Rehanah’s Roti

This may seem like a strange question and I’m reserving my judgement/​review.
I had a chicken roti today (January 11) and it was good. My issue is that I got food poisoning a few hours later. I was curious as did anyone else have a chicken or hot roti and get sick today?
It’s cash only, it’s small and the food is made behind a closed door. The roti naan was extremely good, the filling was good.

Rehannah’s roti has been a mainstay for myself and my family. Growing up in a deeply rooted Carribean community, Rehannah’s dedication to her craft brings me back to all the warm and fond memories of family gatherings and late night eatings. The roti skin is silky, the curried fillings of chicken, beef and goat are tender. It’s a definite can’t miss place you must treat yourself to enjoy.

Came from West Vancouver to try this place as the place has good reviews at 2:30 pm on Saturday with my two kids (2 and 4 years old). Was greeted by a rude woman that refused to serve us food despite the fact the sign said they were open until 4pm.
Have now gone to Kurumba that serves roti and a whole lot more other foods with friendly service and is an actual restaurant versus a dumpy hole in the wall.

I’ve never had this type of roti before, but I have to say, I’m a huge fan. In the past, I’ve tried Malaysian roti, which I absolutely love, but this is a bit different from what I’m used to. Different in a very good way!
I know the hours here can be a bit unpredictable, so I went mid-​week during lunch hours to ensure it would be open. I asked about the hours, and apparently it’s a one-​woman show here — and she’s often got catering gigs that are to blame for her sporadic hours — either that, or she runs out of product and closes early. It’s definitely worth a gamble, but you can always call ahead to see if they’re open.
Service is friendly and quick, and the food is delicious. I’m a bit disappointed that I missed out on the beef patties (the woman ahead of me in line got the last 2!) but I did try the chicken patty and it was really good. I love spicy food and this had a nice kick to it. I will have to go back to try the beef patty, though, as this is what I was ultimately after. I had a friend when I was growing up whose family was Jamaican and they almost always had these in the house. I absolutely loved them and have never found anything similar — so I’m hoping Rehanah’s hits the spot.
I tried the lamb roti and the chicken roti (covered lunch & dinner in one visit!) and they were both fantastic. I am definitely going back to try some of the other items Rehanah has on her menu. Delicious!

Was very excited to come here being from back east. Good experience and would come back for the Roti. Patty is good but need to take home and toast it for full patty experience!
4.8 stars!

Now I know what a great roti tastes like. And I love it!
I’ve had Caribbean wraps and rotis at various restaurants and fairs and they were all just so so. Calabash by Gastown is decent but the flavour is a little mellow, plus you have to fend with the bones.
At Rehanah’s everything is dialed in perfectly. The texture of the roti itself is tender and soft but with a nice chew. The filling is cooked slowly until everything is at a melt-​in-​your-​mouth point. Lots of flavour, a conbination which I haven’t tatsed before.

Wow great chicken roti!
So I have had this place on my bookmarks to try for almost 2 years, I drive by it almost everyday. So one rainy afternoon I saw the open sign on and Ive decided to try it out finally. A lovely lady with a cute accent greets me. The menu wasn’t too intimidating and with a place called Rehanah’s Roti the decision was easy roti it is. I went with chicken roti I was also tempted to grab a beef patty but decided to hold off and see how big the roti was. And Im glad I did, holy rotimagous! It was like a giant folded yummy goodness. Its was temperature smokin HoT but wanted to eat it so bad, I burnt my mouth and I lots my taste buds for a day I think… it was worth it though. Big chunks of chicken, potatoes, and great curry sauce, spicy but just enough jot too crazy. It was delish!!! And the lady was so friendly, I would come back just to hangout with her but defiantly try the roti. I also cant wait to try out other menu items.

Fluffy, light, delicious corn tortillas filled with wholesome ingredients. Cash only!

Difficult to say which is more of a treat — Rehanah or her rotis. Amazing food, relaxed venue, street parking available. Did I mention amazing food? Amazing. Well worth what some other reviewers have considered pricy.
(Be sure to visit the bank across the street as site accepts cash only.)

This place is AWESOME. ive been there twice in the last week since I discovered it. Rihanna is such a nice lady and the food there is very authentic and delicious. Ive now had the chicken and goat and about to try more. This place is perfect for a quick lunch during a work day.

Rehana’s is pretty damned good. Is it the best roti I’ve ever had? No, I’m afraid it isn’t. BUT — it is the only Trini roti place I’ve found anywhere in the lower mainland, and given the dearth of Caribbean options that we have locally (The Reef? really?) it’s a standout winner purely by virtue of the lack of competition. Having said that, Rehana’s is also quite good in its own right and would hold its own next to options that one might find in areas where the availability is much greater (say for example the Greater Toronto Area).
Port Moody sucks and is a pain in the ass to get to; and Rehana’s hours aren’t exactly friendly for those who don’t live/​work in the area. Don’t expect that you’ll be able to nip by after work, or for dinner on the weekend — but it is worth taking the time to verify her hours and then make the trek out there. You’ll curse the journey on your way out, I all but guarantee it. Traffic sucks and it’s far. But all will be forgiven once you sink your teeth into the deliciousness of a Trini roti.

FINALLY. Finally a decent place to get roti in the lower mainland, and close to home to boot! And not just any roti — soft, succulent GOAT roti.
Have been seriously jonesing for roti at the quality level I’m accustomed to from living in the middle of little Jamaica in the T-​Dot (although ironically the best shops are arguably in Scarborough).
Comes rolled in a proper wrapper — just slightly charred and somehow both soft and chewy — the way roti should be.
Proprietor is a total sweetheart to boot.
–1 star because it’s cash only and I’m dependent on the cards these days.

Each bite of the roti was a flavor explosion! It is the perfect combination of meat and potato dripping with caribbean spice, all wrapped in a warm, moist and oh so soft roti. Went to Rehanah’s Roti on a whim right before going to the movies and I’m so so glad we took the trouble to track this gem of a place down.
Rehanah is a doll of a lady and will talk to you like your own mama does. Totally worth the $$ and the drive out to get some.
Food — 5
Ambiance — 3 (it’s a mom and pop place with a few tables so not holding this against them)
Overall — Great place for some good Trini home cooking, but make sure you get there before 5pm! So hurry!

My girlfriend and I finally had a coinciding day off, first time in two months. We just had to make the trek from Vancouver to Port Moody, for authentic Doubles. It had just been way too long a wait for my favourite treat on Earth.
WHAT ARE DOUBLES? You want to know, so just go over to YouTube and watch «How to make ah doubles (Trinidad)»
This morning, I phoned Rehanah’s to see if they had Doubles available. The owner, Rehanah Khan, answered the phone (ten minutes before the advertised opening time, quite eager I was) and informed me that she makes Doubles on weekends only, and this weekend was a no-​go due to a catering commitment. After realizing the desperation my tone of voice held, she agreed to make six Doubles for us– for today. We were to be there for 5pm, but showed up almost two hours early, and she supplied us with the delicious treat shortly after. Eager, as previously stated… not crazy! I have been Doubles crazy in the past, but thought I’d be waiting a looong time to taste the real thing again.
I have not had real Doubles since August of last year, they are hard to come by on the west coast. At Calabash in Vancouver, they serve ‘singles’ that taste great and all, but they aren’t the spicy channa between two barra that I’m used to… Rehanah’s Doubles are da real ting.
We spent three hours on buses today (and $ 8.40 a person on transit), and I’d say it was more than worth the time. When we saw the super cute exterior, we knew we were in for the belly smile sensation of the year.
We had two Doubles each with Ting, served up real nicely with a massive wedge of melon on the side, and took two more home to enjoy with some beer (great suggestion from RK that I already had planned). «Am I gonna have to carry you two outta here?» Very filling, still had that drunk-​on-​food feeling an hour and a half later when I arrived in Vancouver.
Just an amazing spot overall, Rehanah knew each and every one of her customers as they walked through the door, and precisely what they’d come in for. It reminded me of my favourite spot out east. She wanted to know who we were and why we were Doubles crazy. We shared some laughs and she told us that she knew we’d be back before we even got there.
It’s criminal to think that this shop has such a small internet presence, but it’s easy to see why; Rehanah is in it for the food and she knows that 3D word-​of-​mouth niceties will take care of her advertising. She’s doing what she loves to do, and I cannot wait to come back and try the roti.

It lives up to the hype!

* Little Trinidadian Spot with Warm Service *
Rehanah is a one woman show with her warm service and tasty cooking in this little hole in the wall with a few tables.
The goat roti ($ 11.50) came plated with a piece of very ripe melon for dessert (and to cut the spice I imagine). I ordered it medium spicy, and it had a nice kick to it. The goat was amazingly tender, well seasoned, and spiced perfectly for my taste. There were also potatoes stuffed in there to round out the filling and soak up some of the curry sauce. The roti was the semi-​flaky type and worked well. Photos:
and
She has some classic Caribbean drinks like Ginger Beer (
) and Ting (
), which are a nice touch — even if they are priced rather high at $ 2.95 for a small bottle. Ting is a classic flavour, and was the imported version so it tasted the same. The ginger beer was made by the same company, but I have had other versions of Ginger Beer that I much prefer. But I digress.
My only beef is that the pricing is a bit high for what is on offer considering the setting, but even with that I will definitely return.

Chicken roti and a ginger beer. Perfect afternoon on a sunny Saturday.

I have been coming here for over 10 years. I first found this place when I was working in the restaurant beside it… my gym is also around the corner. Rehanah is a super cool lady and does everything by herself, she cooks the food and does the cashier as well. All the rotis are amazing, very flavourful and very filling. The price range is I think from 9 –12 bucks. I know some reviewers are saying it’s expensive but personally I don’t think it is, this is quality food, this isn’t some crappy food at the food court you can get for 5 bucks. They have goat (my favorite) chicken, beef, shrimp and maybe a veg one I’m not sure. You can have it spicy, medium etc. There is I think 4 or 5 tables if you want to eat there, I usually order take out. These seriously are the best rotis in town. I’ve tried others and nothing compares to these. One of my favorites for sure!

Rehanah’s isn’t a place where you go for ambience, or quick service, or even super cheap eats. This is a place where you go for consistently delicious, comforting food from a lovely spit-​fire of a lady.
A lot of people have said that this place is «really far», but not for me. I am blessed to live only minutes away by car, and I drive past it on a daily basis. However, because of the odd hours, I lived in this sleepy hamlet of Port Moody for years before I finally wandered into this roti-​joint. Ever since, I’ve been stopping by anytime I drive by and the «open» sign is on and I don’t have lunch plans.
The roti itself has a perfect elastic-​soft-​flaky texture, with a bit of a sweet taste. It’s the perfect compliment to Rehanah’s various fillings. I’ve tried lamb, beef, chicken, chickpea, and mixed veggie. Mixed veggie is my personal favourite, but they’re all incredibly delicious.
I grew up eating Fijian curry and roti. Rehanah’s Trini roti is not the same, but it’s damn good. So good, in fact, that it got my parents’ very-​difficult-​to-​earn stamp of approval for curry.
In response to those reviewers who’ve mentioned that it’s pricey — it’s not cheap, but it is incredibly filling. I’m not a dainty eater in the slightest (you’d know that if you’ve read any of my other reviews!), and I can barely finish a whole one in one sitting. It’s also worth mentioning that these rotis keep really well — they stay warm for an impressive amount of time in their foil wrappers, but they’re also really great reheated later on or the next day. That way, all of you who aren’t lucky enough to live down the street can stock up!
Some tips:
— I’ve noticed that the hours here aren’t exactly set in stone. (Island time, anyone?) It’s best to arrive somewhere in the middle of business hours (i.e. 1pm to 4pm on weekdays) to ensure she has the flavours you want.
— if you’re ordering more than 2 or 3, it’s a good idea to call ahead.
— Rehanah’s is a one, sometimes two, woman operation. Be patient with the service — it’s worth it!
— Cash only! I keep forgetting that she doesn’t take debit. Luckily, there’s a Scotiabank across the street, and she doesn’t mind if you have to run over to grab some cash.

I don’t go out to Port Moody often, but whenever I do, I hope and pray that RIhanna’s Roti is open. This Trinidadian place is always worked by the owner, who makes a damn incredible roti. The chickpea wrap is one of those divine gifts from heaven that you wish you could eat every day — but you can’t, because you can only get it in Port Moody, and most of the time this place is closed.
If the atmosphere in this place is lacking, it is more than made up for by the food. Get takeout and go find a nice place to sit. After all, you’re in Port Moody.
As one previous reviewer said, they don’t seem to stay open for their advertised hours — maybe it’s «Trinidad time» — so I would recommend that you go to this place when passing through rather than making it your destination.
I just want to note — this place is on my Indian and South Asian food list, but it is Trinidadian. The Indian influence in Rihanna’s cuisine is clear, but it is not, technically, South Asian. Still, lovers of Indian food will love this Caribbean delight.