Red Rooster
The Dark Knife
Harlem – Lenox Ave between 125th and 126th
Scandinavian American Soul Food
Location. Location. Location. Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster disagrees. Hop on the 2/3 and head up to Harlem’s 125th Street station. That is, after waiting about a month for a reservation.
Red Rooster received quite the stimulus package after President Obama held a $30,800 per plate charity dinner at the restaurant. Ever since they’ve been printing money, and filling reservations far in advance.
Samuelsson grew up in Ethiopia and Sweden where he developed a spice rack as big as David Beckham’s before moving to New York and creating this posh Harlem hangout. Red Rooster is Samuelsson’s tribute to Harlem and an effort to help revive the area.
We kicked the meal off with Cornbread, Dirty Rice & Shrimp as well as the Crab Cakes. The menu said appetizers, but the prices read entrée.
The Fried Yard Bird and the Dutch Bass & Grits were packed with flavor. The signature bird looks like it was yanked right out of Fred Flintstone's thick hands. But for $26, I’d expect Wilma to jump on the table and drop it like it’s hot. The grits beneath the bass sent my southern root from six to midnight, and the fish, while rich, was cooked to perfection.
The check will make you feel like you never left Manhattan. Change? None left after this meal.
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