The Breadfruit fills two niches at once. The first gap is a culinary one. The Phoenix area has always lacked Caribbean restaurants. They've come and gone over the years, but with the exception of Irie in south Phoenix, few have gained much traction. The second niche is geographical. Currently, the Downtown dining renaissance in progress exists mostly in two areas: the heart of Downtown between Jefferson and Van Buren and the north end of Downtown near Roosevelt. Until recently, there have been few places to eat in the in-between zone surrounding the burgeoning ASU Downtown Campus.
The Breadfruit takes its name from the fruit of the same name, although actual breadfruit does not appear to be on the menu. Still, the name evokes Jamaican authenticity that is felt throughout the cooking. The restaurant is not a islands cliche in the style of the Bahama Breeze chain, which closed its Phoenix locations several years ago. Instead, it's a small, tidy, and unpretentious place occupying a one-story building along Pierce Street, just east of the Downtown Phoenix Public Market and roughly halfway between the Roosevelt / Central Avenue Station and the Van Buren / Central Avenue (northbound) and Van Buren / 1st Avenue (southbound) stations.
The menu is Jamaican with a healthful twist. Fried foods and red meat are deemphasized in favor of dishes based on fresh vegetables, fish, and chicken. For the most part, this approach succeeds. A plantain avocado spring roll (center photo below) matches its inventive filling with a chutney topping. As with many dishes at the Breadfruit, the portion is modest, but this starter works as a light and flavorful appetizer for two to share. Among the entrees, Escovitch fish pairs grilled tilapia with a vinegary sauce containing Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice berries. Since the sauce is served on the side, the spice level can be adjusted to individual preferences.
Speaking of spice, no Jamaican restaurant can succeed without good jerk, and the Breadfruit executes this style of cooking admirably with both shrimp (right photo below) and chicken. The dry heat of the Breadfruit's jerk dishes is paired nicely with roasted corn, roasted pineapple, and a sort of light coleslaw. A milder yet still satisfying level of spice is found in the vegetable, beef, and chicken patties. Unfortunately, flavor is lacking in the Breadfruit's Ital soup, which pairs al dente vegetables with an underpowered broth.
The menu at the Breadfruit is a little confusing, with occasionally insufficient or incorrect information about which items are a la carte and which sides go with main dishes. The ital soup, for example, is listed as coming with a side of bread, but that bread actually has to be purchased a la carte. Some items are paired with festivals, a sort of starch halfway between a bread stick and a biscuit, but it might be more straightforward for the restaurant just to offer a basket of them to each table. Until the Breadfruit perfects its menu, it's best to verify everything with the server.
The restaurant's dessert selection consists of two items: a sweet potato "pudding," which is really firm enough to be more like a bread pudding or cheesecake. It's restrained in its sweetness. For those who want something more sugary, the restaurant's other dessert pairs vanilla ice cream, Grape-nuts cereal, and cherry Jello. The mixture is far more successful than it might sound. Right now, beverages are limited to bottled iced teas and D&G Jamaican sodas, including grapefruit-flavored Ting, Kola Champagne, and ginger beer with a spicy kick. The restaurant also recently obtained a BYOB permit, which enables customers to bring their own beer and wine.
108 E. Pierce St., Phoenix AZ 85004
Map
(602) 267-1266
http://www.thebreadfruit.com
1 comments:
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