What’s on the menu at AF1 Caribbean Canteen, a Jamaican restaurant from the chef of Dirty Bird Chicken and Waffles
Name: AF1 Caribbean Canteen
Contact: 596 College St., 647-340-3924, caribbeancanteen.ca, @af1caribcanteen
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
Chef and owner: Adrian Forte (Dirty Bird Chicken and Waffles)
The food
Jamaica’s greatest hits like jerk chicken, oxtail stew and beef patties, as well as less ubiquitous specialties like curry duck and peppered shrimp. Before opening AF1, Forte went on a food pilgrimage through his birth country. Not only did he stop to snack at almost every road-side shack he came across, but he had his extended family teach him how to make their own specialities. “My grandma was a chef in Jamaica for 42 years,” says Forte, and many of his dishes at AF1 are based on her recipes.
The drinks
Island favourites like Ting, sorrel drink, Dragon Stout and Red Stripe. The most potent potable available is the rum punch, which comes in two flavours: red and yellow. Red is a fruity melange, while yellow is a blend of pineapple, mango and banana. Forte says that a lot of customers choose to mix the two.
The space
Using barn board and corrugated steel salvaged from junkyards, Toronto-based Rich and Poor Home gave the 40-seat room a Hellshire Beach–shack vibe. The street-side patio—where the barrel smoker lives—can seat another dozen people when weather permits.
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
