Freedom Fighter’s I-tal Shack

Ital is Vital

Whereas before you would sit under the big tree to savour your ital meal at the Freedom Fighter’s Shack on Bush Road, now you can actually enjoy your meal in a true restaurant. After two months of cutting, hammering and painting, Ras Bushman and his wife Raisa have opened their new Freedom Fighter’s I-tal shack and are ready to serve their clients the great tasting ital food they’re known for.

If you're even a casual listener of reggae music, there's no doubt that you've heard the word "Ital" mentioned at one time or another. Ital has been translated from Jamaican patois slang as "pure," and that's appropriate, especially when taking into account that Ital is usually mentioned in connection with food or cooking.

So what is Ital food? Simply put, Ital food is organic, non-processed food from the earth (that is, vegetarian, by most definitions). "Ital is vital" best summarizes the Rastafarian belief that pure food from the earth is the most physically and spiritually beneficial. An Ital diet is nearly vegan (vegetarian) and avoids alcohol, and other drugs, and milk is also not included.
“It’s very healthy food,” said Raisa, who does all the cooking. “And I only use olive oil for cooking,”
So, no milk, no flesh, no processing... the recipes must be bland, right? Wrong! If you have visited the I-tal Shack on Bush Road, you're probably well aware of how satisfying vegetarian meals can be. Ital dishes often contain a variety of herbs and spices as well as a wide range of exotic fruits and vegetables.
“I use vegetables and some fruits from our garden up the hill,” said Raisa. “I only want to use fresh and natural ingredients, it tastes much better.” That’s one of the reasons why there is no fixed menu. Raisa cooks up whatever is available at the moment and sometimes it’s just not the season for a specific vegetable. She cooks a lot with tofu and whole-wheat grains. Side dishes often include plantain all to be cooked up "inna Ital stylee."
Raisa even prefers to cook outside on a fire than on the gas stove. “I only use the stove if I have to warm up things quickly,” she said. “I prefer everything natural, even the way of cooking.” The meals are also often served in half a bowl made out of a coconut shell. Even the spoon is made from coconut. As far as drinks go, only natural homemade juices are available, including tamarind and soursop. It can’t get more ital than that.

Although eating under the tree had its charms the new colourful I-tal Shack creates an irie atmosphere and there’s plenty of room to bring your whole family as it can hold up to 25 people. It’s always a surprise what Raisa is cooking up, but you can bet it’s something you can sink your teeth in.