"Walnut Hill’s 48th Street Grille is one of our go-to places in the city for beef patties, mac and cheese, and a few other stewed things that we could eat every day of the week. The Caribbean spot has a family-style menu that ranges from jerk chicken sandwiches for lunch, blackened tilapia that’s topped with pineapple salsa for dinner, and cakey bread pudding that’s coated in a buttery rum sauce for dessert. They also have a Saturday brunch menu with brioche french toast and shrimp and grits that we daydream about during every work meeting. When you come with a big group of friends, you should order a few things to pass around long family dining room-style tables—specifically their island wings that are perfectly charred and get drenched in an orangey glaze. You don’t ever need a perfect reason to come here, but we always stop by on a casual weeknight or when we want the best wings in the neighborhood. Food Rundown Island Wings A plate of these glazed and shimmery jerk wings will have everyone at the table mentally divvying them up before everyone blurts out “we need another order.” And it’s not because they’re small or come in small batches (you get 10). It’s just that the rotisserie-style wings are smoky and get coated in a sweet peppery sauce that has just the right amount of heat. Definitely get two orders if you’re here with a group. Jumbo Shrimp Curry With a mound of white rice in the middle, the rim of bright yellow broth floating around the bowl of curry is easily the tastiest moat ever made. This dish mixes plump shrimp with peppers, onions, and tender strips of braised cabbage. Equal parts deep oniony flavors, heat from the peppers, and coconut sweetness, this entree is the one on the menu that we put in an order for before the server hands us the menu. Brown Stew Chicken A warming bowl of this stew comes packed with scotch bonnet spice, sweetness from the brown sugar, and a tanginess from the chicken’s juices. Served with rice, beans, cabbage, and cuts of chicken breasts that taste like its been going steady with the smoker for years, it’s one of our go-to things we crave when the temperature drops." - Candis R. McLean
