New York City speaks of many things for me. It's a metropolis of fashion, food, art, history, music, and theatre, all very interesting and important things to me, and walking through this massive city you'll see five very different boroughs or areas, and hear over 800 languages being spoken. Approximately 50 million tourists visit every year, and I was very lucky to be one of them.
When we were planning our trip, I knew straight away I wanted to try soul food. I used to read a lot of American literature as a teen, and it was the sort of food I'd dream of eating as I forced down another of my mother's failed attempts at curried sausages (thanks Mark Twain). Luckily, we knew just the place to go.
Red Rooster is run by chef Macus Samuelsson and was opened in 2010, almost directly across the road from Sylvia's in Harlem. We arrived there a tad early, and so waited in the bar area, and already the place was swarming with people. By the time our friendly waitress had led us to our table, we'd already planned what to order, and so got stuck in straight away.
The Earl of Harlem - US$15.00
The Earl of Harlem was a distinguished cocktail to start with, comprised of Bulleit bourbon, Earl Grey tea and spiced coriander syrup. It had a hell of a kick, but I loved it.
Prosecco (Pisani, Italy) - US$11.00
My glass of prosecco was insanely crisp and dry, with the aroma reminding me of apples, or maybe apricot. I was a fan of the simplicity of this wine, and found it to be an excellent aperitif.
Corn Bread - US$6.00
Corn bread was something I'd been wanting to sample since arriving in America, and I think this was a great first sample. Two neat squares of slightly crumbly corn bread were accompanied by a sweet honey butter and a tomato chutney with a bit of bite.
Jerk Bacon and Egg - US$18.00
The Jerk Bacon and Egg was like the best big breakfast you'll ever have. The egg was cooked to gooey perfection, and served with brown beans, charred pork ribs and a type of Haitian pickled cabbage called pikliz. THIS was the soulfood I'd been looking for, and I was hard pressed to share it with Stephen!
Pot Roast for Two - US$79.00
The pot roast for two was a high point in an entire evening of high points. It came highly recommended by our waitress, and was cooked perfectly rare, with a flavoursome charred outer. Not only was there more meat than you could shake a stick at, but the dish came with some roasted veggies and a rich, cheesey potato bake:
Potato Bake
Rich, creamy, and extremely decadent, this potato bake has ruined me for all other potato bakes. It was given a little added dimension with some herbs, and it was comforting and wholesome.
Black Eyed Peas - US$8.00
We ordered a serving of black-eyed peas as well, which were cooked until soft and the gravy reduced. They were flavoured with chives, their oniony aroma going well with the peas.
Whiskey Fudge - US$5.00
By the time we were done with the mains, we were SO stuffed, even though we really wanted to try the sweet potato doughnuts. We opted for the whiskey fudge instead, and were presented with three squares of glossy, delicious whiskey goodness, covered with a sprinkling of macadamia nuts.
Smokey Jasmine Earl Grey - US$3.00
We finally finished our epic soul food banquet with some Smokey Jasmine Earl Grey tea, and paid our bill. We were SO satisfied with out experience here, and SO happy with the prices, which would have easily been doubled had we been in Sydney. I'm definitely coming back here when we next visit; anyone who finds themselves in the area needs to visit pronto!
Red Rooster
310 Lennox Ave
New York, NY
10027
http://redroosterharlem.com/
oh boy that looks like an incredible meal especially the pot roast!!
Posted by: chocolatesuze | May 21, 2012 at 08:28 AM
I've been there! That's place is delicious.
Posted by: yummychunklet | May 21, 2012 at 09:46 AM
I ran out of stomach room for Soul Food in NYC...maybe next time. I love corn bread too...really yummy stuff.
Posted by: Miss Piggy | May 21, 2012 at 12:21 PM
When you say red rooster, I must admit I did think of the red rooster fast food chain we have here. Haha. I love the fact that it's your soul food served up. Doesn't have to be the most fancy place or fast food type diner looking.
Posted by: Tina @ bitemeshowme | May 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
oh i want to be there...
Posted by: love2dine | May 22, 2012 at 01:03 AM
What an awesome meal!
Posted by: Nic@diningwithastud | May 22, 2012 at 04:32 PM
Dear Jasmyne,
The pot roast for two looks pretty incredible and true to American form, the servings look absolutely gigantic.
Posted by: Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan | May 22, 2012 at 09:10 PM
Isn't red rooster incredible? It's one of my favorite places to eat in NYC!
Posted by: joanne | May 22, 2012 at 10:11 PM
haha really liking this up-market red rooster :) i was a bit shocked when reading the title cause i thought it was the food-chain!
Posted by: Vivian - vxdollface | May 23, 2012 at 03:04 PM
looks like a far cry from the red rooster we know here in sydney! how cute there's actually a dish of black eyed peas too haha :)
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