More Caribbean Baked Goods

What I mistakenly identified as a tennis roll was in fact a "yellow roll" according to the counterwoman at Royal Bakery & Roti House. Sure, I'll try one along with my dinner doubles and an intriguing dessert named "cassava pone."

Once home, a less than thorough Google search was unhelpful (first Best Pizza, now this). "Forget the provenance," I said to myself, "just taste it already." The yellow-tinged roll was slightly sweet and heavily spiced, with whiffs of nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon-- an eminently appropriate snack for a cold November night.

Cassava pone had an unnerving, gelatinous texture-- like pulling apart a cheap gym class dodgeball (you know what I'm talking about). However, I'll eat anything with the word "pone" in it. A Google search was more fruitful this time (here's an informative post with a recipe).

The slice was deceptively large and even more dense-- it felt like it could injure a small animal. Pulling off a bite also proved more difficult than expected, but once tasted I became a believer. Coconut is the strongest flavor, while the crust added a nice textural contrast to the gelatinous cassava. Could I eat a whole piece by myself? Probably not, but I could eat all the crust...

I didn't even mention how cheap these are. A dollar a piece. Check it out the next time you're in Crown Heights (whenever that may be).

618 Nostrand Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216
(718) 604-0200