Brendon P.
Yelp
My wife and I stumbled upon this restaurant during its soft opening last night. We hadn't noticed it before, so we thought, "Let's check it out tomorrow." Fast forward to today, and I'm so glad we did!
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the sound of soca music -- a pleasant and unexpected surprise. You rarely hear soca in Cambridge, and it immediately set a joyful atmosphere, setting the perfect mood for a great meal.
Being American-born with West Indian and Afro-Caribbean roots, I've spent my life between New York, Antigua, Guyana, and St. Lucia. I never fully embraced one culture but took in bits of all of them. This restaurant captures that blend perfectly -- an American foundation with a generous dash of Caribbean flair.
Let's start with the Chicken Sandwich. Growing up in NY, I was familiar with a Trinidadian dish called "Shark & Bake," where you load up fried shark with chutneys and sauces to make it your own. I always go for every topping possible. The chicken sandwich here brought back those flavors. Swap the bun for a Trinidadian/Guyanese Bake, and you'd have a truly authentic island dish.
The burger, specifically the Parisian, was fantastic. I'm a truffle fan, and this hit the mark. The burger was cooked to perfection, with flavors that were spot on.
The Cajun fries were a win. They packed more spice than the usual Cajun fries in the area, which I appreciated.
Drinks were on point, too. We tried a mimosa and an Old Fashioned. Both are easy to mess up, but the bartender nailed the balance of flavors. I chatted with him for a while, and it's clear he takes pride in his craft.
I also learned about a drink called TRINIMOM, made with rum and sorrel. I've never had non-homemade sorrel in Cambridge, and I'm excited for this to change!
As we were leaving, I saw a group being served plantains and wings, which looked like they followed the same Caribbean-inspiration. My mouth was watering, and I've already planned to come back for dinner.
Suggestion to the owner: Consider adding Bake to the menu as an option for all sandwiches. And if you can throw in some other treats from home (Dhal Pouri, Poulori, Salara, Cassava Pone, etc.), I won't complain ;-) !