A Taste of Harlem Part Two


(Warning, do not read an empty stomach.)  My first visit to Harlem featured the sights and tastes of this legendary neighborhood during the Taste Harlem food and culture tour and I had to re-visit the experience with my husband.  The tour includes two and half hours of eating, sight-seeing and historical facts provided by owner Jackie Orange and it is not for the faint-hearted.  So many flavors, visions and sounds are packed into the tour that you need a few hours afterwards just to process it all.  It kicks off with Amy Ruth's Soul Food restaurant and the requisite chicken and waffles, a dish created in New York during the Harlem Renaissance.


Next, we sampled Senegalese cuisine at Les Ambassades, a chic and popular eatery in the Little Senegal area of Harlem.


Grilled tillapia and couscous was the taste treat and as you can see, it was a whole lot more than just a taste.

Senegalese food is one of my personal favorites so while my husband scarfed down the tillapia, I sipped on my favorite drink, tangy bissap juice, which is called sorrel in the Caribbean and Jamaica agua fresca in Mexico.


Next, we strolled to Tropical Grill Dominican Restaurant although everybody was moving pretty slowly by this point.


We sampled a passion fruit shake (another favorite) with yellow rice and grilled chicken. I actually only sipped on the shake but the food was good, according to my husband.



To top off visits to Lee Lee's bakery for rugelah and stops to view public art, we wound up the tour at Jacob Soul Food restaurant.


Oxtails, collard greens, sweet potatoes and mac n' cheese were the samplings for this spot. I just looked at it, my hubby said it was also all good.  I'd like to tell you that we took a nap after all of this but we headed to Central Park to see a performance of Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Hey, it's New York, sleeping is not allowed.

Comments

Unknown said…
everything, and i mean everything looks amazing. this cup of wendy's "chili" i'm devouring right now pales in comparison.

I hate we didn't take one of the Harlem tours while we were in NY. a couple of shops, one restaurant and church service on sunday. wow...we missed so much!

but there's always tomorrow
eden said…
Oh, my.. the food makes my mouth waters. Tilapia is also popular in the Philippines. We cook it by frying and dip in vinegar and soy sauce mixture with some spices. Here in Australia I sometimes buy tilapia if my craving kicks in. Nice post and great photos.
Fly Girl said…
Roschelle, yes there's always tomorrow and I highly recommend this tour next time you're in NY.

Eden, I love tillapia cooked about any kind of way but the Senegalese really do it justice.
Jean-Luc Picard said…
You have a superb culinary taste. All those dishes look beautiful.
Ms Beauty Soul said…
Oh wow!!! I so did not know that there was such a thing as a FOOD TOUR! When have I been? I love food and definitely if I go to New York again I'll be going on one of those...
Fly Girl said…
Jean-Luc, the dishes were delicious only I didn't do anything to cook them!

Beauty, you have truly been missing a great experience! Thanks for dropping by.
Catherine said…
I was there at Amy Ruth's and the Lennox lounge a week ago - last Thursday with Wendy from Escape from NY for some soul food and music at the lenox lounge- wish I'd seen this and knew about all these other places too...so tasty - what a great tour you must have had sampling all this!! Greetings from mexico - my summer break is over and back to the routine....
Fly Girl said…
Catherine, so glad that you got to experience Amy Ruth's and the Lennox Lounge! I'm glad you're back but I'm afraid it's my turn to be gone for vacation now!
Beauty Is Diverse said…
The food looks amazing. How was the Alvin Ailey performance.
Fly Girl said…
Tiffany, the Alvin Ailey performance was lovlly. They did the first act of Revelations before a storm hit.
Toni Tralala said…
Oh my gosh! The chicken looks so succulent. If only I could yank the food from the screen. :s
Fly Girl said…
Toni, the chicken really was tasty but the tastiness won't come through the screen, I'm afraid! Thanks for dropping by.
Toni Tralala said…
Well that's a shame! I guess I should go to Harlem and find out myself. :)
Marie said…
That tilapia would definitley be my first choice. My favourite bit of this post was at something like food stop 12 when you said, "I just looked at it".
Fly Girl said…
Marie, hee hee, it was a LOT of food!

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