Last Updated on April 17, 2024, 2:40 PM | Published: April 17, 2024
Frustration comes in many flavors, but one of the most bitter varieties is finding out about something wonderful late in the game.
A great TV show that’s just been canceled. A sale the day after it ends. The band you love playing in town a week ago.
So heed these words before it’s too late: Carican Flavors has been going strong for almost two decades, but it won’t last forever.
Owners Sharon and Michael McMillan began their restaurant, named for the blend of Caribbean and American tastes (Caribbean + American = Carican), in 2005. Originally from Trinidad, they didn’t come to Oklahoma with the intention to own a restaurant, but they sure succeeded.
While other Caribbean-flavored restaurants have come and gone, Carican has endured in its small stand-alone building on North Martin Luther King Avenue, and its longevity is a testament to the quality of the food.
Oxtail has not, historically, been easy to market. For one thing, people get weird about meat on the bone and meat from an unfamiliar part of the animal. Oxtail isn’t a clever name. It’s beef from the tail of the cow. For many years, oxtail was cheap and used primarily as the base for beef stock, as the blend of collagen, bone, meat, and fat creates a liquid that is intensely flavorful with a pleasant mouthfeel that’s ideal for soups, stews, and sauces.
But in the practiced hands of Carican’s cooks, the stewed oxtail is a delectable treat. The bone is still there, as is some of the fat, but the meat is decadently soft, rich, and beefy. And maybe it’s weird to call beef “beefy,” but if one were to taste oxtail next to beef tenderloin, the flavor difference is clear.
Whether diners choose the small or large portion, the ideal side to get with it is spinach rice. The jus from the beef braise soaks into each individual grain, supercharging it with flavor.
Beef doesn’t dominate the menu at Carican. There’s stewed beef and oxtail, but most of the menu is dedicated to chicken and fish.
Jerk chicken is an obvious choice, but don’t go in expecting taste buds to spontaneously burst into flames. The jerk spice is warm and comforting, almost with Christmas-y flavors like clove and cinnamon, and the heat it brings is mild and palate-pleasing. The slow-cooked chicken is barely holding onto the bone and once it hits the tongue, it almost disintegrates. Spinach rice would work as a side here, too, but the red beans and rice are also great, especially with the added bulk of the red beans.
By the way, this isn’t Cajun red beans and rice. The flavors are more muted and less fiery, but the blend of tender beans and plump rice are as filling as they are comforting.
When it comes to the fish, tilapia and red snapper are wonderful, but I can’t get over the catfish. First of all, when you get fried catfish from Carican, you’re not getting fish pulled out of a deep fryer with a crispy cornmeal crust—not that there’s anything wrong with that style. Instead, diners receive a massive catfish filet that has been lightly sprinkled with flour and a spice blend made by the McMillans and fried in a pan.
Even catfish haters should try Carican’s catfish. (See the feature photo.) It’s a very clean fish, no muddy flavors, and the spice blend will awaken long-dormant taste buds without setting the whole mouth on fire. The freshness of the herbs is key, but so is the care it receives in the kitchen, giving it a lovely, juicy texture and a crust you’ll want to savor. The platter comes with two sides, but if you’re on a budget, the catfish with fries is more affordable and just as filling.
For the sides, the spinach rice and red beans and rice are hard to beat, but the broccoli is extremely tender and well seasoned. The cabbage is soft, with just a bit of bite back, and the black-eyed peas are a delight.
But the king of the sides is the mac and cheese, which is baked in a pan, resulting in crispy edges, gooey interiors, and a top of lightly burnt cheese that brings it all together.
Twenty years is a long time for any restaurant to stick around, but I’m hoping that the McMillans keep at it for a while longer. Not that anyone should begrudge them a happy retirement, but I don’t know anyone else making this food this well in the metro. Be sure to try it for yourself soon so you’ll have plenty more opportunities to return.
- Carican Flavors
- 2701 North Martin Luther King Avenue
- (405) 424-0456
- caricanflavors.com
- Tues-Fri 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Saturday noon-6:30 p.m.
Watch for our weekly column by one of OKC’s best food reviewers, Greg Elwell focused on locally-owned restaurants serving great food by neighbors you want to know.
Long-time food enjoyer Greg Elwell writes about food, restaurants, and trends. He has his own blog "I Ate Oklahoma" and has written for The Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, and others.
