Eat Like the Islands in Michigan

Every June – and year-round – across the United States you find more people repping their flags in honor of their vibrant and vivacious heritage, the heritage of the Caribbean.

From the Pearl of the Antilles to the Spice Isles, through the Island of Flowers, the culture and influence of the Caribbean has extended globally, even making itself home in the Midwest. 

In 2006, June was officially designated Caribbean American Heritage Month, as a time to celebrate and honor the achievements and contributions of people of Caribbean descent who live in the United States. Amongst those contributions include music, literature, culture and, of course, food.

In the Midwest you’ll find pockets of Caribbean culture, and in Michigan, you’ll discover the culinary flavors of jerk, curry and tamarind throughout the mitten.

Flavors of Jamaica – Pontiac

Starting with the eastern side of Michigan, head 30 minutes outside of Detroit to Pontiac. When you walk through the doors of Flavors of Jamaica, you are greeted with decor that includes sand, beach rocks and palm trees that feels like you are on the coast of the island.

The chef’s kitchen is separated from the dining area with tall baboon straws, but restaurant goers  can catch a glimpse of the chefs marinating and seasoning the next orders. 

Jamaica is known for many things, Bob Marley, Oxtail and jerk chicken – all three of which are abundant in the restaurant. There is a DJ booth that sits in the corner with a nonstop playlist of classic reggae hits of the early 2000s including Rich Girl, No Letting Go and Could You Be Loved. 

This restaurant includes your classic Caribbean meals and vegetarian options, including fall-off-the-bone oxtail over white rice and cabbage. If you are deciding on an appetizer, the chicken wings can be a meal on its own, which are glazed in your choice of homemade jerk sauce, tamarind passion sauce, reggae ginger or sweet habanero sauce – all of which are delicious. Request a bottle of Jamaican Kola champagne to enhance the Caribbean vibes.  

Flavors of Jamaica also has their own food truck at the New Center area of Woodward Milwaukee Junction. Follow their Facebook and Instagram pages to stay updated with their operating hours. 

La Cocina Cubana – Lansing

In Michigan’s capital, the Caribbean community is celebrated with the authentic Hispanic cuisine at La Cocina Cubana. The restaurant was a food truck turned brick-and-mortar run by couple Iliana Almaguer-Tamayo and Tobia Uribe. There are nods to Cuban culture and wooden art hung across the walls with photos putting you right in the center of Havana, Cuba.  

The menu is decorated in Cuban classics, such as pan con hamon and pan con leche, or more commonly known as Cuban sandwiches. From fried yuca to homemade pineapple and watermelon juices, tostones (fried green plantains) and maduros (fried ripe plantains), many of the dishes consist of ingredients that are native and thrive in tropical climates, providing a taste of the tropics no matter the weather outside. 

Likewise, several dishes include rellenos, the Spanish word for ‘fillings.’ The tostones rellenos, which are fried green plantains with shredded beef, come highly recommended. End your meal with something sweet like churros rellenos or caramel stuffed churros. La Cocina Cubana offers breakfast, lunch, dinner. 

IRIE Kitchen – Grand Rapids

“Eat, drink and be irie” is the slogan at IRIE Kitchen in Grand Rapids. Irie, translating to ‘good’ or a state of well-being in Jamaican Patois means at this restaurant, you are dining at the “good kitchen.” This is one restaurant that truly honors Caribbean spices and flavors, with meat that is generously flavored with homemade seasonings and organic, locally sourced food. 

Every week, IRIE Kitchen prepares a signature freshly squeezed lemonade. They also make homemade Sorrel, a popular Jamaican drink that contains a mixture of hibiscus – a pink flower native to tropical climates – blended with blue agave nectar and ginger root. Likewise, they also offer their signature ginger beer drink, which is a mixture of ginger root, blue agave nectar and Jamaican spice. 

Chef, Vince McIntosh emphasizes the importance of making their meals from scratch, taking on the ‘everything is done the old fashion way,’ mentality. This means there are no preservatives or food dyes. One example of their fresh recipes includes their hot-off-the oven coco bread – a side made from organic flour yeast, coconut milk, salt and water – and their festival, which is a Jamaican version of fried cornbread.

One thing that makes Irie Kitchen special is their rotating menu. They offer specials including fried chicken and waffles, stir fry, lamb chops, beef patties, and jerk wings to name a few.  

Chez Olga – Grand Rapids 

If the architecture of the restaurant doesn’t draw your attention, the food most certainly will. Chez Olga is a Haitian-owned Caribbean restaurant, with menu items that reflect that authenticity. Run by a mother-daughter duo, the restaurant takes pride in the meals they serve as each one is made fresh to order. As a Haitian American myself, this food reminded me of home on the East Coast and the true essence of the Island of the Antilles. From fried green plantains (big difference from sweet) to Haitian páté, the food found here is traditionally Haitian.

To introduce those different dishes, begin with an appetizer – specifically, the Creole sampler which compiles multiple Haitian-inspired finger foods on one plate like accra, a fried Malanga (a root vegetable that is high in fiber and resembles a yam or taro). The shrimp marinade is also a favorite and is served with a tangy strawberry sauce. If you are a fan of pork, don’t leave without trying the griyo ak ban-nan, which translates to “fried pork” and is accompanied by fried green plantains.

If you can take the heat, request pickliz to your order, a spicy Haitian coleslaw that is used as a condiment and found in most Haitian households. If you aren’t ready to step into the spice, the menu allows diners to choose their own spice level, ranking from zero to five and emphasizing their commitment to every plate specifically to your liking. Chez Olga also doubles as a catering service and offers takeout for those on the go.

About the Author: Rachelle Legrand is a magazine writer, news reporter and television host based in Lansing, Michigan. rachellelegrand.com