'Chipotle of Caribbean food': KoKo+Rae opens fast-casual restaurant in the Highlands

Outside the bright blue building on Bardstown Road, you’ll see a tower of balloons, some shaped like palm trees, pineapples, and flamingos.

It’s a sign of something to celebrate for KoKo+Rae, a Caribbean fast-casual restaurant that opened this month in the Highlands.

It’s also a sign of what patrons might expect at KoKo+Rae. The exterior paint looks like the color of a picturesque turquoise ocean. On either side of the front door are painted phrases, reading, “Island vibes” and “One love.” Upon walking in, a huge, colorful mural has this message: “You know the vibes.”

Artist Teagan Jackon was originally hired to paint that mural. He’s now a manager at KoKo+Rae, which Jackson said is backed by some investors and run by chefs with Caribbean roots.

“When you come in, you’re going to be greeted by reggae music and laid back atmosphere,” he said. “It’s a fun place and the food is amazing.”

The restaurant at 1511 Bardstown Road has a fast-casual set-up where patrons order at the counter. Indoor dining has a capacity of about 50 people and Jackson expects to get a lot of carryout business.

The menu features build-your-own bowls or plates with protein options such as jerk chicken, spicy pulled pork, curry chicken, curry goat, jerk jackfruit, and Caribbean oxtail.

After picking a protein, you have eight choices for side items, including saffron yellow rice, rice and beans, mac-and-cheese, cabbage, bourbon molasses yams, potato salad, collard greens, and fried plantains.

“It’s like the Chipotle of Caribbean food,” Jackson said. “It’s something fresh and different for this area.”

Koko+Rae also serves an oxtail or jerk chicken grilled cheese sandwich. Other menu items include Caribbean chili, Jamaican patties, and three types of cornbread.

To dive deeper into the vibes, Koko+Rae offers nonalcoholic frozen drinks served in pineapple shells.

“When we say it’s a Caribbean kitchen, their mind goes to Jamaican,” he said. “We do have some Jamaican influence, but we’re also pulling ideas and recipes from the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and other places. It’s a real Caribbean experience.”

KoKo+Rae is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday-Sunday.

Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KoKo+Rae serves Caribbean food and 'island vibes' in the Highlands