Tucked away amongst the up-and-coming shops at Main & Gerrard is Cool Runnings, a family-owned-and-operated Caribbean spot that’s full of young families from the neighbourhood on this Thursday night. And though the name might be reminiscent of the John Candy classic, the food is far from anything Canadiana. “So, you like taking pictures?” the lady at the counter asks me as I walk in. For those of you who read this blog with any regularity (thank you, btw), you might recognize that the exterior shot tends to set up the whole post. Doing so has proven over the years, time and time again, that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Cool Runnings is no exception to this rule.

I’m here to order take-out, and my wife is craving a medium-spiced Chicken Roti ($9.99). This version is full of tender Dark Meat that has just fallen off the bone into a Gravy of Pimento and Potato. It weighs in at over a pound. My wife’s itch has been scratched (to say the least). As I normally do, I order the Large Curry Goat ($13). This dish is last-supper stuff for me. The serving is substantial, and though the Goat is not braised like it often is at other places, the meat is juicy and I am more than satisfied with their rendition.

The lady at the counter told me before I ordered that I would be back for more. She was right. It’s close to home, family friendly, and they deliver. My only suggestion would be to serve Beer. The LLBO on the sign is a bit deceiving, and I was not the only dad in the place asking. But hey, Ting isn’t a bad plan B… if you know what I’m sayin’.