Tag: prospect heights

Categories
chinese

J’s Wong Chinese Restaurant

Finishing up our our Lefferts Garden/Prospect Heights adventure (see De Hot Pot, The Islands), we stopped by J’s Wong. It’s a standard Chinese take out spot. The employees all wore paper hats that said “J’s W.” I wonder if they knew when they decided on their name. Only the Chinese could get away with calling something J’s Wong. Either way, genius. It made me want to check it out.

We got an egg roll and hot & sour soup. Egg roll was standard. Fried wrapped shredded cabbage –a deep-fried salad.

The hot & sour soup had  a different taste than what I’m used to. Not bad, just different. More cabbage in there.

Now I look at the menu further, they have a pork chop sandwich for only $3. I’m interested to see what that looks like.

J’s Wong – 717 Franklin Ave (btwn Park Pl & Sterling) Brooklyn, NY 11238

On our way to find our bus through Bed Stuy, we came across this rad Stevie Wonder/Black History mural on Nostrand Ave.

Categories
caribbean

The Islands – Exotic Caribbean Cuisine

Our Caribbean adventure continues as we walked up to Prospect Heights for what many say is the best Caribbean food in NYC at The Islands. I got the address from Yelp (Washington Ave between Sterling & St Johns Pl). So we followed my lead towards one of the streets. Then we noticed that we following two girls, a guy and a baby. Walking right behind them, turning at the same streets. We got to our corner and saw Tom’s Diner. I was staring at the menu for a few minutes. Then looked down the street to see if I can see The Islands. Oh shit. I was standing right next to the group we’ve been following for the past 15mins, going into their apartment. They seemed a little bit nervous.

Anyway, we kept walking up and down the street and couldn’t find the Islands. Yasmin finally called them. It was pretty much right where we started at the edge of the park, before we went in a long circle and stalked the two girls, a guy and a baby. I’m going to see if I can change those Yelp cross-streets right now. There’s a shuttered business closer to those cross-streets called “Island Taste” with a green awning that says “West Indian Cuisine – Jerk Chicken – Patties.”  I’m sure newbies like me think that was it and they closed. Fret not. Go towards the Key Foods. It’s right next door.

I was told by a Jamaican friend to get the Jerk Lamb. I was going to do a joke about “You are what you eat. Jason Lam–>Jerk Lamb”, but they didn’t have any and now my joke is ruined. We got the large Jerk Chicken instead. Huge portions for $12. Came with Rice and Peas and Cabbage Veggies. So good. Really nice spice. Chicken was the most tender I’ve ever seen for Jerk Chicken. The drumstick meat fell off the bone. I’m not usually a drumstick fan, but this was great.

Nice to take the food a block away to eat in front of the shooting water fountain at the Brooklyn Museum. I feel like I’m home …at Epcot.

The Islands – 803 Washington Ave (btwn Eastern Parkway & Lincoln Pl) Brooklyn, NY 11238

Categories
caribbean

Christie’s Jamaican Patties

I’ve always been on the lookout for a great Jamaican meat patty in New York. I’ve loved the patties and coco bread at Caribbean Spice when I went to school down in Gainesville, FL. I’ve found nothing close since I’ve moved 8 years ago.

I’ve heard of Christie’s Jamaican Patties and finally got my chance to try them the other night (when I was in the area to say goodbye to Albertina at Sharlene’s Bar). Christie’s came out with a fresh batch of beef patties when I walked in. 1 Beef Patty and 1 Coco Bread was $3 total. The Coco Bread looked good and homemade as they pulled it off the baking tray. I’ve come to be disappointed with the store-bought Coco Bread that comes out of a bag whenever I see it in NY.

Well, I don’t know. The patty and coco bread were no Caribbean Spice. I suppose it’s good for NY compared to Golden Krust, pizza spots and bodegas. But their coco bread (along with all the other places) is just bread. Not the buttery layered warm bread found at Caribbean Spice. Maybe I have it all wrong. Perhaps all these mediocre patties and breads are authentic-style and Caribbean Spice is just a different beast of its own. Surely I haven’t found anything close to it. 🙁

Christie’s Jamaican Patties – 387 Flatbush Ave (btwn Sterling Pl & Carlton Ave) Brooklyn 11238

Categories
restauranting

The Vanderbilt

Ryan and Meghan came back to visit NY. We started off at happy hour at Hot Bird, then walked over to the Vanderbilt for some fancy small plates. I saw Sarah and Albertina already eating and went over to say hello. They asked me if I was going to the party? What party? They said the one they emailed and Facebooked me on. Where? Hot Bird. Dang, I was just there! Well come back over. Oh shit yeah, Happy Birthday! …I felt like a total ass, but I’m glad they reminded me.

I really don’t remember how the food was at the Vanderbilt after all the cocktails, wine and beer. I’m just surprised how I could food blog on autopilot with all these photos. That’s pretty impressive. I wonder if the uni pasta reminded me of a 1982 VCR from Winter Park, FL, like uni usually does. I do remember reliving a Florida moment with Hinkle after dinner with an air-jam recreation of our old band’s Szechwan Pork’s The Turkey Song. Wow, was I always into food?

I also remember stumbling back over to Sarah’s birthday party at Hot Bird, where I believe I talked Starlee’s ear off about the Secret and I don’t remember why. But turns out that she’s writing a book about self-help. Maybe she’ll write how drunk food bloggers love the Secret. Maybe it was the Secret that led me back to ramble about the Secret?

The Vanderbilt – 570 Vanderbilt Ave (btwn Pacific & Dean St) Brooklyn, NY 11238