Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) Don’t beat this step chilD…. 2023 MazDa cX-30 preMiuM plus 2023 MazDa cX-30 preMiuM plus M azda is the red headed step child of the automobile industry. They are part of the family but there is just a little something off about them. With the exception of the Miata, and if you’re a reader of Clutch you know how I feel about those s-boxes, Mazda doesn’t have a show-stopper or brand to hang their hat on. The CX models might be starting to pour some concrete but are still a bit of a ways away. The CX-30 is an enjoyable ride but feels only slightly larger than the hatchback Mazda 3. If you splurge for the 2.5 turbo engine you’ll enjoy a peppy 227 horsepower and 310-lb ft of torque. Given the size of the CX-30, this engine produces an enjoyable driving experience with ample pep and power. The cargo and passenger space is smaller than one would expect in a crossover SUV but think of the CX-30 as the fat little brother of the Mazda 3….it’s just a bigger car. LOL. The exterior stylings are starting to improve but still give off Mazda vibes. I think a bigger redesign should be in the works at some point to add even more cool points. The cabin design is functional and modern with solid materials for the investment. The 22/30 MPG are respectable and the $37,205 price tag is a steal for the ride. While Mazda is still the step child of the auto industry, they are making vehicles that are worth a look and not worth a beating anymore. Pick-Up: Handling: Comfort: Passenger Comfort: Safety & Security: Sound System: Access to Controls: Bells & Whistles: Overall: Looks: pepper. It’s tender and rich, charred to a deep mahogany and wrapped in a thick robe of sweet, flavorful smoke. And it’s presented as God intended, with every bone still right there in the bird. There’s a deft hand making that chicken. And it’s capable of making a lot more. Far from home Chef Nakia Raymond, who prefers to go by his last name, came up in Spanish Town, Jamaica, where he garnered a lot of kitchen experience as well as some local press before moving to the States. “This is my lifestyle,” Raymond explains. “I’m a chef from day one. I love to cook.” Raymond’s wife, Jessica White- Raymond, is not similarly blessed. “Everybody can cook, but not everyone is a chef,” White-Raymond says. “If I cook more than a pound of rice, I can give it to the United States military for ammunition.” Playful self-deprecation aside, White- Raymond is no less integral to Cool Vybz’ success. Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, she handles the business end of things as well as the front of house — a humble, utili- tarian room bedecked in Bob Marley para- phernalia and the requisite black, green and gold motif. The couple met and married in Arizona, and they started the restaurant with nothing, not even a register to accept cash- only payments. But word of mouth within the community brought 500 customers to Cool Vybz on the first day, White-Raymond says, and Raymond has held down the kitchen ever since — a one-man show with a ringmaster whorefuses to compromise. “All our stuff is freshly done every day,” Raymond explains. “Small portion, every batch, we go batch by batch.” It shows. Embrace the bones I’m sitting in Cool Vybz on a weekday afternoon, trying to suck every last delec- table bit of marrow from the last nugget of stewed goat left on my plate.I’ve sampled some superlative goat dishes around Phoenix over the years, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen my tablemates fighting over the bones. Raymond’s curry goat is a standout dish, with a thick, luscious sauce, deeply developed curry flavor and meat so tender and flavorful it’s almost like a different animal. Phoenix diners, in the aggregate, have long maintained an antagonistic relation- ship with bones, which is to say most would rather not experience them at all. I can only emphasize that the bone-averse would do well to get over that hangup pronto, because otherwise you’ll never experience dishes such as the oxtails at Cool Vybz. An unassuming dish, this is everything I want from oxtails. The morsels plumb the depths of meaty unctuousness, thickly spiced, dripping with gelatin and supple enough to slurp right off the bone. And once you’ve slurped the bones clean, the only thing left to do is mop up the rest of that delectable, meaty stew Clockwise from top left: Jerk chicken and beef patties are on the daily menu. (Photos by Jacob Tyler Dunn) Specials such as coconut curry shrimp are served on Fridays. (Photo by Dominic Armato) Escovitch fish is sweet and tart and smothered with pickled vegetables. Sneaky bits of Scotch bonnet pepper will set you on fire. (Photo by Dominic Armato) Far from home Cool Vybz, Hot Dishes from p 15 >> p 19
