IT’S NOT a roti, not a wrap, not doubles.
Is it street food? Is it fine dining?
It’s called the “Bokit,” and it might just be the best sandwich in the Caribbean.
To call it a sandwich is a bit unfair — made of soft, flaky deep-fried flour, filled with a mix of proteins, sauces and vegetables, it’s an event in itself.
Some call it the “creole burger,” and while its origins are not entirely clear, the food developed, like many of the best street foods, out of convenience. Wherever it came from, though, the Bokit alone is worth the trip to the Guadeloupe Islands.
Most corners of the Guadeloupe archipelago will feature the street food go-to, but epicentre of the Bokit is in the beach town of Sainte-Anne, where you’ll find a daily gathering of food trucks, most of which will serve their own spin on the bokit.
And for the best bokit in the row of beach trucks, head to Marius et Sylvie, which has been in Sainte-Anne for nearly 20 years.
While you can find almost anything in a Bokit — ham, tuna, conch, chicken, bacon, mutton … we recommend the one with Moroccan-style merguez lamb sausage, something you won’t often find in the West Indies.
Despite its relatively small (and eminently portable) size, the Bokit packs a day’s worth of food into nearly every savory, scrumptious bite.
Of course, there are way too many great hand-held Caribbean foods to chronicle in once space, whether it’s the Bake ‘N Shark in Trinidad or a classic Cuban sandwich.
What is your favourite Caribbean sandwich? What’s your favourite street food? Tell us below in the comments section.
— CJ