" The Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland got a true gem when Coco Breeze opened its doors on High Street this year. With the restaurant, Annabelle Goodridge (Ann) and her daughter Merissa Lyons bring authentic Caribbean food to the East Bay— especially recipes from their roots in Trinidad and Tobago, like roti with goat and potato curry, pholourie (split pea fritters), roti wraps, and pelau, the classic Trinidadian rice dish. Its entrance into the food scene make it the only Trinidadian eatery in the city — whether you live nearby or not, it’s worth a trip ASAP."
“I think that we bridged a gap because there’s a lot of Caribbean shops, stores, and restaurants on the East Coast but on the West Coast there seems to be a void,” Lyons said." "We want to make sure that we have something that’s approachable to every palate, but you’re still getting that real flavor,” Lyons said.
" On the corner of High Street and Fairfax Avenue in East Oakland lies a hidden gem for Caribbean food and foodies alike. Chef Annabelle Goodridge, who readers might recognize from her restaurant La Belles on Adeline Street in Berkeley, has revitalized her culinary dreams in tandem with her daughter Merissa Lyons. "
"If you read just one part of this collection I suggest the anchor piece, in which we’ve collected thoughts from 23 leading activists, chefs, critics, and academics on what needs to be done — in terms of culture, economics, politics, environment, regulations — to get to a better industry and world."
"CocoBreeze marks something of a comeback for its chef, Annabelle Goodridge — aka Chef Ann — who ran a Trinidadian restaurant called LaBelle’s in Berkeley, on Adeline Street, during the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Mostly, though, Goodridge has done catering for most of her life, going back to the early ‘70s when, as a 12-year-old girl, she would help out with her mother’s catering business in Trinidad and Tobago. Her most recent company, Makin Style Catering, catered events for big clients like Kaiser, Genentech, and UC Berkeley."
