The Battle Of The Best: Cool Runnings Vs Caribbean Hot Pot

Caribbean Hot Pot and Cool Runnings are two restaurants offering Caribbean-inspired food and drinks. While Caribbean Hot Pot offers authentic Jamaican cuisine, Cool Runnings offers a range of Caribbean-inspired seasonings. Both restaurants have received positive reviews for their food, with Caribbean Hot Pot praised for its jerk chicken and Cool Runnings for its jerk seasoning. In terms of atmosphere, Caribbean Hot Pot has been described as unassuming and colourful, with a limited number of plastic tables and booths. On the other hand, Cool Runnings seems to be a seasoning brand with no mention of a physical restaurant location.

Caribbean Hot Pot's rules and regulations

Caribbean Hot Pot Rules and Regulations

Ordering

• If you want to order fish, you must call ahead. It takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook.
• Meals are not made to order. They are cooked earlier in the day and served when requested.
• If you want to try a breakfast dish for lunch or dinner, you can, but it might be a negotiation, and you may end up displeased with the deal.
• Don't arrive less than an hour before closing time, as the staff seem distracted and ready to go home.

Food

• The food is authentic Jamaican cuisine, with recipes brought directly from Jamaica.
• The restaurant serves traditional Jamaican drinks, such as Ting soda, Irish Moss, a peanut puree juice drink, and Baba Roots, an herbal energy drink.
• The jerk chicken is the best dish. It is cooked slowly for hours on a pimento wood grill.
• The curried goat is similar to Indian curry but with more allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers.
• Goat curry and oxtail take a long time to cook, which is why few items on the menu are made to order.
• All the meat dishes use bone-in meat that is stewed until it falls off the bone.
• Jamaican stews use ample amounts of carrots and onions, similar to American beef stew, but with Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice.
• Meals are served with a generous helping of Jamaican rice and peas (kidney beans), cabbage slaw, and caramelized plantains.
• Beef patties are underwhelming and taste like they've been sitting out all day.
• Callaloo and saltfish is interesting but overly salty and vinegary.
• The escovitch fish is a traditional weekend breakfast item introduced to Jamaica by Spanish settlers. It takes 30 to 40 minutes to prepare, but it's worth calling ahead and ordering.

Service

• The restaurant does not emphasise customer service. The staff are genial, but they won't go out of their way for you.
• The dining experience is more authentically Caribbean as a result of the laid-back service.

Caribbean Hot Pot's atmosphere and decor

The atmosphere and decor of Caribbean Hot Pot are reflective of the restaurant's focus on serving authentic Caribbean cuisine. The location is described as unassuming, situated in a strip mall near Spring, surrounded by doctors' offices, car lots, and nightclubs. The exterior of the restaurant is painted in vibrant green and yellow colours, reminiscent of the Jamaican flag.

Upon entering, you'll find limited seating consisting of plastic tables and booths that are clean but not spotless. The decor includes a table with advertisements and business cards, along with a fake plant, adding a touch of island flair. The atmosphere is casual, and the service is described as genial, albeit not overly attentive. The staff is more focused on providing delicious food than creating an elaborate dining atmosphere.

The restaurant's walls are likely adorned with menus or decorations that showcase the Caribbean influence, and the air is filled with the aroma of spices and cooking. The music playing in the background adds to the overall vibe, featuring Jamaican twists on soft rock classics, such as a reggae version of "I Will Always Love You" or "Knocking on Heaven's Door" with a Jamaican accent.

The overall atmosphere at Caribbean Hot Pot is relaxed and welcoming, giving diners a glimpse of Caribbean culture and hospitality. The focus is on the food, with bold flavours and traditional recipes taking centre stage. While the decor may be simple, it adds to the charm of the restaurant, creating an authentic and unique dining experience.

Cool Runnings' range of products

Cool Runnings offers a wide range of products inspired by Caribbean flavours. Their selection includes:

Seasonings:

• Caribbean Spice & Roasted Garlic
• Jamaican Style Curry Powder
• Jerk Seasoning Spice
• All Purpose Seasoning (No MSG)
• Garlic, Pepper & Herbs
• Buffalo Chicken Seasoning
• Cajun Seasoning
• Adobo Seasoning with Garlic & Pepper
• Jerk Seasoning (Hot)
• Fried Rice Seasoning
• All Natural All Purpose Seasoning
• Barbecue Spice
• Chicken Seasoning
• Fish Seasoning

Sauces:

• Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
• Pineapple Pepper Sauce
• Blackened Cajun Sauce
• Sweet Mango Pepper Sauce

Condiments:

• Pineapple Jam with pectin
• Guava Jam with pectin
• Mango Jam with pectin
• Barbecue Honey Mustard
• Brown Betty Cassava Cassareep

Snacks:

Plantain Chips (Salted)

Cool Runnings also offers a range of drinks, including the traditional Jamaican beverage Ting, as well as DG Genuine Jamaican Ginger Beer.

Caribbean Hot Pot's customer service

The restaurant has some rules that customers should be aware of before dining there. For example, if you want fish for dinner, you need to call ahead and order it, as it takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook. Similarly, if you want to try a breakfast dish for lunch or dinner, it can be arranged, but it might require some negotiation. It's also not advisable to wander into the restaurant less than an hour before closing time, as the staff seem distracted and ready to go home.

Despite the mixed reviews when it opened in 2011, Caribbean Hot Pot has established itself as a popular destination for food with an authentic island influence. The restaurant offers a variety of traditional Jamaican dishes, such as jerk chicken, curried goat, oxtails, and escovitch fish. The food is cooked earlier in the day and served from stew pots when requested, ensuring that customers receive their orders promptly.

The restaurant's atmosphere is unassuming, located in a tiny green and yellow building in a strip center near Spring. The decor features the vibrant colours of the Jamaican flag, with plastic tables and booths that are clean but not spotless. The music playing over the speakers adds to the island feel, with Jamaican twists on soft rock classics. Overall, Caribbean Hot Pot offers a unique dining experience with delicious food and a laid-back atmosphere.

Caribbean Hot Pot's menu and food preparation

Caribbean Hot Pot Grill in Houston, Texas, serves up delicious, authentic Jamaican cuisine. The restaurant prides itself on its quality Caribbean food at reasonable prices, with a menu that is sure to transport you to the tropics.

The menu features a range of hearty dishes, including their signature oxtail with rice and peas, as well as ackee and salt fish, and akee with fry breadfruit. Each dish is carefully prepared and seasoned to achieve the perfect balance of spice and flavour. For those craving a taste of Jamaica, the restaurant offers curry chicken, beef patties on coco bread, and more.

The restaurant also serves up a variety of seafood dishes, including the Brown Stew Fish (Snapper), Escovitch Fish (Snapper), and Steam Fish (Snapper). These dishes can be served with fried dumplings or yam, dumplings and banana, or rice and peas, or white rice.

Caribbean Hot Pot Grill also offers a range of vegetarian options, such as traditional Jamaican-style spinach cooked with fresh herbs and lightly sautéed, as well as rice and beans, vegetables, and plantains.

For those with a sweet tooth, the restaurant serves up a variety of desserts, including Rum Cake, Coconut Rum, Red Velvet Cake, and Carrot Rum Cake.

The restaurant is committed to using fresh, local ingredients and imported spices from Jamaica to create authentic, flavourful dishes that will keep guests coming back for more.

Frequently asked questions