Spencer Williams, Contributor
Located on the south-east side of the roundabout at Minera in Clarendon, this casual restaurant serves up reasonably priced fodder.
Here you have the option to dine in or take away. However it's on the menu, Homar's Roti has still not managed to get itself in gear to produce dhal roti, or roti wraps. No one seems to care except me. Are people not asking for these? Maybe they don't know what they are so they're not complaining about their non-existence! When I go out to eat, I have my eye on what's on offer. By the time I reach the cash register, my mouth is salivating because I already know what I want. It's a disappointment to be told it's not available - again!
But let me not dwell on this. The truth is, I bought a pile of other food that was satisfying enough.
When ordering lunch, whatever main course you choose will come with rice, vegetables and roti. My advice is, until dhal roti materialises, ask for the whole wheat skins. They are delicious on their own, tasting slightly nutty, and having a satisfying 'bite' to the texture. As they're usually cut into small triangles, it makes it easy to sneak a nibble while you wait for the rest of your order to arrive.
Butchering the bread
One shouldn't be butchering this round, flat bread like this, but it tastes so good I don't really mind! However, it is meant to be left whole, for the eater to tear off what he or she wishes, then pick up the curry with the roti in his hand. True Indian style, but make sure it's the right hand only! Don't ask, just trust me on this one ... leave the left out of the food!
The plain roti is exactly that, and it's rather chewy, as if the dough has been over-handled. A pinch of salt would help bring out some semblance of flavour as well. I had to wash it down with June plum juice! And then I had to wash that down with water! The juice had too much ginger and sugar. They might as well have not bothered to waste the fruit!
The vegetable stew of red peas, sweet corn, carrots, string beans, broad beans and potatoes could have done with more thyme and a good douse of Scotch bonnet. I barely detected a hint of both, seems the chef was called away before they could complete the creation. It's the epitome of comfort food, and the next time I'm feeling under the weather I'd like to have a big bowl of it please! I can always 'doctor it up' in my kitchen!
I thought that the curry chicken on the bone would annoy me, picking out splinters before they had a chance to choke me. But this was not so, and the large juicy pieces of breast and thigh were harmoniously mixed into a divine gravy, which I enjoyed mopping up with the Roti skins!
Curry goat
The curry goat was tender and fairly bone-free, but it was gutting to come across so much fat. The sauce had a spicy kick, and seemed to be thickened with Irish potato (I spotted one wedge and wondered what it was doing there all on its own!). I warn you from now though, some amount of kidney was thrown in. Whether done to 'stretch' the goat or not, I'm not sure, but it doesn't do well in my book!
The stir-fried vegetables that accompanied the meal were tepid, but crunchy and fresh.
The meatless red peas soup was stone cold, so I ended up taking it home and reheating it to have that night. The perfect end to a hard day, with morsels of potato, yam, cocoa and soft kidney beans mixed into a smooth bisque which had pepper and coconut overtones.
Ah, how this food warms my skin.
Homar's Roti, Minera Clarendon. Telephone: 535-8628.
Opening hours: Mondays-Thursdays: 7:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Fridays: 7.30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Saturdays: closed, Sundays: 7.30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Look to spend: $280 on breakfast, $120 for soup, $270-$370 on lunch, $120 for a glass of juice.
