Kabawa
Caribbean restaurant · East Village ·
Caribbean tasting menu with bold flavors and joyful cooking
Caribbean tasting menu with bold flavors and joyful cooking
"Chef Paul Carmichael’s Kabawa is a fantastic new addition to the East Village that showcases a menu filled with Caribbean flavors and techniques. The goat with spicy scallop creole and the pepper shrimp with sorrel, Scotch bonnet chile, and thyme were two dishes that really stood out. They have an amazing playlist; it’s part of the restaurant’s story without being too distracting from your meal. Kabawa represents what many of us appreciate about modern fine dining." - ByAndrea Strong
"A mix of ambition and energy with a Caribbean throughline defines this dining room, where chef Paul Carmichael channels his Barbados upbringing and international training (including years at Momofuku restaurant Sieobo in Sydney) into a $145 three-course prix fixe that reads like a personal narrative. Courses might be Jamaican pepper shrimp with hibiscus and Scotch bonnet jam or a breadfruit toston topped with octopus and sauce chien, all executed with intimacy and polish, and reflective of Momofuku’s ongoing command of the food‑vibe‑value trifecta." - Melissa McCart
"I like chef Paul Carmichael’s approach to food—treating Caribbean food with the respect that French food gets, without losing any down-home flavor. I tried every single thing on the menu and I highly recommend the goat; the place felt cozy, relaxed, and convivial, with everyone seeming to have a good time like they already knew each other. We sat at the bar and it just seemed like a fun place to hang out." - Padma Lakshmi
"In the former Momofuku Ko space in the East Village, Barbados native Paul Carmichael pulls from his experience cooking around the world for an exuberant, choose-your-own-adventure prix fixe meal that’s a true delight: $145 for a starter, main, dessert, and plenty of surprises from the kitchen. Breadfruit toston is a hearty starter of an octopus-topped cracker; Chuletas can can carries an up-charge of $65 for two that’s worth it and leaves pork belly leftovers for days; and the sorbet of the day is a refreshingly satisfying way to end the meal, especially if it’s coconut. To make fine dining fun and channel the spirit of the Caribbean, the team exudes joy when they talk about dishes influenced by the chef’s heritage, an energetic soundtrack sets the tone, and there’s a disco ball in the wine room. Drinks include a short cocktail list with Caribbean influences — a rye, peanut, and whey option was a recent standout — but don’t overlook the wine list: Kabawa inherited Momofuku Ko’s wine cellar, and the friendly, knowledgeable sommeliers can recommend bottles under $100 that pair beautifully with the menu; we went with a mineral-heavy red from Sicily. The counter-top seats look into the open kitchen, and coming with a group of four gets you seated around a corner, ideal for conversation, views, and tasting as much of the menu as possible." - Stephanie Wu
"I went to Kabawa expecting a composed pre‑fixe and left deliriously full: chef Paul Carmichael’s $145 multi‑course Caribbean‑inspired tasting ensures you won’t go hungry, with starters like cassava and chutney and three accompanying bowls of rice, beans, and salad included. My favorites were the octopus breadfruit tostón, a meltingly tender goat shoulder with spicy scallop creole, and a coconut turnover for two. The open kitchen is part of the charm—Carmichael even visits before dessert to show guests how to crack a tamarind pod—conveying palpable joy and hospitality in place of fuss." - Charlie Hobbs