AUSTIN, Texas — It's been in business for less than a year but it's already one of the best restaurants in the nation, according to The New York Times.
On Monday, the paper released its 2022 list of 50 favorite restaurants in the U.S. Among them was Austin's Canje, a Caribbean restaurant on the city's east side.
"The chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph made a name for himself in Austin with the pastries at Emmer & Rye and Hestia, which he co-owns. Here at Canje — an ode to his Guyanese roots, with a menu that also stretches across the Caribbean — he has switched gears, with brilliant results," wrote Pirya Krishna. "The food is a tangy, spicy, bright, coconutty dreamscape. Tilefish soaked in tamarind and rum butter. Prawns brushed with a verdant green seasoning and smoked chiles. A tres leches cake drenched in coconut milk. What makes the jerk chicken so supercharged with flavor? Mr. Bristol-Joseph ferments his seasoning. And plan on at least one order of the buttery Guyanese-style roti per person."
Canje opened up shop in October 2021. According to its website, the restaurant was named after the Canje pheasant, the national bird of Guyana.
"Canje pulls inspiration not just from mainland Guyana, but from Jamaica to Puerto Rico, and all the islands in between," Canje's website states. "Our menu explores the cooking techniques, ingredients and many expressions of vibrant food across the region."
The restaurant also offers a cocktail program and wine list focusing on small producers, which it says both pair well with its Caribbean flavors.
The only other Texas restaurants to make the list were Sister in Dallas and Smoke'N Ash BBQ in Arlington
Canje is located at 1914 E. Sixth St., Suite C. Click here to make reservations.
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