Restaurant Planning 101: Tips For New Ventures

Posted on: 14 June 2021

If you plan to go out for some Caribbean food soon, or you want to make some at home, don't forget to try some fantastic Caribbean appetizers. Caribbean appetizers tend to be full of fresh flavors, with a focus on seafood as well. These dishes can be great as a starter to your meal, or they can stand alone on their own as a meal.

Appetizer #1: Yaniqueques

Yaniqueques are a sweet appetizer that is similar to a johnny cake or fried dough cake. They are a simple appetizer that uses flour, vegetable oil, water, and baking soda to create a crispy, flaky, and deep-fried treat. A variety of toppings are served with yaniqueques, from ketchup to salt to cinnamon and sugar.

It is also sometimes served with more savory toppings, such as mangos and shrimp or green plantains and crabs. This dish originated in the Dominican Republic.

Appetizer #2: Pholourie

A pholourie is a fried dough ball that is full of lots of delicious flavors, such as curry powder, parsley, cumin, garlic, onions, and cilantro. The base of the fried dough ball is ground-up split peas. It is often serviced with a variety of different chutney dipping sauces.

This dish is a popular snack in Trinidad and Tobago.

Appetizer #3: Caribbean Salad

A Caribbean salad will have a lot of variation, but it is basically a salad with leafy greens topped with tropical fruit, green onions, and dried cranberries. It may also include some chia seeds. The traditional salad dressing for this dish is a honey-lime dressing. 

Appetizer #4: Caribbean Potato 

A Caribbean potato salad is a twist on a classic potato salad, with more of a creamy taste that includes lots of different vegetables. In addition to the traditional potatoes and eggs, this salad includes chopped onions, peas, carrots, and some Cajun spices. 

Appetizer #5: Cassava Bread

Cassava bread, also called casaba, is from the Dominican Republic. It is a flatbread that is really crunch. It is often served with savory foods, such as avocado or eggs. 

Appetizer #6: Bacaloitos

Bacaloitos are also known as codfish fritters, and they have a Spanish influence but are also found throughout the Caribbean. Codfish is deep-fried in a sweet batter, a little more like a pancake batter. It is deep-fried seafood with a hint of sweetness. 

Appetizer #7: Shrimp Spread

Shrimp are soaked in a sauce that contains garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper, with green onions as a garnish. Then the shrimp is cooked and drizzled with sesame oil for a final infusion of flavor.

The next time you head to your favorite Caribbean restaurant, don't overlook the appetizer section of the menu. The list above is just a preview of some of the dishes you can find at your favorite Caribbean restaurant.