Formerly a roving pop-up, Caribbean Gourmet is now serving excellent Caribbean food and pastries at San Gabriel’s Blossom Market Hall. Guyanese chef Yonette Alleyne and her staff bake fresh currant rolls and buttery Jamaican-style patties stuffed with spiced beef every week. But you should drop by over the weekend if you want to catch specials like doubles, cheddar cheese scones, or baked mac and cheese. While it’s almost impossible to pick favorites, we always find ourselves coming back to the crab soup and the hearty oxtail platter.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Oxtail Stew

Ooh, the meat is so tender here, it’s basically the food equivalent of this interview with Yo-Yo Ma. Both have made us emotional, left us questioning the meaning of life, and go really well with fried plantains.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Jerk Chicken

Take notes, Quentin Tarantino, because this is how one excels in the art of subtlety. Rather than hitting us over the head with a sea of sauce, this jerk chicken comes bathed in an understated Jamaican dry rub, made with allspice, black pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. And the chicken somehow stays moist, even after three minutes in the microwave? Make it make sense.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Mac & Cheese

Listen up. There’s nothing fancy - or even particularly Caribbean - about this dish, it’s just a good ol’ mac & cheese. And we did devour it all in one sitting, thank you for asking.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Jamaican-Style Beef Patty

Wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust, this dense Jamaican patty comes stuffed with heavily-seasoned beef and is perfect for everything from a light afternoon snack to breakfast at 2pm in bed (our go-to move).

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Pineapple Tart

Not too sweet and packed with tons of pineapple, this Guyanese treat is less of a dessert and more of a fruit-filled side dish. Which, for the record, we really like.