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25473: Minsky: (observation) NYC Haitian Restaurant upper west side (fwd)




From: Tequila Minsky <tminsky@ix.netcom.com>


Taken from Myra Alperson's e-mail. Myra leads "eating" tours of NYC
Myra writes:
I've seen quite a bit of change over the years, but one of the most striking was the transformation that recently took place at Krik-Krak, a tiny Hatian restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue and 101st STreet on the Upper West Side. For years it was a bare-bones place whose clients seemed mostly to be Haitian taxi drivers, but they did a brisk take-out business, too. There were a handful of tables, a blaring TV set, and a few paintings of Haitian street scenes. Then it closed a month or so ago. Distressed, I phoned to find out if it was really closed and learned that it was being renovated. Krik-Krak reopened on June 11 as a totally different type of place, set more like one of those exclusive little restaurants in the West Village: about five tables set with table cloths and full table-setting; the paintings of street scenes were replaced with more sophisticated Haitian paintings and brass sculptures. The lighting was more restrained. The menu is currently the same as before, but the ambiance indicates that a different type of customer is being sought, and bespeaks the "culinary tourism" movement in which folks like you and me are venturing out for "real" ethnic food in neighborhoods all over NYC. I'll be interested to see if Krik-Krak is successful.

I brought over a group of folks from last Sunday's Upper West Side NoshWalk to taste acra, a delicious type of Haitian dumpling. The owners were very friendly, very excited to see the group and to show off the restaurant. I wish them luck - it will be interesting to see if it takes hold! Haitian food is very good, and it's difficult to find it beyond the neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens where many Haitians live.


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