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BRUNCH, BOOZE & BEATS
The Island Spot Media Tasting
This week I attended my first Media Tasting Event at The Island Spot in Oak Cliff (a borough of Dallas,TX)!
A Media Tasting is an event that a restaurant holds in order to highlight certain meals and/or drinks. It is called a “Tasting” because the meals are a sample portion of many different dishes. With food clubs, social media and bloggers growing like weeds, more and more restaurants are finding it beneficial to hold event tastings.
Let me tell you, holding a tasting paid off for The Island Spot because it was EVERYTHING.
Being a vegan in Dallas is hard y’all.
Most food is covered in cheese, drowned in Queso, seasoned with butter and flavored with lard. I often have to turn a la carte veggies and salad into meals; thus I expected to eat a variation of bread and veggies at the Media Tasting. I had so little expectations for this event, I even planned to have a snack before I arrived at The Island Spot. I really didn’t want to starve* to death or be “hangry”!
*Real issues I have to deal with in my life.
Trying to prevent my stomach from growling, I told my waiter about my veganism. Minutes later the owner told me that the chef was making something for me so that I can experience the tasting as well! How amazing is that!?
On the Tasting Menu we had:
Cocktails
Negril Rum Punch
This is The Island Spot’s top seller! The drink is made with a secret recipe that incorporates a blend of fruit juices with Appleton Rum
Mango Mint Punch
Mango Mint Punch…aka a STRONG a$$ drink. I don’t know what’s in it other than rum, mango and mint but I didn’t care one bit. Who said alcohol does help sinuses?! The punch was so strong it helped my sinuses clear. For real. Sinuses were thoroughly drained!
Shot of Painkillah
No not the drug. Painkillah is the name of the drink, silly.
*Insert fearful face emoji*
* Also insert smirking face emoji*
This shot is made out of dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and orange juice. The Painkillah concoction smells heavenly and reminds me of the beach. I couldn’t finish the shot at the Media Tasting Event because I was already tipsy from the Mango Mint Punch!
Entrée Samplers (Wave 1)
Cocktail Beef Patty (Not Vegan)
A crescent-shaped meat pie made with seasoned minced meat stuffed into a flaky shell.
Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas (Not Vegan)
Bone-in chicken marinated and smoked in The Island Spot’s jerk seasoning and served with The Island Spot’s specially made sauce.
Mama Joyce’s Oxtail (Not Vegan)
Crowd favorite! I didn’t even try this (for obvious vegan reasons) but I could tell that it was good because of the way it looked. The dish includes braised, bone-in beef prepared in rich, smooth, consistent beef sauce. My friend Mason, Fashionista Intern, said, “This is delicious! I could literally eat a bowl of just Oxtails!”
Curry Shrimp Shooters (Not Vegan)
Shrimp marinated in Jamaican spices then cooked in The Island Spot’s legendary curry sauce.
Curry Tofu and Vegetables with Slaw and Rice and Peas (Vegan)
As I said before, the chef and Leah Frazier, the event coordinator, had to whip up something for me to eat real quick. I have to say that I am VERY PLEASED with the vegan options that are available at The Island Spot. I was fortunate enough to eat thick strips of firm tofu that was marinated with carrots, bell peppers and onions in the restaurant’s curry sauce. The curry sauce made the tofu a bit spicy but I am not complaining!
Curry Potatoes (Vegan)
In addition to the tofu, the chef also made me a bowl of curry potatoes. These potatoes are the best potatoes I have had in a long time because they were seasoned so well. The dish was savory and cooked to perfection in an authentic Jamaican curry. For all my vegans in the DFW area, you must try this entrée. The dish is not on the menu but ask your waiter for it!
Sunday Brunch Menu Samplers (Wave 2)
Chicken(less) and Waffles (Not Vegan/Vegan)
For the brunch menu you can find anything from grits to an omelet. This Chicken and Waffles combo is served with a homemade mango chutney sauce that is so delicious. To make the dish vegan I requested a vegan waffle without chicken. The Belgian waffle was surprising light and fluffy. I hardly even noticed that the waffle was vegan!
Shrimp(less) and Grits (Not Vegan/Vegan)
Homestyle grits are paired with The Island Spot’s special Jerk Shrimp to give this southern favor an island twist. To make it vegan, request the dish without Shrimp and have the chef to make the sauce without any animal products.
Dessert
Bread Pudding (Not Vegan)
A Jamaican twist on Bread Pudding. How do you add Jamaican flavors to dishes? ADD RUM. Yes, the bread pudding that is sold at The Island Spot is made with a “hint” of rum.
Overall Thoughts:
The food is worth going back! The drinks are worth going back! The music is worth going back! I will visit The Island Spot again...espically during Sunday Brunch. Brunch hours are from 10am – 5pm and the restaurant serves pitchers of mimosas, grits, fish, chicken, curry, waffles, and crab cakes. A live band is also there to provide you with entertainment.
Brunch, Booze and Beats. What can beat that combo? This new spot in Oak Cliff is going to be a staple in my list of The Hottest Brunch Spots in the DFW.
Don’t forget to comment, subscribe and follow me on social media. Links are below!
Follow The Island Spot on Instagram @theislandspot!
Until Next Time,
Tay
“Your life is happening now. Make it amazing!”
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