Teddy's Roti Shop

While in Washington D.C. we discovered a great little restaurant called Teddy’s Roti Shop. The owners are from Trinidad /Tobago and the food they serve is West Indian done Caribbean Style. We love Indian food, but weren’t sure exactly what we were going to get. They had dhalpourie (thin roti) and something called “bus up shut” – which, according to the menu and website, translates to “bust-up shirt” and describes the way the filled pastry looks. John asked the owner how big a dhalpourie roti was. She shrugged and said there was definitely enough for a meal. We ordered one with potato and one with chicken. We also got two of their homemade drinks – one passion fruit and one ginger/mango.

While we waited for the food, the owner talked to us about Trinidad. She said that about 40% of the population is of Indian descent (hence the Indian style cuisine). The majority of the rest of the population is descended from African, Chinese and Portuguese people. The owners of the sugar cane plantations imported slaves and indentured servants from all of these countries to work their land in the nineteenth century, giving the country one of the most unique and rich mixes of tradition and culture in the world. She said that Trinidad is a lot of fun, especially during carnival, and that Tobago is one of the most peaceful places on earth. Yet another destination to add to our list!

When our food came out we were a bit surprised, one roti was enough to feed three people! They are huge, very thin pancake-like flatbrads (like naan) stuffed with ground chick peas, a mixture of peppers and spices, and whatever other filling you request. They were absolutely fantastic. If you are ever in D.C. – you have to go eat there!