Best Roti in the BVI's

Turns out this statement is as controversial as any other food statement that starts with Best whatever food.  Anyone who focuses on making whatever food of course thinks theirs is the best and thus the controversy.....expect KC BBQ -- it IS the best!

Roti - An unleavened griddle-baked bread from India usually made with whole wheat flour.  The roti is finished over an open flame for 10 to 15 seconds, a technique that causes it to be filled with steam and puff up like a balloon.  In Caribbean cookery, a roti is a crepelike wheat wrapper filled with curried vegetables, fish or meat. 

Steps leading up to our favorite Roti's.

Anyway....Five years ago when we were last in the BVI's we asked a local where we should eat.  She started to rattle of all the touristy joints.  "No.  Where do YOU eat lunch when eating out?"  "Oh.  Easy -I go to this hole in the wall for the best Roti in the BVI's."  We proceeded to get detailed directions - which we needed as it's not easy to find.  We fell in love with Roti from that day on.  I tried to make them once we got back to KC but failed miserably.  I tried to find a place that makes them.  Again, no go.  It seems the Roti was to be a like our charter boat holiday - left behind in the BVI's along with the sandy beaches and fabulous turquoise water color. 

Basically covered porch is dinning area

Flash forward to this week.  We were in Roadtown running errands.  We MUST find the Roti place again.  We couldn't remember the name.  Actually, we never knew.  Maybe there wasn't a name. We began asking all the locals.  Yes, they knew the place we were talking about.  One person said the old woman that ran the place and cooked the wonderful Roti died.  Another said she retired.  Most gave us vague directions.  A few others gave directions to a different Roti place.  

Finally, we just started walking in the general direction we thought it might be, trying to remember landmarks from 5 years ago.  I popped into the Pusser's store and asked rather sheepishly in a whisper "I know you have food here in the Pusser's restaurant but I am looking for a little hole in the wall Roti place."  She smile, nodded wisely and said "it's just across the street, out this back door.  It's upstairs from the jewelry store."  YES, yes, that is it!  It's upstairs.  We rushed out the back and across the street.  BINGO!!!  There were the same steep concert/rock stairs.  We dash up them and found the same covered patio painted up in Caribbean colors.  A young woman and man are now running the place.  We promptly ordered two Roti.  Tom got the chicken and I got the goat.  We wondered around a bit while waiting for our order.  Well, wonder is a bit strong as the place is tiny.  However the only spare room where you get your pop from a reach in cooler has been expanded to include a bakery.  Seems this young guys brother is a professional baker.  The baked goods in the case looked SO good.

New expanded area with baked goods

Our roti's were delectable!  We ate every bite and were stuff.  We ordered two rum cakes (cup cake size) as take away but while she was wrapping those up, the guy brought two BIG samples of his brother's carrot cake.  I am not a fan of carrot cake of any sort but I took a bite to be polite.  It was wonderfully light with pleasant flavors and very few chucks of nuts and stuff - in other words, not bad.  And that is from a person that doesn't like carrot cake.  Tom does and declared it Delish.  Stuffed tummies and rum cakes in hand we headed down the stairs and back out onto the street for our walk back to the dinghy dock but not before stopping to memorize the location and landmarks so we can easily find The Best Roti in the BVI's again.

Goat Roti

A few days later, back in North Sound, we were sharing our Best Roti in the BVI's find with a few fellow cruisers when one said "Saba Rock claims their is the best."  WHAT?  No way!  Then another cruiser said they had found the BEST in Roadtown in some little joint above a bookstore.  Impossible!