Debe’s Roti and Doubles – Bringing people back to simple happy times

BY HRISHIKESH DAS GUPTA

“I appreciate the food at Debe’s and know the effort and love that goes into this food. Hands down the most smooth silk like dal puri ever!  The doubles are out of this world.  Spicy means spicy here so make sure you are prepared if you ask for hot. They are nice here and have a loyal customer base.  The tomato choka is like homemade.  Mmmmmm!   They don’t drown food in oil here, just a lot of flavour.  Debe’s knows how to lift my spirits on a Friday night after a long week.” (Deb P, Toronto, Ontario)

The cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago offers a variety of street food that has been influenced by: Africans, Amerindians, Indians, Europeans and the Chinese. Who can resist the soft, light bara bread sandwiching tender curried channa (chickpeas) finished with a spoonful of tamarind or mango, and of course you can’t forget the pepper. Let’s talk about the magic that happens when you mix chunks of fresh fruit with limejuice, hot pepper, salt, garlic and chandon bene (first cousin to cilantro). Only Trinidadians would think about currying a fruit. Yes, skin, seed and all. Once it is curried, you stuff it inside a roti with other curries, or you serve it as a side dish. We couldn’t end this tasty introduction without talking about pholourie, those sweet balls of fried split-pea flour. They are about the size of doughnut holes, and they can come either glazed in mango or tamarind chutney sauce.

Now that we have your mental taste buds heightened, it is time to direct you to a place that you can taste all of this magic right here in Canada. Debe’s Roti and Doubles has been serving ethnically enriched food and culture since 2015.

Jenny, the founder of Debe’s Roti and Doubles, has been known as a fearless and compassionate individual in the community. Jenny Mohammed, and her family arrived in Canada as landed immigrants from Trinidad in the early 90s with empty pockets and countless dreams. She pursued the nursing profession to support her family and educate society on the healthy principles for everyday living.

Jenny was interested in preparing, serving and sharing Caribbean meals to transmit her cooking skills from one generation to the next. She ensured her two sons Randy and Reginald, would be familiar with the history and heritage of Caribbean culture. Therefore, she used to prepare the well-known and delightful street foods for her kids. She also introduced them to the cooking heritage of their great grandparents. At any special events in the neighbourhood, her homecooked dishes were well-known as a part of the celebration.

As an automotive professional Randy used to travel different parts of Ontario and had the opportunity to taste West Indian cuisine. He mentioned to Jenny that all cuisines were loaded with spices, and did not represent the actual tropical flavours of the islands. They decided to open a restaurant to reflect the diversity of original Trini food. The community showered their love for the restaurant, and continue to give rave reviews about how Debe’s Roti and Doubles brings them back to simple happy times growing up in Trinidad.

“WHAT! This place is three blocks from my house and I just discovered it! Deeeelish trini food. Roti SUPER stuffed and so yummy. Now I don’t have to drive all the way to Roti Roti in Rexdale for my fix. Yum yum!” (Heather. F, North York)

Though the appreciation was immense from the neighbourhood, the management was competing with popular food chains. The team was struggling to reach out to the broader audience.

Randy’s beloved wife, Solansh Matos Castellanos, a strong and determined woman saw the potential in the niche market. She recognized the time and effort Jenny was dedicating to prepare the meals. She decided to sacrifice her career and started to support the management team. She brainstormed new ideas that gave an enormous boost to the restaurant. Currently, Sol is taking stronger steps to establish the restaurant’s presence in the marketplace and actively utilizing social media to promote the brand. Jenny and Sol are two strong pillars of the cuisine with commendable support from Randy, Reginald and Sol’s brother Juan Pablo.

“My husband picked me up after work and we stopped by Debe’s for a snack, which turned into a meal because the portions are large. The doubles are SO DELICIOUS. You can taste every single flavour from lentils, chickpeas, and mango chutney. Considering they are a vegetarian item, I could eat this every day. The Roti is literally gigantic, and my husband couldn’t be happier right now trying to devour the whole thing. We will be back for sure.” (Berkely J, Toronto)

During lockdown, the family decided that they were going to give back what they could. Initially, the team started buying groceries for the first responders and donating fresh groceries to the food bank. Recently, Sol has decided to work with the local community centers to donate all tips they receive to help families in need by providing them with groceries. All the tips are capped off monthly at a certain budget to ensure equal and fair donations to everyone.

Debe’s Roti & Doubles offers a wide variety of West Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal options. I had the opportunity to taste the rich cuisine. The shrimp roti and doubles are amazingly tasty. The menu is affordable and the quality is up to the mark. Please support Debes Roti & Doubles and let me know what your favourite West Indian food is?