Our 2022 schedule release video showcased the diverse BIPOC and minority-owned small businesses in our community. Our first featured restaurant, Taste of the Caribbean, gives the Central District a taste of Jamaica and its vibrant culture! Co-owner Carlene Comrie chatted with us about the story behind the Black and woman-owned community hub.
You can support Taste of the Caribbean by ordering takeout or dining in on Tuesday-Sunday from 3-9 pm. You can also purchase a gift card through Intentionalist, or check out Taste of the Caribbean and their neighboring Central District businesses with an Intentionalist Central District voucher booklet.
SoundersFC.com: Hi, Carlene! Tell Sounders fans about yourself and your story, and how Taste of the Caribbean came to be.
Taste of the Caribbean Co-owner, Carlene Comrie: I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry and an MBA, and was working for Philips in Global Quality Systems Compliance. My day job since 1996 has been in the medical device/biotech industry, and Taste of the Caribbean is my passion venture. I’d been visiting Seattle for work since 2010. When I travel, I seek out Jamaican food in every city. My business partner, Dwayne Blake, is institutionalized as a prolific Reggae/Dancehall DJ here in Seattle. The opportunity for a restaurant was presented to him. Seattle had no truly Jamaican restaurant at the time, and we wanted to fill that space.
We were aligned in making it not just another restaurant, but one that celebrates our culture in the most authentic way. We opened the restaurant in 2013 and I formally relocated in 2014.
SoundersFC.com: It sounds like you have truly become a mainstay of the Seattle restaurant scene. How has the pandemic affected Taste of the Caribbean?
CC: They tell you that most restaurants fail within a year. We held onto the hope that it would work, we just needed a fair shot. Our first few years were rough, but once we could offer the full value proposition, the potential in the business got us excited. We had three or four really good years and were thinking of expansion. We almost signed a lease when the pandemic hit; it felt like we dodged a bullet, but we know it was lost opportunity and momentum.
From March 2020 to July 2021, the nightlife aspect of our business, Red Lounge, was closed. That was devastating because the margins were so much higher on alcohol. We did 15 months of takeout only. We were so grateful for our staff, the community and our customers. The community showed up for us in a big way - our customers showed up and helped us through.
SoundersFC.com: You’ve shown such resiliency. The restaurant has survived and thrived! What is your favorite part about being a restaurant owner?
CC: Owning the restaurant has been the most humbling experience I’ve had in all my life. I went to a prestigious school for my MBA, and I do well in corporate America, but my ego was very bruised when I stepped into the restaurant space! I had to use my skill sets differently and learn the service industry quickly. Restaurant business is hard work. In the early days I was everything from a server to the toilet cleaner; I’ve done everything in that space, so now to watch others vibe in my culture has been the most rewarding thing.
SoundersFC.com: We can’t wait to come out and support Taste of the Caribbean. What three dishes are must-haves?
CC: My favorite things on the menu are a tie between our jerk pork and curried goat. In the jerk pork, all the flavors just dance on your tongue. Curried goat is my sentimental favorite dish, reminiscent of good times in Jamaica. It is the special occasion food - when someone is getting married or a having a big party, you’re getting curried goat. However, from the sales, our customers favorite dishes are the jerk wings, beef patty and oxtail.
SoundersFC.com: Our mouths are watering. Before we go chow down, what is the last thing you want people to know about your business?
CC: One of our slogans is, “Come for the food, stay for the vibes.” We just want to be representative of our culture, and for people to feel that when they walk through the door. Drop everything, grab a seat, and be taken away.
