Feast of flavors at Sweet Plantains in St. John
East, West, French and Latin too
Maura Curley
Rose Adams has created a menu, which incorporates Latin,West and East Indian influences.
Both Rose and her husband Prince Adams, who were reared in New York, had Caribbean mothers who were wonderful cooks.
In their St. John restaurant called Sweet Plantains they've included some of the food they loved as children, taken up a few notches with classic culinary techniques.
You’ll find fusion of Old World Caribbean flavors.
Starters include West Indian crispy pan fried salt fish cakes with a sweet mango puree and Latin inspired spiced crabmeat baked with Manchego cheese.
Salads are city savvy, but made with locally grown micro greens, and fresh herbs, with a garlicky designer dressing.
Theme nights – featuring regional French, Latin, east and western Indian dishes include slow cooked, mildly jerked pork tenderloin with a house spiced rum guava barbecue sauce and quick pickled green papaya; arroz con pollo with a roasted Piquillo pepper sofrito; sweet and spicy curries and creoles with fresh seafood, chicken or tofu.
Everything is made on the premises, including the dazzling one of a kind desserts such as a Cardamom spiced tapioca with Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee liqueur and a coconut flan with candied ginger and rum.
The Adams previously catered for the Gourmet Garage in New York City. Rose Adams, a graduate of New York Restaurant School, previously managed a restaurant at tony Caneel Bay in St. John, before she and Prince opened Sweet Plantains about five years ago.
The restaurant set in a charming old building by the sea exudes tropical flair with its bright welcoming sign and sorrel colored walls.
The moment you enter you feel island inspired by the rhythm of the Caribbean.
Photo: A savvy house salad of local organic tomatoes and micro greens from Sweet Plantains in Coral Bay in St. John.
Photo courtesy Sweet Plantains.
Maura Curley is publisher of virginvoices.com
Print this Article
Click Here to Add a Comment