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RESTAURANTS : Roxy Roots

Roxy Roots Address: 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號) Telephone: (02) 2725-3932 Open: 11am to 4am; Caribbean menu available from 9:30pm to 4am; Chinese dishes available during the day Average meal: NT$200 to NT$500 Details: No service charge for Caribbean dishes; 10 percent service charge for Chinese dishes

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In Taipei, friends of Lilian G. Molina must consider themselves lucky. The 27-year-old Belize native has spent the past five years sharing her passion for cooking at parties held in her own apartment and at holiday gatherings.

Now she’s looking beyond her own kitchen, having created a Caribbean-themed, late-night menu for Roxy Roots, which launched last weekend.

The Taipei Times sampled her selection of spicy soul-food appetizers and citrus-based salads and dips, which offer a novel complement to beer and cocktails and add an authentic touch to this reggae-themed bar and restaurant in Taipei’s East District (東區).

This modest restaurant venture is a first for Molina, a self-avowed foodie who grew up cooking everything from Italian to Latino dishes, and counts Taiwanese food among her favorite cuisines, particularly stinky tofu and tripe.

Molina’s Jamaican codfish fritters (NT$250) are a must-try. The filling is made from codfish flakes and scallion, while chopped chili peppers and other herbal seasonings add heat and zest.

She confesses that the Jamaican jerk pit chicken (NT$230) isn’t quite authentic, as the chicken is fried instead of barbecued. But the dish is well worth trying for the fiery jerk sauce made from scratch: a rich, pulpy blend of green and red chilies, thyme, allspice and cinnamon and nutmeg.

Molina prides herself on her adaptability and knack for experimentation. While some might complain about the lack of Scotch bonnet peppers, a hotter chili common in Jamaican cooking, Molina says that her jerk sauce does more than fine without it.

“You just have to know how to play with the flavors,” she said. “And when you love the kitchen you’ll find a way.”

Her spicy Caribbean salsa (NT$180) is unusual and delightful. Chopped cucumber adds a refreshing crunch to the standard chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro. But the nicest surprise comes in the fresh chunks of pineapple, which round out this rich harmony of pungent, sweet and savory flavors.

There’s more to the Caribbean than just African influences, says Molina, who was born to Honduran and Costa Rican parents. Ceviche, a chilled seafood salad common in Latin American countries, is usually made with raw fish marinated in citrus juices. Her version (NT$220) has chilled shrimp soaked in a lemon-based marinade with cherry tomatoes, chili peppers and chopped cilantro, and is served with a side of tortilla chips.

The deep-fried coconut shrimp with salsa (NT$280) is breaded with bits of coconut flakes that add a nice texture and rich flavor. However the quality of the shrimp missed the mark — it was chewy and flavorless.

But don’t hesitate to try the wonderful Cuban-style refried beans and tortilla chips (NT$200), which Molina says was inspired by a Cuban family friend’s recipe. She uses locally grown red beans, which are stewed, mashed and then refried, giving them a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The Caribbean appetizers menu is available only in the evenings, from 9:30pm to 4am. The restaurant serves Chinese dishes during the day.

Molina and a friend from St Vincent are planning to launch a Sunday brunch menu at Roxy Roots starting Oct. 18. She promises more classic home-cooked Caribbean and Latino dishes for “the person who goes out, gets drunk, has a hangover and still wants to come out and eat the next day — to recover.”

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