Caribbean-style roti shop, On the Double, coming this spring to Union Market. – PoPville

From a press release:

Chef Eric Adjepong, a first-generation Ghanaian-American bringing West African cuisine to the mainstream, will open his first solo restaurant, On the Double, this spring. The fast-casual counter in Union Market will offer food of the African diaspora through the lens of a Caribbean-style roti shop, giving guests a more approachable introduction to African cuisine.

Adjepong initially made a name for himself as the citys own entrant into season 16 of Bravos Top Chef, where he finished third and became an instant fan favorite. He will also compete on the upcoming season of Top Chef All-Stars, airing March 19, where the idea for On the Double first took shape.

During one of the challenges, I decided to do my take on a doubles, a popular Caribbean street snack of spicy cumin and turmeric frybread traditionally served with chickpeas. It dawned on me that this simple, but unfamiliar, dish could serve as a great jumping off point to trace how ingredients have migrated from Africa to places in the Caribbean, like Trinidad and Jamaica, Adjepong said. While Id like to pursue a full-service West African restaurant down the road, my goal with On the Double is to showcase this food in a more accessible setting.

Adjepongs menu begins with a choice of baked roti or fried doubles as a base, topped with either rice or curried chana and aloo (chickpeas and potatoes), and finished with one of an assortment of proteins chicken yassa, curry goat, coconut curry shrimp, or stewed beef. The signature dish, or The Double as its dubbed, will be a version of Adjepongs Top Chef contender, served with crispy pancetta, chermoula, and calypso hot sauce. Jollof rice, fried plantains, collard greens, and other sides with African roots, as well as drinks like sobolo (hibiscus sweet tea) and tamarind lemonade round out the meal.

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Caribbean-style roti shop, On the Double, coming this spring to Union Market. - PoPville