Red Rooster
One of the most vibrating neighborhoods in America is Harlem. Known for their music, arts, vibrant culture and soul food. One of the founding restaurants here is none other than celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster. A staple in the dining scene of New York City and a local favorite here in Harlem, Chef Samuelsson and his team have reimagined the roots of American cuisine.
Being a former resident in Harlem, on Sugar Hill to be exact I’ve frequently gone around the neighborhood to attend festivals and even rallies and protests. One thing about Harlem is that the community is 100% solid and intact. They are proud to be from here, the people are proud to be here, and they love to celebrate their rich past and share their bright and colorful culture with everyone. During the Black Lives Matter movement last year Harlem was fundamental in getting their voice heard all throughout America.
Cuisine is one of Harlem’s golden gems and today we are having lunch at Red Rooster located at 310 Lenox Avenue right at the heart of the neighborhood. My brother and I were seated at the outdoor barrier which had a nice vibe to it and had their signature red light.
We started the meal with their famous corn bread which was served with a side of roasted tomato and corn butter. The cornbread had the perfect balance of sweetness and the umami from the corn butter was difficult to resist.
Of course, we had the yardbird chicken shake with hot honey which is always essential to have when dining here. The hot honey glaze and spicy rub is just perfect with the crispy chicken skin and tender moist meat.
For my entrée I had shrimp and grits with tomato, okra and chorizo. This rendition by far is the best version I have had so far with the chorizo giving the grits a nice contrast and the okra always the star of the show.
We also tried the jerk salmon bowl with bulgur, roasted corn, cucumber, parsley and pepper escovitch. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the bulgur and escovitch offered great complimentary flavors to the dish.
Lastly we had the rooster sundae with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and cherry sauce, crumbles and sprinkles and vanilla whipped cream.
This was a perfect way to end our meal and this visit to Harlem.
#KULINARYATRAVELS is off to 1st Avenue next for a visit to NY’s favorite pastime, Merchants Cigar Bar…