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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Them Belly Full
They were the best kind of directions, the vague kind that force Chow, Baby to drive around for hours and, often, discover all sorts of new things: “On the I-35 South access road, not quite sure exactly where, maybe a little north of Berry, I think on the west side... .” But surprisingly, those instructions brought Chow, Baby directly to the goal: Beto’s Authentic Caribbean and American Restaurant, 3000 South Fwy. Good thing “Caribbean” is in the name, as Chow, Baby never would have guessed from the Rastafarian colors and the piped-in reggae music and the 14 photographs of Bob Marley that dreadlocked owner Beto is, in fact, from Jamaica. Chow, Baby thinks that’s what he said. He has a strong Jamaican accent.
Service is cafeteria-style: Choose curried goat or chicken, stewed chicken or ox tails, or jerk chicken, and Beto will put it on a plate with bean-studded rice, sweet stewed cabbage, and salad and charge you $6.95. (Add sweet plantains — Chow, Baby insists — or coco bread, for 75 cents.) For a bit more, get kingfish or red snapper cooked to order. There’s also an array of meat and veggie patties (a steal at $1.50) and slices of rum cake and bread pudding (reasonable at $2). Chow, Baby has been to Jamaica, but (obligatory ganja reference) the whole trip is kind of a haze. So it couldn’t tell you whether these dishes are truly authentic — but they are good. The jerk chicken was a little dry but marvelously spiced, with just enough hot pepper to make it tingle on the tongue. Stewed chicken was mild, tender, and tomato-y. There’s a cooler full of soft drinks (most $1.25) like grapefruity Ting and gingery Old Jamaica to wash down your meal.
Beto’s has been open about two months; they’re having a grand-opening party on April 30 and a pre-grand-opening party on Saturday, with reggae band One Love Uprising taking the patio stage at 6pm.
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