![\"Do](\"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Do-Not-Break-the-Fish.jpg\")
<\/a>In many cases, you\u2019ll find whole fish accompanied by a sign warning, \u201cPlease Do Not Break the Fish\u201d. A good excuse to go with a friend, I should think. Each of you chooses a number of items, but only one of you lands a fish and then you can share when you get to your table. More fun and perfectly legitimate.<\/p>\nMost of these places are Halal, so if you see something that looks or tastes like pork or ham, it\u2019s probably smoked turkey.<\/p>\n
A few venues are worth a mention:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Soldier Place at 1444 Fulton St. was as far east as I ventured for this run. There was an emphasis on Jamaican food here. Beef dishes were tender if not exciting. Chicken dishes were okay (skip the red sweet & sour variation), and remember that anything purporting to be jerk chicken at any of these restaurants is usually baked chicken with jerk seasoning as opposed to the real (wonderfully smoky) deal. There was serviceable mac \u2018n\u2019 cheese along with some Island specialties like bammy (Jamaican cassava flatbread) and dumplings. Standouts included most of the fish offerings like saltfish \u2013 and that pasta and fish dish was certainly tasty; tempting Jamaican escovitch fish came out as I was leaving. You may know that \u201cground provision\u201d or simply “provision” is a West Indian catchall term that includes yams, cassava, taro, breadfruit, plantain and more and you\u2019ll usually find them combined in a single dish. Here, each type of starch swims in its own container making it easy to cherry pick your favorite. Drinks included some delicious Irish moss and ginger beer. There were five tiny tables and a sign that promised ackee and saltfish for breakfast (so I’ll be back); a poster outside trumpeted \u201cBig Buffet\u201d. No lie.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Smokey Island Grille at 1274 Fulton St. was home to hard core West Indian cuisine. You\u2019ll score curry goat, oxtail, a number of varieties of rice, and reliable mac \u2018n\u2019 cheese along with a sizable array of other options; don’t forget the Caribbean desserts at the counter. Avail yourself of the hand sanitizer as you enter the steamtable area. Prices (variable, so pay attention) and choices are clearly labeled.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Al Masry at 1178 Fulton St. was a blend: some soul food, some Island, and a little Middle Eastern. A good mix, but no labels. Certainly there’s nothing you won\u2019t recognize, but if there are five dishes that are obviously chicken, you won’t be able to tell what they are without a scorecard. That’s true for all of these restaurants. Just another reason to take a tiny portion of each. Plenty of variety and lots of seating.<\/p>\n
But the food there was very tasty, the selection left nothing to be desired (see photos above) and there were plenty of tables. If you\u2019re going to venture out along Fulton St., try this place first.<\/p>\n If, like me, you\u2019re into African cooking, there are a number of markets along the way that can supply some basic needs like stockfish, smoked fish, and spices so you can make a day of it if you have the time and the inclination.<\/p>\n And that was only the south side of the street! Another visit beckons and I\u2019ll add to this post as I stumble across more treasures.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Read about my forays into West Indian and African steamtable delights along Fulton Street in Brooklyn! Continue reading <\/a>\u2022 In my opinion, the best of the lot was International Cuisine at 1174 Fulton St. A wide variety of offerings, some African food including couscous, porridge, and goat along with soul food and West Indian staples like oxtail and dumplings: the \u201cInternational\u201d moniker is appropriate. Not only does this place not label the food or the prices, but the restaurant itself is hiding in plain sight: no name on the front or even inside, and not even an address except on the building next door!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n