Generally, when I think of Caribbean cuisine, I’m associating it with Jamaican food – jerk chicken, oxtail, and other popular dishes in Canada. Hence, when my friend suggested we visit Drupatis to try her native Trinidadian food, I jumped at a chance for a guide.

Dupratis is famous for their doubles ($2.75), which I thought I had recently tried at Miss Likklemores. One look at the photo and my friend noted those were not true doubles as what gives the dish its name is the two pieces of bara that sandwiches the chickpea curry.

The bara at Dupratis is super soft but also has a chewy elasticity to it, almost melting into the chana but doesn’t disintegrate. There’s just enough of the chickpeas for bite and plenty of sauce that I eventually had to switch to a knife and fork to enjoy the normally handheld eat. While we asked for it to be a medium spicy level, it must have been made at the fullest as there was quite the kick, yet still tolerable once tamarind sauce was added to counteract the heat.

After the pillowy double, the crispy saheena ($4.85) was a wonderful contrast with its flakey layers encapsulating a thick spinach mixture. The menu describes this breakfast staple as a fritter, but the layers remind me of phyllo, except even crispier. Imagine a deep-fried phyllo wrapped spinach pie, it’s sinfully good.

My friend explains a Trinidadian stew chicken ($14.25) is unlike other stews I may have had previously. It begins with a well caramelized sugar base that gives it a rich colour as well as a slightly sweet undertone. The sugariness isn’t overly pronounced rather adding an interesting flair to the still savoury stew. This dish would be a hit for those who like things like root beer pork.

The callaloo was the perfect side, giving it an extra layer of silkiness thanks to the okra used with the veggies, so lovely when mixed with the rice. If anything, I just wish the stew chicken had more spice as despite being ordered medium there wasn’t an ounce of heat.

Visiting at lunch does mean many dishes aren’t ready, such as the Trini BBQ chicken or lamb and curry duck. After cycling through various items on the menu, we finally settled on the boneless curry goat ($15.80 for the large), which arrives with a choice of rice or roti (and with the roti a choice of daal or paratha versions). I’m glad my friend went with the flakey paratha as its many crevices were perfect for soaking in the thin curry sauce. The curry was fine but a bit timid for my tastes - if anything, it was the ultra hot layered roti that stole the show. 

Duprati’s operates in a fast casual manner: order at the counter, grab a seat, and then dishes will be brought out as ready. Perhaps we were getting dishes that aren’t popular lunch options, but it took over half-an-hour for even the doubles to arrive… I suggest going when you’re not in a rush.

With a host of Caribbean drinks available, we spent the wait trying different pops that have a sugary rush that will excite your inner child. My friend recommends the ‘red’ and ‘sorel’ versions of Solo if you’re in need of some inspiration. After all, a local knows best.