Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA
Caribbean restaurant · Mid-Wilshire
5354 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Highlights
Panamanian & Caribbean food: oxtails, jerk chicken, sancocho
Panamanian & Caribbean food: oxtails, jerk chicken, sancocho
"Under a bright yellow awning on Wilshire sits Caribbean Soul Kitchen. The Panamanian restaurant makes brown stew chicken, fried red snapper, hearty sancocho stews, and yuca balls—deep-fried and golden, topped with parmesan cheese. It’s run by chef RJ, who uses traditional Panamanian cooking techniques, and a mix of African, Spanish, and Native American flavors. Check in for their latest juice flavors, which have rotated between tamarind, mango, cucumber, sorrel, and hibiscus." - kat hong
"The canary yellow storefront of this Panamanian restaurant in Mid-Wilshire grabs your attention from the street, which you should take as a sign to pull in for a quick meal full of big, bold flavors. The menu focuses on bowls of fluffy rice and peas with sauteed cabbage and chewy, caramel-y plantains, with whatever Caribbean staples you want on top: oxtails in gravy, hearty sancocho stew, or their spicy, addictively tangy jerk chicken drumettes. And if you’re really into Caribbean Soul Kitchen’s zesty jerk seasoning (as we are), you can also try it in less traditional ways, like their cheesy and indulgent jerk macaroni." - brant cox, garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"In an unassuming Mid-City storefront, Caribbean Soul Kitchen is whipping up Panamanian and Caribbean dishes like oxtails, sancocho, and patacones. Order the bowls, which come with a choice of proteins like oxtails, jerk shrimp, and stewed jackfruit, and are served with rice and plantains. Make sure to try the jerk macaroni, with curled noodles that swim in a smooth, cheesy sauce imbued with rich jerk spices. Order pick-up or delivery on Seamless." - Rebecca Roland
"This Caribbean-influenced macaroni showcases oversized elbow noodles with ridged sides so the creamy sauce clings; the pasta is soft but not overcooked and the cheese feels indulgent without overpowering. Jerk seasoning reveals itself in stages—first slightly sweet and spiced, then building to a heady mild heat—making for a comfortably familiar yet regionally specific take that fits alongside braised oxtails and jerk chicken on the menu. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Southern California/Southwest" - Mona Holmes
"Rebecca Roland (editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest) sought creature comforts in oxtails and patacones at a low-key Mid-City Caribbean and Panamanian spot. The oxtails were tender enough to forgo a knife, the patacones were just the right amount of salty and crispy, and it was the comforting bowl of sancocho that captured her heart: "Squash and corn were stewed down with tender pieces of chicken until soft. A squeeze of lime over the top amplified the flavors of the stew, adding a contrasting acidity. The bowl came out hot, but I could barely wait to dig in, watching steam roll off the top as the scent of the soup filled the room." - Eater Staff
