English. She’ll be glad — if she’s not slammed — to tell you the difference between beef barbacoa (slow-cooked beef cheeks) and beef al pastor (spicy and complex). The tables are small and you’ll eat shoulder-to-shoulder with a mix of workmen and families, who have inevitably ordered something I wish I had known about — fiery-looking birria (goat stew), for instance, or menudo (tripe soup).
bouncing off the walls. But make no mistake: This is one neat, clean and extremely well-run café.
The chow: You can’t go wrong ordering a raft of four soft tacos ($7). Be sure to get them contado or “all the way.” I would suggest you order each of them with a different filling — asada (grilled beef), al pastor or pollo (roasted chicken if you want to play it safe, though chorizo and deep-fat-fried pork skins beckon). Squeeze bottles full of salsa are on the tables, or if you get a takeout, ask for both green (mild) salsa and red (hot) salsa. Finally, go to the bakery counter and get a couple of punishingly sweet cookies for dessert.
The chow: The jerk chicken ($6 as an appetizer) is marvelous, fork-tender and no mister blister unless you request it extra-hot. The codfish fritters ($3.50) are a great and savory appetizer. The menu is wide-ranging, with several fish and shrimp dishes, curried goat, hearty stewed beef and stewed peas made with pig’s tail. The calaloo with codfish ($4.50) is a must. Or try the bammi ($3.50, fried cassava) dusted with cinnamon with a sweet dipping sauce.
Da Reggae Café
2528 W. Gate City Blvd., (336) 333-3788 Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Category: Jamaican, full-service Don’t miss: The “Rockaway” oxtail soup ($10) is slow-cooked into a thick, vigorously spiced stew that’s one of my favorite dishes in Greensboro. A little pricey, but it’s a big serving and comes with two sides you’ll want to try anyway — steamed cabbage, plus rice and peas. The lowdown: Sit back and savor “da mood & da food of da islands,” Mon, surrounded by images of Bob Marley with his music 66
The scene: Tropical foliage, the beat of reggae, a laid-back staff and electric-yellow walls turn this small café into a vibrant, funloving scene. Booths line the narrow dining room, where the service is crisp and friendly, with Jamaican accents as authentic as the food.
Pakse Cafe
827 West Florida Street, (336) 574-4404 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., closed Sundays Category: Laotian restaurant, serving Vietnamese sandwiches; counter service with limited seating Don’t miss: The Vietnamese fresh rolls (two for $3) couldn’t be fresher — as in made before your very eyes. And definitely order a classic Asian iced espresso coffee, served with sweetened condensed milk. The lowdown: For eleven years, this little eatery has thrived on serving basically two items: traditional banh mi sandwiches and Laotian papaya salad. “Definitely pure Lao style,” said one online fan whose husband is Laotian. Friendly service with limited