatsUSA 🇺🇸
