It is hard not to inhale the natural environment when you enter the Backyard Cafe on the outskirts of Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, that exudes creative cooking, crafted with superior ingredients for mouth-watering tastes.
The surroundings beckon patrons to the enchanting foliage, and pure ambiance. A coal pot sits in a corner of the yard and lends itself to the bygone days of grandma’s delicious food, cooked in a rustic setting.
On the quiet, charming 394 Rose St., in East Ruimveldt, The Backyard Cafe attracts a steady stream of foodies, because of its organic menu and inviting atmosphere.
From farm to plate, Chef Delven Adams is not only passionate about creating delicious dishes to satisfy every palate, he also engages his customers in delightful story telling about his cooking, and the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, a privilege many countries he says, do not have.
At his childhood home turned restaurant, Adams encourages persons to make reservations to facilitate fresh ingredients and fresh catch of the day.
A “calabash” (a dried vegetable shell) of fresh tropical fruit was all my palate needed to get ready for a feast that followed.
The three-course meal consisted of boiled and fried sweet potato, cassava and ripe plantain, baked-fish, garnished with fresh lemongrass herb, steamed okra, and a mix veggie plate of crispy carrots, Bok Choy, and cabbage.
Adam’s creative juices flow when he cooks, as was clear in his popular pan pizza, topped with fresh herbs, special made cheese, and homemade sauce.
The café’s popular customized cherry drink, ginger tea, and guava and “Jamoon” wines, go well with the organic cooking that the chef de jour prides himself on.
He sources his family farm and local farmers for the freshest produce, fish and meat, to satisfy his clientele, many who jet from around the world, to be served in the intimate setting.
Malini Jaikaran, his partner in the business, is an expert when it comes to desert. She whips up creative cakes that melt in your mouth.
Adams told Caribbean Life that he wants to raise awareness about healthy eating and by opening the Backyard Café he gets an opportunity to show people that “we could eat what we grow.”
He shared some of his secrets ingredients that go into his cooking, stating that none of his produce is frozen, but picked or bought fresh daily.
“I can’t grade the food, I would like the customer to decide the quality and taste of my food,” said Adams, who added the he experienced various types of cooking during his travels around the world, but he brings his own fusion to the table.
What started as cooking meals in a new and exciting way to entertain friends, has turned into a popular restaurant for tourist and locals.
In addition to preparing a good meal, Adams now packages his herbs and spices for sale and export.
Backyard Café could be found on Facebook.
