This Is Not the Caribbean You Expect: Finding a Hidden Seafood Paradise in Tobago
I used to think some of the absolute food in Trinidad and Tobago was found strictly on the streets of Trinidad. I was wrong. After partnering up with local tour guide Allan, aka Triny Surfer, I jumped across to the sister island of Tobago to see what could be done in just 24 hours. The result? Incredible. This smaller island is a massive sleeper hit for food lovers.
Starting with a Sauteed Saltfish Breakfast
Our first stop of the day was at a local spot called Bite and Swallows for a traditional breakfast. The main event here is a dish called bullj, which is a localized take on a saltfish bull. The cooks take salted codfish, rinse and soak it thoroughly to remove the heavy sodium, and then get it into a pan on high heat. They call this cooking style chunky. It is essentially a high-heat Caribbean saute. They sweat down onions, carrots, cabbage, and sweet peppers alongside the fish until everything is sizzling.
Alongside the saltfish, they served up fresh ba choka, which is a creamy roasted eggplant mash made with garlic pulled straight from their own backyard garden. We ate all of this with local coconut bake. Look at the beautiful loaf. It is a fresh, soft bread infused with an amazing coconut aroma. When you sandwich the salty codfish and the creamy eggplant inside that warm bread, the flavor balance is unreal.
To wash it down, I tried a local tree bark drink called morby. They boil the bark with sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon to draw out a strong essence. It is heavily bitter and tastes a bit like medicine. Definitely an acquired taste.
Fresh Lobster Feast on No Man’s Land
Next, we hopped onto a tiki craft boat and cruised out into the turquoise waters surrounding the island. Our destination was a beautiful, isolated sandbar known as No Man’s Land.
Tobago Seafood Platter Menu:
Freshly caught spiny lobster with garlic green sauce
Grilled mahi-mahi (locally called dolphin fish)
Smoky barbecue chicken and pineapple wings
Cheesy Caribbean macaroni pie and stuffed potatoes
The beach crew immediately set up a massive barbecue spread right on the sand. We feasted on fresh lobsters caught that very morning. They split them open and grilled them right over the fire with mounds of garlic butter and a vibrant, garlicky local green sauce. I went right in with my fingers. The meat was tender, incredibly smoky, and filled with rich herbal flavors. It is easily one of the best lobsters I have ever tasted in my life.
We paired the lobster with grilled mahi-mahi, which locals refer to as dolphin fish. It was beautifully spiced and perfectly flakey. For the sides, you cannot skip the macaroni pie. It is a dense, intensely cheesy baked pasta fused together with a thick layer of toasted cheese on top.
Hummingbirds and Homemade Soursop Ice Cream
We ended our 24-hour run by heading inland toward the Argyle waterfall for a quick jungle hike and a refreshing dip in the freshwater pools. Right near the falls sits Sherland's Hummingbird Nature Park. It is a stunning spot located within one of the oldest nature reserves in the Western Hemisphere.
While sitting on the deck watching dozens of hummingbirds buzz right around our faces, we were treated to a completely homemade local ice cream. It was a combination of soursop and barbadine, two unique tropical fruits grown right on the island. The soursop cream was incredibly rich and fruity. Eating fresh ice cream by hand while wild hummingbirds land on your fingers is a magical experience. Tobago completely blew me away.