Wide world of wondrous food awaits at uptown
Authentic edibles from Cuba, Africa and Mexico and the U.S. South are now on offer for Harlem Restaurant Week. Food and drinks created by restaurateurs participating in the event – which began Saturday and runs through Aug. 19 – are influenced by their cultural milieus. The locales’ trendy décor and inviting atmospheres make them top spots for locals and tourists alike. Marcus Samuelsson opened Streetbird Rotisserie, his third Harlem-based restaurant, in 2015. His Red Rooster eatery opened in 2010, and the Cotton Club-inspired Ginny’s Supper Club opened its doors in the basement of Red Rooster in 2012.
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, the chef has said that his primarily chicken-based menu and stylishly furnished café offers “street foods from around the world.”
Incorporating a wide range of tropical ingredients, Streetbird has several standout dishes, including whole, juicy rotisserie chickens and Asian- and Latin-inspired dishes such as Yaki Bird, made from Yakisoba noodles, pulled chicken, long beans, corn and fermented black beans, and El Barrio Tacos, made from crispy fish or shrimp with red cabbage slaw and lime crema.
Many of Streetbird’s most popular dishes are actually Southern-inspired. They include chicken and waffles (red velvet or banana cornbread) and shrimp and grits with white cheddar, bacon and tomato creole sauce. As part of the Harlem/Havana cultural initiative, the restaurant will feature The Bird” frozen mojito and “Mojitos Shrimp,” made with corn, piqullo peppers, ham and shaved cucumber.