It’s hard to find a good oxtail on rice in Red Deer — or at least it was before June 16.
That’s when One Island Caribbean & African Restaurant joined the city’s culinary market, bringing with it the traditional Jamaican dish.
The 4916 Ross St. restaurant also offers the likes of African beef peanut butter sauce on rice, jerk chicken, curry goat and chicken, Jamaican paddies, fried fish and Moroccan couscous.
“This is unique,” said owner Demba Gueye of One Island’s place on the Red Deer restaurant scene. He pointed out that Caribbean and African cuisine are very similar, with the choice of spices the main difference.
Gueye is originally from Senegal, while his wife and business partner Fatima Fatih grew up in Morocco. The couple arrived in Red Deer via Montreal about seven years ago, and have been operating the Afro-Carib store downtown. That business, which carries a variety of Africa and Caribbean groceries, spices and other products, has been attracting local residents with connections to those regions of the world.
Gueye said many urged him and Fatih to open an ethnic restaurant.
The response has already been good, he said, especially from Red Deer’s growing population of transplanted Africans and Caribbeans.
“It’s very authentic,” he said of the food. “It’s very flavourful and tasty.”
One Island restaurant has also been welcomed by people who developed a taste for the items on its menu while travelling.
“They already know, and are looking forward to this kind of food,” said Gueye.
Customers can choose between “regular” and “spicy” when ordering, although Canadian-born diners have proven more adventurous than Gueye expected.
“You’ll be surprised to know they like the spicy.”
The food is prepared daily from fresh ingredients, he said, with many of these sourced in Calgary. The restaurant is located in the former premises of Best Choice Donair and has seating for 32. It also offers take-out service. Gueye is optimistic about downtown Red Deer’s market potential, especially given its lunchtime crowd.
One Island Caribbean & African Restaurant’s hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday. The business is closed on Sundays.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com