Delarno’s delights patrons with delicious dishes

“It’s the best in town,” one customer states. It’s mild, it’s not too salt, and it’s smooth going down,” another elaborates. They are referring to the callaloo soup served at Delarno’s Food Service, which the Vincentian public selected as Best Callaloo Soup in the Best of SVG 2017 awards.

While patrons have come to enjoy the delicious goodness of the soup, they may take it for granted that it is only by a series of fortuitous events that Delarno’s Food Service even exists.

According to owner Delarno Dupont, the business had its genesis in early 1994, with a request to his mother from Duggie “Nose” Joseph.

“My brother was on a football team and they had World Cup qualifiers. Nose was the manager for Super Stars; my brother used to play for Super Stars; so they were coming home to play football for St Vincent. They wanted to raise some funds, so when the guys dem come, they could get a little spending money; so they ask my mother…” His mother accommodated the request, selling souse, cakes and other treats on Saturdays in front of Straker’s Record Shop on Back Street (now Links).

After the football fundraising venture ended, the Duponts responded positively to customers who enjoyed the food and asked them to continue selling. By May of that year, they bought their first van, as they were told by Public Health officials that they needed to operate from a vehicle, instead of the table they were using at the time. Up until then, Ian Sardine assisted them with transportation, according to Delarno.

“It’s so lucky that I got my licence in April, and I got a van to buy in May. From there, we started to operate from the van,” he said.

He had been assisting with different aspects of the business from inception, but took over fully after his mom, who is diabetic, had her leg amputated. Football it seems, has infused its flavour into Delarno’s. Not only is it one of the hot topics between Delarno and his patrons, but also, Delarno’s logo includes elements of the logo of his favourite football team, Barcelona. “I am Barcelona to me heart, me liver, me kidney,” he declared. “Make sure you write that down in bold.”

Delarno’s Food service now supplies a diversity of delicious dishes daily from the parking lot of CIBC First Caribbean Bank. The main chef is Glenroy Romeo, a long-time friend who has been with the business from the start. Another employee, Erica Samuel, assists with the sale of the food. She has been employed with Delarno’s for about 15 years.

The menu includes pelau, baked chicken, baked pig tail, stewed turkey and saltfish, served with sides of rice, provision, or macaroni salad. In order to keep patrons’ palettes excited, Delarno throws the occasional surprise dish into the mix, for instance, fish, mutton or pie and peas. And, of course, there is also the award winning callaloo soup, usually cooked with chicken or tripe, which is served daily in $5 and $10 portions.

“My daughter went and pick up my award. She was telling me when they announced the category of best soup, everybody in the audience start to say Larno, Larno, Larno. I was proud when she come home and tell me I got the best soup.”

He expressed appreciation to his customers, staff, and family, singling out his spouse and daughter, who sometimes cook some of the dishes.

In spite of what he calls ‘challenging times’, citing rising expenses such as food boxes and decreasing sales, Delarno remains content and upbeat.

“People pocket a little on the downside. But it’s life, so we have to try and live with it. If I make $100 profit when I done pay all my bills, I does look up to God and say thank God.”

Delarno’s Food Service operates Monday to Friday from 11:30 to 3:30 and may be contacted at telephone number 495-5697.