Soleil des Iles is a no-nonsense Haitian restaurant tucked away in a gem of a strip mall in Vanier.

In operation for over two decades, the restaurant leaves its front door open in the summer, as a predominantly Haitian clientele queues up to order takeout meals.

Don’t let the minimalist décor fool you; the focus here is on the food, which does not disappoint.

I arrive at the restaurant on a sultry Sunday afternoon as three people queue ahead of me. When it’s my turn, I order a small griot with sos pwa and ask to dine in. Two ceiling fans are going at top speed to keep the air moving. A television hangs on the bright orange walls. Behind the counter, two women are rotating between taking orders and relaying them to the staff in the back. I sit down at one of three large dining tables while listening to customers chat with the ladies in Creole and French. Griot turns out to be a popular order.

My food is ready in around 15 minutes. For the very reasonable sum of $13, my griot combo came with a large serving of rice, pikliz, plantain, sos pwa and a sauce made from the pork stock leftover after cooking the griot.

My first bite is a solid chunk of griot. It’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Perfectly cooked, I love the abundance of garlic and lime that give the dish its signature flavour. It’s served with the quintessentially Haitian pikliz salad, which has a nice heat to it thanks to the scotch bonnet pepper used in Haitian cooking. My rice is soon swimming in a pool of haricot beans sauce enriched with the griot stock. It is rich, incredibly filling and delightfully satisfying. The plantain forms the cherry on the top.

I express my gratitude to the staff behind the counter and head to my car, my belly full and my heart happy, sure to be back for me another day.