Thursday, April 2, 2015

'Streetbird' hatches on Frederick Douglass Boulevard



Marcus Samuelsson's latest eatery, Streetbird Rotisserie is new to the Harlem foodie scene and opened its doors on Thursday, Apr. 2nd for the first time.

Lead by the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Red Rooster, Streetbird's cuisine adds international elements to familiar dishes to create a satiating visual and dining experience. 

The eclectic menu features 'The Fly Girl' - black kale, romaine, green beans, toasted rice with lime-coconut dressing, 'Tack-Tack' - house fermented tortillas filled with choices of piri-piri spiced fish, pickled cucumber and avocado or rotisserie chicken, mole, pickled red onions, lettuce and cilantro, and on the sweet side, 'The Sweet Dog' - inspired by the traditional Swedish dessert of brioche, almond paste and whipped cream.

Although the blend of cross-cultural cuisines from Ethiopia, Sweden and Harlem are an integral part of the joint, there's thoughtful attention to detail given the atmosphere as it drips in art, music and culture artifacts relevant to the times. 

From counters lined in dominoes, to the repurposed Harlem church pews that don designer label cloths and West African fabrics, the ever evolving mix of culture is visible from the signage to the authentic subway tile flooring. 

The ambiance calls to the comforts of a Sunday cookout and familiarity of a neighborhood block party with an open kitchenette. Before it's served on the plate guests are able to see their food come together and their birds roast fully. 

Samuelsson envisioned a New York during the late 70s - early 90s and brought it back with original graffiti pieces by Def Jam Recording's Creative Director, Cey Adams, and vintage photo displays by renowned photographer Janette Beckman. Images of Coney Island in 1986 on the wall, a floor based art installation by Anthony Vasquez and boomboxes loaded with audio are added features to the space.




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