How this restaurant got under my radar is one for the books. Anyone who knows me knows that I am…read morea foodie, and a darn picky one. After getting back from being out of town celebrating my birthday, I wanted Caribbean cuisine. Thanks to Yelp, I found this gem of a restaurant. First, the place is huge. This is a place for a party.
Greeted by Amantha, a vibrant young lady, was a plus. Our visit was on a Monday night, when they have an all-day happy hour. Be careful of their cocktails because when they say "boozy," they mean it. I let Amantha make all the suggestions for us because, hey, if she doesn't know what's good, who does? I always want fish, so she suggested the Snapper, and noted that it would be a 35-minute wait because "everything" is made fresh. Gordon Ramsay would be thrilled. So, we ordered appetizers. Rose's Shrimp Empanadas were delicious. The shrimp were succulent and not overcooked. The Mini Gold Delights, plantain cups filled with Tassot (fried goat) and topped with pikitz (spicy slaw), a must-have!! Both served with their Golden Sauce, a savory mustardy sauce similar to a Dijon vinaigrette. Both of these were washed down with Gen Bagay cocktails (we had two).
On to the main courses. I ordered the Brooklyn Red Snapper stew, with white rice and a black bean sauce. The Snapper was spectacular. It was enough for three people. It was heavier in texture than Asian steamed fish, and yet lighter than the cousin Jamaican Escovitch Fried Red Snapper. But baby, talk about flavor. My partner ordered the Blue Goat, a savory, unctuous dish with a rich gravy, served with Djon- Djon, a native rice dish of Haiti, made with black mushrooms, a part of the cooking process, leaving an umami-packed punch of flavor. My man said that this was the best rice he had ever eaten!
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If you are not used to eating Haitian cuisine, have Amantha show you how to eat it. There is actually a ritual to blending these flavors, which made a difference. We had leftovers, but the best part is that the food was even better the next day!!! Not many restaurants can say that. They celebrated my birthday, which extended my celebration. Thank you, Golden Blue Restaurant. I will be back, and my out-of-state cousins want to come too. Now I know why, during our visit, many folks were coming in for takeout or Uber Eats! I will definitely be back!