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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why West Indian food isn't as popular as other cuisines?

128 replies

LoafersOrLouboutins · 29/08/2014 08:53

I've always been a fan and living in NW London there is a huge variety of restaurants on my doorstep. Yesterday I took the DDs (ages 2 and 5) out for lunch, we went to my favourite West Indian restaurant and shared curry goat, jerk pork, plantain chips and dumplings with coconut water for the DDs and a rum punch for me (at 1pm Blush ).

The restaurant wasn't as busy as the Chinese across the road or any of the other restaurants we passed. The West Indian takeaways weren't as busy as other take-aways and whenever I have a take-aways with my friends they want Vietnamese or Mexican. My colleagues tend to hold meetings or the Christmas 'do in Italian or Japanese restaurants. When I suggested we hold the 'team building' exercise at a West Indian restaurant everybody was a bit Hmm. Why hasn't it taken off in the UK like other cuisines?! Tis fab! Or is it really popular and I just have really boring colleagues and friends? IMO Chinese is very same-y and can be too sweet, but it seems to be the most popular cuisine in the UK.

OP posts:
JustTheRightBullets · 29/08/2014 08:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

x2boys · 29/08/2014 08:58

I don't know but I live I. The northwest and I can't think of any restaurants or takeaways near me that are west Indian I,m sure there are in Manchester city centre but I don't go there often I agree though chinese and probably Indian do seem to be the most popular

MorrisZapp · 29/08/2014 08:58

Because it contains goat?

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 29/08/2014 09:00

Curried goat, jerk pork/chicken and plantain chips are just about the only West Indian foods I can think of. Is that why?

Where we live, the choice is Chinese, Indian or Domino's Envy

hollie84 · 29/08/2014 09:01

It's pretty popular in Bristol but there aren't many take aways that deliver. One of the most popular city centre restaurants in Carribean though, and there are always loads of stalls at carnivals/festivals.

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 29/08/2014 09:01

a. I don't think goat is really goat - isn't it mutton? (in this country at least)
b. we have fish and chips too (obvs)

WhispersOfWickedness · 29/08/2014 09:04

No idea, I love it too. We're in the north east though and can't think of any near us Sad We try and go when we are in the midlands though Smile

babybarrister · 29/08/2014 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

partialderivative · 29/08/2014 09:05

What's wrong with goat?

Branleuse · 29/08/2014 09:06

goat is delicious. I dont know why it isnt more popular

ArgyMargy · 29/08/2014 09:06

What on earth is wrong with goat? Its just a skinny sheep. I wonder if it's because West Indian food seems a bit unhealthy? Lots of fried stuff and not much veg. And let's face it the stereotypical West Indian woman is, er, large...

Original poster
LoafersOrLouboutins · 29/08/2014 09:09

I thought it was goat Confused,I'm going to ask the owner next time I go there. Ital stew is fab too, its a vegetable stew with pulses, coconut milk and callaloo. Is it unpopular because there aren't many restaurants/take-aways or are there not many restaurants/take-aways because its not very popular (IYSWIM)? I suspected there may not be many West Indian restaurants outside of London (there aren't any in Devon)but it isn't as popular in London as other cuisines.

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overmydeadbody · 29/08/2014 09:10

My brother's favourite food is Jerk chicken.

Just about every market that sells food in London seems to have a West Indian stall or two, always popular.

Personally, I prefer more vegetables and fresh ingreidents in my meals, but I do like making rice and beans sing a west indian recipe.

Original poster
LoafersOrLouboutins · 29/08/2014 09:10

I agree it is very unhealthy, I feel a dress size bigger just from eating a dumpling. Yes Chinese is really grim IMO and I doubt its any healthier than West Indian.

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overmydeadbody · 29/08/2014 09:11

If they say it is goat curry then they will be using goat, not mutton Hmm

BlueBrightBlue · 29/08/2014 09:12

I think most people who've tried West Indian food will agree it's really tasty. I've seen so many WI restaurants open and close within a matter of weeks though. In my limited experience, I've found them to be lacking in atmosphere and a bit sterile, not what I want if I'm going out for a meal.
Also they don't seem to be able to sway from the tried and tested home style dishes and perhaps they should try to be a little more adventurous as do Indian/Chinese/Italian restaurants.

Deathraystare · 29/08/2014 09:13

There is one in Southampton that gets rave reviews. My brother went there with his family and some of my friends have been too. I have cooked it at home myself. However I am veggie and most of the food is meat/fish heavy. In fact when I was dog and house sitting for friends, when they came back they asked a family member to get a take away but didn't get me any as they though there was no veggie stuff. The guy that went poo-pooed that and said they were wrong! They were amazed I knew some of the veg names. They are west indian by the way.

I don't understand why it is not more popular especially things like jerk. There is a chinese/indian influence as well -like roti bread because people from those countries have brought their influence to the islands so it is not exactly unknown. The way we have taken to Indian and Thai cooking cannot mean we areall scared of spicy heat so I really don't know.

DurhamDurham · 29/08/2014 09:14

West Indian food is my favourite and I would love to have it more often than I do. It is hard to find places that do it, it might grow in popularity in the next few years.

I love jerk chicken and curried goat, I could just eat some now ( instead of the yoghurt I'm just about to have for breakfast)

sunbathe · 29/08/2014 09:17

I went to a fab WI restaurant once, a bit out of the way, which I suppose is why we never went back.

I don't remember much for vegetarians?

Original poster
LoafersOrLouboutins · 29/08/2014 09:21

Yes Thai food seemed to explode in popularity, I remember in the late 90s my Dad returned from a business trip to Thailand (I was 16ish and had never tried it) and he was in awe of Thai food. Shops didn't stock any of the ingredients and even when he was in London there wasn't many Thai restaurants. Then around early 2000s it became popular (possibly because Thailand became a popular holiday destination?) and has been ever since. People holiday in the WI and it hasn't had the same popularity. I can't comment on the atmosphere of restaurants as the one I go to is FAB and by day has a very child friendly atmosphere and at night is more Party focused, lots of rum punch and dancing. It tends to be cheaper than Italian and Japanese restaurants IME.

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Marmot75 · 29/08/2014 09:22

I think even in London that West Indian restaurants and takeaways tend to be concentrated in certain areas. There aren't many (that I have seen) in NW London for example. I love jerk chicken (our butcher does it) but I've never had goat curry for example. I would but no one has ever suggested we go for West Indian food. I suspect it's a vicious circle where there aren't many placed you can get it so people don't know about it, so there aren't many places, and so on.

I'm not sure why though. Maybe next time I see a West Indian restaurant I should give it a go!

Original poster
LoafersOrLouboutins · 29/08/2014 09:23

I hadn't considered the vegetarian aspect- Ital stew is veggie but I suppose the menus do tend to be meat/fish based.DurhamDurham I'm tempted to get take-away jerk chicken for lunch but I WILL be the size of a house if I do.

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Curlyweasel · 29/08/2014 09:27

Absolutely agree - very underrated. In the 'ethnic' section of our Tesco, I've been able to get tinned Ackee... at a shocking £4.99! They didn't have/do salt fish, so I had to salt my own cod (they do do it now though). Think this is the only WE meal I'd try to make at home (Ackee, Saltfish and Rice and Peas).

Try look up a recipe/method online ... My DP and DD love it (doesn't seem particularly unhealthy to me - perhaps a bit carby though).

When I lived in London I had a time when I was addicted to Jamaican Patties. God they were good!

KenAdams · 29/08/2014 09:28

Are you all talking about the Turtle Bay restaurants?

MackerelOfFact · 29/08/2014 09:30

I thought you meant West Indian as in Gujarati and I was about to whole-heartedly agree - it's fresh, delicious and so much healthier than the greasy, rich 'Indian' food that is ubiquitous in the UK.

But I've lived in South London for about 10 years and there are loads of Caribbean places serving jerk chicken, patties, saltfish, rice and peas, plantain, curry goat etc. They're mostly takeaways or very small premises and tend to cater mostly to the West Indian disasporas.

As someone said upthread, I guess partly it's because there's a relatively small selection of food - lots of which might sound a bit weird to people not from an Afro-Carribean background.

Also unfortunately I suspect it's a bit of class/snobbery thing too.