Ah Trini Travelogue Trinidad & Tobago's most travelled blogger through 99 countries. Create and Re-Engineer your life for travel.
For all the Food Network specials with Andrew Zimern and Anthony Bourdain about “Bake and Shark” … the sad thing is that there is no authentic “bake and shark” anymore and they’re advertising something that is no longer available, yet the masses come in search of a “bake and shark”.
Looking at the menu board at any vendor at Maracas Bay, the questions one should ask are :
“Where are they finding all these “Sharks”?”
“Why is “Shark Meat”, the cheapest fish meat on the menu?”
“Someone actually eats a plain bake? (Bake with no dressing)”
Ok, the last question is a rhetorical question. The plain and simple truth is that the “Shark meat” being served at these place are probably either what Trinis call “Catfish” (a bottom feeding fish – scavenger), “Skates” (a type of ray) or “Grouper” (another scavenger fish). These are in available in sufficient quantities to feed the masses now expecting their “Bake and Shark” fix when they go to Maracas.
I have no problems with an excellent fish sandwich, but I think it is about time to stop the “Bake and Shark” charade, but I know it will never happen, since “Bake and Shark” is now “controlled by the Ministry of Tourism and regulated.” … this was according to one of the vendors, I’ve verified nothing to that aspect.
I refuse to eat “Bake and Shark” at Maracas anymore because there is no “Shark” meat in the sandwich. I do love “Kingfish”, so I’ll always get the “Bake and Kingfish”.
What makes the fish sandwiches at Maracas so good is the quantity and variety of the dressings that you can top your sandwich with.
When the list of dressings includes :
- Garlic Sauce
- Fresh Chadon Beni seasoning
- Lime water
- Super Hot Pepper sauce
- Regular pimento sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Along with fresh pineapple, green mango salsa, grated mangoes, cabbage slaw, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, water cress
The dressings make the sandwich, as evidenced by the line up to dress the sandwich. These sandwich vendors are making a killing and with good reason, a Maracas beach lime is truly not complete without a “Bake and Shark”. Blame the Travel Network and savvy marketing for the association … even your world traveling Trini friend falls victim to it.
