It’s Saturday night in Williamsburg. People flood the streets as the air buzzes with excitement and women click by in their tallest heels with take-home bags in tow as afro-beats flood the street. I head down Kent street to KOKOMO, New York City’s trendiest Black-owned Caribbean-inspired restaurant. I check in with the host: table for one – and they lead me to a swing seat overlooking a lively party of ten, shouting and taking shots. “Now that’s a party,” I think to myself as the server comes up ready to take my dinner order for the night. The menus are all online as I scan the QR code and discover all the yummy choices.
“I’ll start with the virgin mojito,” I settle upon.
“Any flavors?” she asks, listing various tropical fruits.
Mango mojito is my final decision and I take one more look at the menu. I’m torn between the Koko’s Island Pasta and Slow Braised Oxtails, and she suggests the pasta, since it’s her favorite.
“Pasta it is!” I smile as she writes down my selection. Time to snuggle into my seat and people watch. A couple next to me, lovingly feeds each other red snapper, while the party of ten hoot-and-holler about basketball. NYC really brings out all types of personalities, especially around good food.
The server drops off my Virgin Mojito and I take a few sips. Flavors of juicy mango, refreshing mint, and a touch of sweetness tie the mojito together. Starting off strong and I anticipate the food to be just as incredible.
I was right, as the Oxtail Flatbread is placed before me. Full disclosure: I’m a child of a Jamaican and an American, so this dish spoke right to my girlhood of dining on oxtail one night and pizza the next. The flatbread had the gooiest cheese (the cheese pull was in-cred-ible), mouth-watering tomato confit, crispiest fried onions, and for the star of the show: tender, savory pieces of oxtail scattered on top. Caribbean + Italian = delicious, and KOKOMO was speaking my foodie language.
Koko’s Island Pasta
After I finished the app, soon after arrived the Koko’s Island Pasta. I ordered it with shrimp (who could say no to shrimp), and I’m so glad I did. These shrimp were the most tender shrimp (honestly the size of prawns in my seafood lover’s opinion) and held so much island flavor. The pasta was gluten free, made from tomato peppercorn and spinach pappardelle and the Rasta flag. I took so much pleasure in twirling my spoon to eat this pasta that had the perfect amount of kick. It was balanced out with the cream sauce, cremini mushrooms, and mixed peppers. This dish reminded me of trips to the island as a little girl to visit family on holiday. KOKOMO was 3 for 3, and I was feeling stuffed!
As I took my time finishing off my drink, the server wondered if there would be any dessert for the evening. I asked for her suggestions, and she said the Apple Crumble Cheesecake was her go-to. I went with that and spent a few minutes chatting with the couple next to me. They were out for her birthday dinner, and had always wanted to come to KOKOMO, and finally scored a reservation. After hearing that, I knew I had made the right decision by visiting. When my Apple Crumble Cheesecake arrived, I couldn’t take one more bite, so I had it for takeout. I thanked the server and hailed a cab uptown to my hotel room for the evening.
The next morning I had the Apple Crumble Cheesecake for breakfast and forgot to snag a photo before I polished it off. What I can say… it was a cross between an apple pie and cheesecake. Cinnamon, sweet, creamy, and delectable. Plus some fresh fruit that added a juicy touch.
It’s worth the trip to head to KOKOMO for brunch, dinner, or any celebration this upcoming summer!
(You can read our other review on KOKOMO here.)
Getting There:
Kokomo Caribbean Restaurant
65 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11249
Phone: (347) 799-1312
Subway: take the L Train to Bedford – it’s a quick walk from there.
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