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 While visiting the islands of St. Thomas, St. John and Virgin Gorda this summer, I had the opportunity to sample some of the greatest foods every created, “Caribbean Cuisine”. Caribbean cuisine is highly seasoned food, blending wonderful herbs enhanced by ginger, cloves, allspice or nutmeg, each providing its own unique flavor and aroma.
One dish you will find on every island is “Callaloo”, also known as “Pepperpot”, which could either be a thick soup or a mixed vegetable stew. Callaloo originated by settlers pooling their entire foodstuff and making a one-pot meal from which everyone ate. Today, there are many different variations of the dish, depending on the ethnic background of the chef or cook. Traditionally, Callaloo is served with a scoop of Fungi (pronounced fun-gee), which is a combination of cornmeal and okra with a bit of liquid to make a dumpling-like consistency.
 In St. Thomas, we had lunch at Cuzzin’s Restaurant in downtown Charlotte Amalie and experienced how varied island cuisine can be. I ordered Shrimp Creole and was informed that on that day, it would be shrimp and conch Creole...utilizing native seafood, conch, with traditional seafood. The shrimp were succulent and the conch was juicy and tender...giving the dish a uniquely Caribbean flavor.
Another local restaurant on St. John, SoGo’s is famous for its West Indian and American cuisine and “down-home” atmosphere and also known for a sandwich called Chicken Roti wrap. They use small chunks of chicken, diced green peppers, potatoes, onions and carrots sautéed in a hot skillet with chicken broth and curry powder. Secret herbs and spices are added, and once the broth is reduced, the mixture is wrapped in a flour tortilla. It is out of this world!
Both restaurants served very large portions at reasonable prices. Service was very friendly and unpretentious. If you have the opportunity to visit these lovely islands, I recommend you add these two restaurants to your dining itinerary.
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