Roti, a staple of Caribbean cuisines, came to Los Angeles from Barbados and Trinidad in the 1800s when British colonialists sent Southern Indians to island plantations. Chef Rashida Holmes brings that West Indian legacy to her weekend pop-up in the Arts District, Bridgetown Roti, with a menu brimming with patties, roti, and other delicious West Indian flavors.
Goat roti, with a curry chicken filling, has quickly become one of her most popular dishes. She buys whole goats from Jimenez Family Farm in Santa Ynez and butchers them herself. She cooks every part of the meat, including the head, and serves it stuffed into a roti that’s rolled out like a croissant dough.
She then wraps it in a slaw of crunchy carrots, cabbage and onions, and serves it with crisp-skinned potatoes that have been slow-roasted to perfection. She finishes it with a fruity, homemade hot sauce that’s packed with tropical nuances.
The bread’s soft edges can harden after cooling, but this is easily remedied by wrapping the roti in damp paper towels and placing them in a hot oven for a few minutes to warm them up again.
If you haven’t had the chance to try the West Indian roti, don’t wait. Eater LA has put together a list of spots to try it around L.A.
The new restaurant will operate on a counter-service model, but it should be able to expand its menu over time. For now, the chalkboard next to the counter shows a rotating selection of dishes. They’ll change over the course of the week, so you might have to visit more than once to see all the dishes they have to offer.
