Spoilt for Choice

Big soulful flavours and a litany of intriguing, unusual dishes – this African/Caribbean takeaway really will leave you spoilt for choice.

Takeaway review
Specialising in Afro-Caribbean ‘soul food’, the eclectic and expansive menu of Spoilt for Choice is a significant departure from Edinburgh's typical takeaways. Caribbean Chicken Delight features chicken pieces marinated in honey and a blend of Jamaican spices served in a deliciously creamy coconut and pineapple sauce, a wonderful balance of sweet, savoury and spice. Goat stew comes with tender, slightly fatty chunks of goat in a rich tomato ragout. Side orders of dodo (fried plantain) and puff-puffs (small, savoury doughnuts) are the perfect accoutrement to these distinctive sauces, although conkies, a corn based, polenta-like dish seasoned with pumpkin and coconut is more of an acquired taste.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

Big soulful flavours and a litany of intriguing, unusual dishes from almost 20 different African and Caribbean countries means this unassuming Meadowbank takeaway more than lives up to its name. Sure, there are well-known favourites such as jerk chicken wings, fried plantain and rice and peas, but it’s the unfamiliar options that really stand out. Kitoza exotic, a spicy, crispy dried-beef dish from Madagascar is lip-smackingly good, while the Nigerian akara (fritters made with black-eyed peas and spices) are surprisingly moreish. But best of all are the dangerously addictive puff-puffs; small savoury doughnuts that go great paired with koyasi, a tangy dipping sauce available by the tub or bottle.