"And now New York City has its first Réunion restaurant that I know of, Maloya, at 983 Flushing Avenue, at Central Avenue, in Bushwick, with food that reflects the island’s gumbo of influences. Take, for example, camarons coco vanille ($23). A generous fistful of pink crustaceans splash in a pool of coconut milk that smacks of vanilla and lime — an unusual flavor combination, but one you’ll fall in love with. Maloya is the work of Samuel Lebreton, whose family comes from Réunion and whose mother’s recipes provide inspiration for the menu; he is joined by his partner Tara Gruszkiewicz, a chef from Connecticut. The combination dining room and bar is decorated with giant murals of tropical fruit, including the South African pineapples known as anana Victoria, and red lychee nuts in a thicket of foliage. The menu is brief, limited to five appetizers, six main courses, and a handful of unusual sides. Indeed, Maloya seems more like a bar than a restaurant." - Robert Sietsema
