When it comes to
music, Jamaicans are never short of a banger (or more), so it goes without
saying that when it comes to their cuisine they favour a zinger there as well.
Rudie’s in Dalston, east London, is that kind of place where you can get a
piece of real Jamaican grub at a decent price in comfy and homely surroundings.
Meals on Two Wheels
rocked up there recently and after struggling to find a parking space for its
bicycle (this is east London after all!), it rested its muscular behind on one
of the establishment’s straight-backed seats. A gloomy and nippy winter Saturday
afternoon was the only excuse needed to tuck into a plate of Peppered Shrimps
and a (as it turned out) very generous portion of plantain (by the way, the correct pronunciation of "plantain" might be reason enough to start WWIII. If you don't believe me put a West-Indian and an African in the same room.). The prawns were king-sized
and bathed in Boston sauce. They were accompanied by a welcome committee, made
up of cherry tomatoes and avocado salsa.
Whilst over the
years Meals on Two Wheels has gone from no-hot to vindaloo-hot, nothing could
prepare our regular, bicycle-powered section for the might of Jamaican hot. The
Old Jamaican Ginger Beer that was ordered with the bite was not enough to quell
the fire. Luckily, a very helpful Italian waitress brought over a glass of milk.
This went some way to mitigate the inferno caused by the Peppered King Prawns.
However, do not
let this small incident put you off Rudie’s. Pound for pound, it is one of the
better eateries in east London today. The shrimps were well-cooked and tender. They
were also plentiful. The plantain was of the as-Mama-cooks-them-back-home
variety. And at just under fifteen quid for a dish that could have been a main
(their platters range from £7.50 to £12. They also cater to vegans), Rudie’s is
a snip. Meals on Two Wheels has since been back with a couple of friends.
Just a piece of
advice, though. Make sure that if you do go to Rudie’s, you’re not out marathon-training
the next day. Your stomach might disagree with your choice.
© 2019
