Wicked Carib is your one-stop shop for Caribbean comfort food.

The restaurant is run by Asif and Annie Khan, who manage two other eateries in Ontario: Palm Urban Caribbean Eats in Burlington and a concession stand at Scotiabank Arena.

The Khans, who serve as both owners and head chefs, call Wicked Carib "their baby". Considering the amount of love and care they put into the shop, the comparison is an apt one.

Wicked Carib opened in April of 2020, during the height of the pandemic.

The Khans describe these early days as challenging, but ultimately very rewarding. Though lockdown restrictions made it difficult for the business to expand, positive word of mouth kept the restaurant afloat. 

"I think our passion is what sets us apart," Asif explains.

Annie added that, "Anyone can cook at home, but not everyone puts the same amount of passion into their cooking. We're always pushing ourselves to go beyond."

With that in mind, it's easy to see why Wicked Carib was able to weather the storm.

The restaurant is a bright, welcoming space, even if you're just ordering takeout. Sky blue walls are decorated with golden leaf designs, while potted ferns dot the dining room. A stylish neon sign, which reads "Trini Haute Eats", can be found near the entrance.

The menu is entirely halal and makes use of many exotic spices. Annie and Asif have gone to great lengths to ensure that all ingredients are ethically sourced, whether they come from local farmers or international suppliers.

One of Wicked Carib's best-sellers is its weekday lunch special. For $10.99, you'll receive your choice of curry chicken, curry beef, stew beef, jerk chicken or curry channa with either roti, white rice or rice and peas.

Other popular items include the butter chicken sandwich ($9.99), made with a spicy 5-ounce chicken filet and topped with lettuce, crispy onions and homemade sauce.Its opposite number, the jerk chicken sandwich ($8.99), is another popular pick.

This chicken filet is also garnished with lettuce, but adds jerk aioli, creamy coleslaw and sliced tomatoes. The flavours are savoury, saucy and super special.Stew chicken ($16.99) is served with white rice, callaloo and red beans. Eating it was a bit of a challenge, as each piece is positively dripping with sauce, but the experience was well worth the mess.Stew oxtail ($20.99) shares a plate with coleslaw, brown rice, and red beans.

Though my mother's Guyanese background meant that I spent my childhood surrounded by West Indian dishes, I'm ashamed to say that this was my first time trying oxtail.

Thankfully, this dish did not disappoint: the meat was moist and tender and the sauce had a subtle but addictive kick.

The chicken roti ($15.75) was a more familiar taste for me. The flavourful chicken and potatoes — which turned everything they touched a bright yellow — were wrapped in two thin sheets of dough, separated by a layer of ground chickpeas. Pepper roti ($21.99) was a surprisingly filling vegetarian option, consisting of a large, thin roti filled with seasoned potatoes and peppers.

Side servings of mango and tamarind chutney add a little bit of sweetness to this otherwise spicy meal.Popular Caribbean soft drinks, such as Solo, Peardrax and Angostura Chill, can be found behind the counter.

Wicked Carib also offers a wide variety of pre-packaged snacks, including crispy plantain chips and cheesy Big Foot.

Last but not least, Wicked Carib's signature hot sauce can be purchased by the bottle.

Though I doubt that my home cooking would hold a candle to the Khans', it's nice to know that they're willing to share some of their secrets.Wicked Carib is located at 2573 Victoria Park Ave.