Restaurant review: Dominica's Caribbean Kitchen a zesty addition to Hixson's growing dining scene

The chicken wings were so good I nearly forgot to take a photo. The grill marks and mild char worked wonderfully with the jerk seasoning, which I would have preferred be a bit stronger. That being said, my palate has been trained through habaneros and bird's eye chilis, so those with a milder palate will find them perfect.
The chicken wings were so good I nearly forgot to take a photo. The grill marks and mild char worked wonderfully with the jerk seasoning, which I would have preferred be a bit stronger. That being said, my palate has been trained through habaneros and bird's eye chilis, so those with a milder palate will find them perfect.

If you go

› Where: Dominica’s Caribbean Kitchen, Northtowne Center, 5450 Hixson 153, Hixson.› Phone: 423-475-6916.› Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.› Price range: $7-14.› Alcohol: Yes.

photo The menu didn't waste space or confuse the diner with too many options. Dominica's runs a tight ship, and you get the impression their appetizers, entrees and desserts are the best of what they can offer.

Hixson may be a far cry from the shores of Jamaica, but those who stop by Dominica's Caribbean Kitchen will find a little slice of spicy island heaven.

Dominica's is the next entry in Hixson's more unique dining options, including Vietnamese and Ecuadorean nearby. While I'd dabbled and somewhat succeeded in making my own jerk chicken before, I admit I'm quite a novice when it comes to the food of the Caribbean.

I took along my co-worker, Myron Madden, who grew up eating home-cooked meals from his Jamaican mother, to help educate me on the authenticity and quality of Dominica's. His first bite into their beef patty had him reminiscing of home.

THE SPACE

The restaurant was clean, well-lit and had just enough palm trees painted on the walls that it was obvious what you were getting into. Seating roughly 40 or 50, it was big enough to handle large crowds but tight enough not to feel spread out.

THE MENU

The restaurant offers a number of domestic and imported beers, as well as a few Caribbean cocktails like Mojitos and Sangria.

The food menu didn't burden you with so many strange options that you got stuck. Instead, it stayed with Jamaican and Dominican classics, like jerk chicken and shrimp, curried chicken or lamb, steamed and spiced cod and so on.

Desserts included decadent treats like bread pudding with rum sauce and coconut rum cake.

A children's menu of hamburgers and chicken tenders is assurance that even the pickiest 5-year-old will have something to eat here.

THE SERVICE

It was a quiet evening when we stopped in. While I can't speak for the speed of the service during a busy dinner rush, our food was brought out piping hot, so the kitchen was anything but lax.

During our meal, the restaurant's namesake, Dominica Morris, stopped at our table to ask us our opinions on our food. She and her husband, Rock, are the owners and chefs of the establishment. They started the restaurant after running a successful food truck for a year in Chattanooga. She seemed genuinely interested in our feedback and said her team is working to improve the menu to cater better to their clientele every day.

Her smile when we gave our approval of our meal was definitely one of someone who wants to cook quality food. Speaking of which

THE FOOD

As stated previously, I was a little out of my element with Caribbean cuisine. Thankfully, resident expert Myron filled me in on the authenticity of our entrees and appetizers.

After a quick glance at the menu, he pointed at their beef patty appetizer. I'd never heard of the curry-spiced beef mince wrapped and baked in a flaky crust, but he said anytime he ate Jamaican when he lived in New York, it was all he ordered. We each ordered one, which came with a non-traditional cup of au jus from their grilled jerk chicken on the side.

A vegetarian for seven years, Myron was willing to try the beef to see just how authentic it was. For $3.99, it was one of the most amazing appetizers I'd had, regardless of national origin. The crust flaked like a croissant, and the beef mince treasure inside was tender, juicy and just spicy enough for my palate. The au jus went wonderfully with the patty, adding extra depth of flavor. Myron disagreed, though, and said the flavors didn't contrast well for him. I'll chalk that up to personal preference.

You won't find ketchup on these tables; instead, salt, pepper and a bottle of Calypso sauce, made from pickled and intensely hot Scotch bonnet peppers, are the condiments of choice. A dab of the sauce on my patty cranked the heat up to dangerous levels, which suited me just fine. It's definitely a fine addition to the table for a spice fiend.

For entrees, I ordered spicy pork wrapped in toasted flatbread, while Myron opted for the vegetarian platter. Both came out in short order and were served with black beans, grilled plantains and rice. The pork was succulent with, again, just the right amount of heat. It was one of the more expensive items on the menu at $12.99, but it felt like a fine price considering the quality I received. Boring tacos, eat your heart out.

More surprising to me were the plantains. I recalled the word from my high school Spanish lessons but had never really tried this variant of the banana. That being said, the caramelized sweetness of the plantains went marvelously with the spicy meatiness of the pork. I've never been much of a fan of beans, either, but the black beans were also cooked to the perfect amount of doneness, giving the wraps just that little bit extra to make them perfect when I added them.

Equally surprising to me was Myron's vegetarian platter. The only vegetarian option on the menu for $10.99, it featured steamed cabbage, cucumber, tomato, onion and cilantro with the aforementioned black beans, rice and plantains. Now, I've never intentionally ordered a vegetarian item at a restaurant, but after trying a bite of his food, I might have to order it next time.

The cabbage was tender without losing its bite, and Myron said it gave him the feeling of being full, something sorely lacking from many vegetarian options. I thought each item in the pseudo-salad was easily identifiable and worked together well.

He did say it could have used a touch more heat, but he did also shy away from the Calypso sauce for fear of overusing it. The chefs commented later that, should more people request it, the addition of a vegetarian patty as an appetizer and lunch option would be a possibility.

I also put in an order for four of their grilled jerk chicken wings for $5.99, legitimizing the gluttony in my head by saying you can't go to a Caribbean restaurant and not try their jerk chicken. Dominica commented that they had been experimenting with their jerk recipes when she came over. Many of her customers have found it to be sufficiently spicy, but fans of their food truck will note the spice has been tuned down for a more general audience.

Marinated for 24 hours the night before, the wings were extremely juicy and flavorful, though they could have used a touch more Scotch bonnet influence in my opinion. Liquid heat was available right next to me, but I'd nearly sunken into a food coma by that point and couldn't be bothered to get the lid off.

THE VERDICT

The Morrises are clearly good at their craft, but more than that, their enthusiasm for this food is apparent in every bite. The prices were reasonable and the food delicious. For those looking for something new and exciting, I can't recommend Dominica's Caribbean Kitchen enough.

Contact Shane Foley at 423-756-6506 or sfoley@timesfreepress.com.

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