Eats & Beats: Reggae Pot Jamaican Grill at Live at the Vineyards

This portion of the interview above has been edited for length and clarity:

Steve Chavis: Yeah, man. We got some dub that's going to hit you right in your taste buds, man. That's what The Reggae Pot does, hits you right in the taste buds, man. It's Reggae Pot Jamaican Grill. And Tamara is with us in the house. Thanks for making it to KUVO!

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐍𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡: Good morning, guys. Thank you for having me.

Carlos Lando: Of course. You're most welcome.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: Good to have you back. And not only that, but you're back at Live at the Vineyards. Before we get to that and what you'll be serving, congratulations on a second location! We know the location in Centennial at South University in Dry Creek, but you've just opened on Monaco Parkway, South Monaco and Evans. How's it going?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Pretty good. More than expected. I'm so excited and grateful for the support that we're having. Thank you very much for the congratulations. We're really very excited about everything that's happening at Monaco. Every guest that comes in keeps telling us how excited they are that we're closer to them in Denver and [how they’re] not having to drive as far but they would if they need to.

Abi Clark: Because they would!

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: That's right.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: We've seen the lines at Juneteenth [Festival].

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: You're making these patties, which we have here. A staple in Denver, but that's not the only thing about Jamaican food that we love. Everybody knows the jerk chicken is just- what's going on in my mouth. It's so special. But what's the really hot item on your menu?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: The oxtail.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: Soup?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Oxtail stew! It's oxtail with potatoes, carrots, butter beans, smothered in brown gravy or sauce. Everybody knows that. I was going to the airport the other day and TSA was like, "Hey, you're that oxtail lady!" Everyone knows about Reggae Pot Oxtail. So, I think that's the staple. But everything on the menu is really good and we encourage [people] to try [it.]

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: Are you willing to reveal where you get your Caribbean peppers? You got a secret source for your special peppers. These are not off-the-rack peppers. You're putting some special stuff in there.

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Well, if I tell you it wouldn't be a secret, so sorry...

𝐀𝐛𝐢: You learned from your grandmother a lot of these recipes, and grew up cooking beside her?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: I did, yes.

𝐀𝐛𝐢: What were some of the lessons she taught you when it came to cooking this kind of food?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Just to be consistent and make sure to use fresh ingredients and make sure love is involved in the stew as well. So that's what we do at Reggae Pot every day. We put our heart and a lot of love into all the food that we prepare to make sure that when you guys come in, you enjoy it and leave. Tell a friend, bring more people when you're coming back.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: You must have an amazing staff, though, because you're sitting here with us this morning, when we know in the business that you're in, it's like you get up at 6 in the morning or 7, even if the place opens at 11. Now with two locations, you’ve got to have an incredible staff. So, kudos to them.

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Yeah, my team rocks. They are there for me every step of the way. I could not be Reggae Pot without the team that I have. So, I'm very grateful for everything that they've done and continue to do today. Very, very happy.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: So this brings us to, you're going to be at Balistreri again. How many years you guys have been coming there?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: I think this is our fourth year.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: Fourth year? Yeah, I think so. Gosh. And so you always have to bring the most popular items that people just line up for, right? So that means the oxtails are coming. What else?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Jerk chicken. For vegan friends, we have the curry potatoes with veggies and everybody likes that, for some reason, even the ones who are not vegan. Will have the patties there as well.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: Alright, so tell us about the curried goat. What is that?

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Yes. It's at weddings, funerals, birthday parties, and get-togethers. Anything you're doing in Jamaica, there's curry goat involved. It's right alongside your jerk chicken. But it's very important. We grew up celebrating having a goat curried along with the jerk chicken for all the celebrations. Pretty good.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: So, you could not be an authentic Jamaican restaurant without curried goat. Because I know there is a Jamaican community here that would walk into your place, and if you didn't have curry goat…

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: It would be trouble, yes, if it was not on the menu. We had to have curry goat, jerk chicken, oxtail, and definitely the patties on the menu, or we would not be Jamaicans.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: My first taste of Reggae Pot Jamaican Grill was in Colorado Springs a long, long time ago. And you guys have moved to Denver now and made it. So, congrats again.

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Thank you guys very much. We came down here about four years ago and are doing very well. The community in Centennial is very supportive, they love us, and they tell other people [to] bring friends, and we've been doing great. We're very grateful for everyone.

𝐀𝐛𝐢: Wow. Building a whole community. And when you came in, was there this kind of food present in Denver?

Tamara: No

Abi: You felt there was a space that you could fill?

Tamara: That's what we did. We needed it.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞: We needed this. I tell you, feeding hungry people is the Lord's work, and bless you. South University and Dry Creek in Denver. At South Monaco at Evans - reggaepotjamaicangrill.com. Thank you, Tamara.

𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚: Thank you guys for having me again. I appreciate it.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬: You're most welcome. And we will see you at Reggae Pot Jamaican Grill.