Though we're not usually allowed to express them, no one harbors an unsolicited opinion like a journalist. This year, Free Times and Post and Courier journalists, and a few of our freelancers, took the time to pick their own Best of Columbia 2024 winners. And, because we can't just follow a simple rule, we made up a lot of our own categories, too.
Keep reading for our picks, and feel free to lambast us in the Facebook comments. We're plenty used to it. Zoe Nicholson, Free Times editor The oxtail pelau from Trini Lime Caribbean Cafe.
The category is open-ended, but if I had to choose between any of Columbia's mouth-watering, rice-based entrées or desserts, it would have to go to the one that nearly brought me to tears at Trini Lime Caribbean Cafe. Their Oxtail pelau, available on most of Trini Lime's Thursday lunch special menus, is a one-pot dish featuring tender, slow-simmered meat and rice. The dish tastes cohesive, but each ingredient holds its own — including the rice, itself, which is miraculously firm and not overcooked.
Its addictive, savory flavor pairs naturally with included sides of side of sweet, creamy coleslaw and a side salad bathed in a green garlic dressing that packs a surprisingly spicy and acidic punch. If you're not getting it with a side of their homemade coconut milk fudge with almond extract, you're doing it wrong. Jane Godiner, Free Times food reporter A chili dog with all the fixings, purchased for $4.
50 at B&S One Stop LLC at 1823 Superior Stree.