Trinidadian in South Florida

The Curry Hut is an authentic island eatery featuring made-to-order roti, an assortment of great curries, and some interesting Caribbean-influenced Chinese food. The place is more homely than homey, with packages of spices, dried goods, and incense on display at the brick countertop up front and hand-stitched napkin caddies dressing up each table. On weekends, the place gets raucous as live chutney, reggae, and reggaeton blare through the huge loudspeakers positioned in the corners of the restaurant. A cold Dragon Stout from Jamaica and a plate of cilantro-flecked conch curry goes great in that atmosphere, especially when the house-made, neon-orange Scotch bonnet sauce is used liberally. Also on Saturdays and Sundays, the Curry Hut serves bake and fish, a fried bread sandwich made with shark, salt fish, or smoked herring. Daily specials top out at $8, making it a cheap place to party like a Trinidadian.

Lucky City, tucked away off of Sample Road in Margate, masquerades as a normal Chinese restaurant but includes a number of interesting Guyanese specialties. "Chicken in de ruff" is a Guyanese party food that's basically thickly breaded, bone-in fried chicken spiked with a sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce. Here, it's served over fried rice with plenty of shredded cabbage. A typical West Indian menu with duck, chicken, goat, pork, and - yes - beef curry and roti is scrawled on a dry-erase board over the front register, which is often festooned with plastic containers full of Guyanese pastries such as flaky rolls filled with currants. The laid-back Caribbean vibe pervades to a fault, however. The restaurant's red booths and framed paintings of pastoral China look like they came with the place, and service is virtually nonexistent.

Step into Shalama's Halal Roti Shop, located along the ethnic food haven that is 441 in Margate, and you'll instantly be transported to the islands thanks to Trinidadian tunes and the wafting smells of freshly griddled roti (Indian flatbread) and bubbling curries. At Shalama's, the peppa is hot and the curries are too; daily-changing specials keep the food as fresh and vibrant as the jams. Try straights (vegetarian potato and chickpea curries served with rice or roti) for a starchy, spicy meal without the guilt. Or check out the roti stuffed with boneless, white meat chicken -- perfect for non-Trinis looking for a taste of the islands without the sharp bones. Prices are as low as the bass drones blasting from the kitchen.