SoGo’s Restaurant
A true excursion to a new place really cannot be considered complete unless there is at least one local meal. Thus, I was still determined to get some more local fare while in Cruz Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands. Earlier in the afternoon my wife and I had eaten at Uncle Joe’s World Famous BBQ but that to us was just a snack. Post-Uncle Joe’s we had did a quick walking tour of Cruz Bay but we were still hungry and decided to get dinner in Cruz Bay before heading back to St Thomas on the ferry. Looking at the restaurant options we knew we wanted local fare so our selections were limited. We ended up deciding on SoGo’s Restaurant in part due to their opening hours but also because it seemed home-ier.
Standing by Sogo's Restaurant sign and menu
We got to SoGo’s shortly after they had opened for dinner. It was almost 5:00pm the Tuesday after Christmas had been observed (December 27, 2012) so not surprisingly the place was empty when we got there. One thing my mom always told me was to be wary of places which seemed too empty as that could be a sign that the food may not be as fresh. However, my wife and I were unfazed and quickly made our selections for dinner – steam conch with onion butter sauce and the stew curry goat. All entrees were served with veggies (zucchini and carrots), plantain, rice and beans, mashed potato, and fungi. Although the term “fungi” may have one thinking of mushrooms and other fungus, in the Virgin Islands (and the Caribbean in general), fungi (pronounce “foon-gee”) refers to a food that is comprised of cornmeal mixed with okra – nothing whatsoever to do with any sort of fungus! As the pictures below show, the portions of steam conch and stew goat were generous and complemented by good-sized portions of the supplemental vegetables, rice, mashed potatoes and fungi. I only wish we could have another piece or two of plantain since they were so yummy . . .
Steam conch with onion butter sauce
Stew curry goat
For those who haven’t had steam conch before, I would highly recommend having some if you ever get the chance. SoGo’s made the conch absolutely perfectly so it was still soft, and yet just firm enough without seeming too crunchy. Perhaps it’s personal preference but I don’t think conch should be so well done that it becomes similar to calimari. Similarly, the stew curry goat was also very well made such that the meat would easily slide off the bones. And yes, some of the chunks of goat meat still had the bones in it. This is the normal serving style in the islands so it was not unexpected for me. I’m just making note of it for those that haven’t had such dishes before so folks won’t be surprised when they come across it. I once took a buddy of mine to a Caribbean restaurant and he was shocked when he came across meat pieces with the bones still intact. All of the accompanying sides were great and I appreciated the presentation of the mashed potatoes and fungi in little ice cream like balls. The rice and beans in particular were some of the best that I had had while in the VI.
My wife and I had a lovely leisurely early dinner. All of the food tasted great and had lots of flavor. There was also no doubt that the ingredients were fresh. Next time I’m in St John, I’ll be looking forward to yet another meal at SoGo’s Restaurant.
SoGo's Restaurant outside dining area
SoGo’s Restaurant
King Street
Route 105
St John, VI 00830
340-779-4404
SoGo's Restaurant menu
Jen’s Island Cafe & Deli
On a day trip (December 28, 2011) to downtown Charlotte-Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, we decided to stop in to Jen’s Island Cafe & Deli for lunch as it seemed like one of the few places in downtown that served local cuisine. Most of the other bars and restaurants that we had seen in town seemed to just serve bar/pub food without any local fare. I’m sure they are just catering to what people want, but to me it seems like if you’re visiting somewhere you would want to try that somewhere’s food as part of experiencing the culture? But I digress . . .
At Jen’s, we started off with the conch fritters. Per the menu, the fritters were made with fresh conch, peppers, onions and seasonings fried and served with a mango chutney sauce. The batter was light and the fritter contents were well balanced though I must admit the conch seemed a little hidden at times. That’s always a challenge with making conch fritters though. The fritters were moist enough that they really didn’t need too much of the accompanying mango chutney unless you wanted to give it some additional flavor to the fritters, which did indeed make them even tastier.
Conch fritters
For the main course, we decided to get an order of the chicken roti. For those who haven’t had a roti but are familiar with burritos, a roti is very similar. In the Caribbean, a “roti” (a traditional Trinidadian dish) refers to a filled pastry. For a more detailed introduction on rotis and what rotis are in different regions of the world, check out the Wikipedia roti entry. At Jen’s, the chicken roti had a filling of curried potatoes, carrots and chick peas, in a nicely made dhalpuri wrap. Everything came together well and I appreciated that the wrap was sturdy enough to hold everything yet not too dry or tough.
Chicken roti
For those that may want to add some additional zing to their roti, or whatever they may order, Jen’s also makes its own hot sauce. Looking at the bottle the hot sauce appears to be habanero pepper-based, with generous amounts of garlic and onions, and some other ingredients. Although the hot sauce was made with habanero peppers it wasn’t scorching hot. I’d describe it as a toned down flavorful hot sauce with the slow acting habanero kick – a great sauce to complement your food.
Overall, we had a great lunch experience at Jen’s Island Cafe & Deli. We sat at the bar and it was definitely a very friendly atmosphere. We would definitely return for another meal if we are ever back in Charlotte-Amalie.
Jen’s Island Cafe & Deli
43-46 Norre Gade
Charlotte Amalie, VI 00802
(340) 777-4611
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