ADVENTURE
People from all over the world flock to Harlem’s legendary Cuban restaurant, Floridita.
“We have been in Harlem for nearly 50 years, through good and bad times,” said Ramon Diaz, “We are a little piece of the history of Harlem.”
Benito Ruiz Diaz opened the notable bistro in 1969. His nephew Ramon runs it now, and makes certain the authentic Cuban food and service maintain his uncle’s high standards.
Old-style Cuban sandwiches; flan, a dessert, and side dishes such as cassava and maduros (fried plantains) are standouts. Arroz con Pollo a la Chorerra – Cuban-style seasoned saffron rice Ejhadji Cisse, aka Chef Cisse, and his first cousin Cheikh Cisse moved to the U.S. from Senegal in 1995.
After training in culinary arts, the two opened Ponty Bistro, their first French-Senegalese restaurant, in 2008 in the Gramercy Park section of Manhattan. The Cisses quickly became known for their traditional Senegalese and French fare.
In 2004, the cousins opened a second Ponty Bistro in central Harlem, using exotic African spices in dishes made with seafood, lamb and Sangria, tamales, enchiladas and other Mexican street food can be found at this upscale locale. www.osoharlem.com/restaurant with chicken — is a popular dish, as is Lechon Asado, succulent, slow-roasted pork, and Ropa Vieja, shredded flank steak in a tomatopepper sofrito.
Floridita sells a variety of tropical drinks, such as classic mojitos and frozen drinks such as pina coladas and daiquiris. Coffee is king at Floridita, where they sell more than 300 café con leches — hot milk and a shot of espresso — every day, Diaz said. chicken, along with their own spin on French delicacies such as crepes and escargot (snails).
“The food here is fusion – French and African,” Chef Cisse said. “French food is kind of different a little bit, because us, we have flavor; (the) spices we use are more flavorful, more tasty – that’s the kind of A hot spot for locals, politicians and Hollywood types, this Irish-inspired eatery offers a culturally mixed menu that includes everything from fried calamari to shepard’s pie.
www.coogans.com food we cook in Africa.” One example is Poulet Yassa, a traditional Senegalese chicken dish made with peppers, onions, wine and lemon and served with rice. Moules Africana are mussels cooked in a delicious sauce made with coconut milk, lemongrass and red curry. Drinks include sorrel – made from the West African hibiscus flower – mixed with vodka. Next month, they will open Renaissance Harlem, an “upscale, fine dining” establishment featuring “amazing dishes,” and will eventually launch a line of sauces and write a cookbook. The comfort foods here have a modern twist, such the pulled BBQ short rib sliders and the award-winning Southern fried chicken with eggnog waffles.
www.melbasrestaurant.com Marcus Samuelsson’s spin on Southern foods – such as braised collard greens and his Whistle Stop fried green tomatoes – has made this an increasingly popular venue.
www.redroosterharlem.com Located in the MetLife Building on Park Ave., this restaurant is known for Spanish tapas such as empanadas, ceviche, seafood paella and cool margaritas.
www.patinagroup.com/ la-fonda-del-sol