The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

Subject: The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

I ate at the Island or whatever it is called, the Jamaican restaurant over in Prospect Heights. Its the best food I've ever eaten in Brooklyn. Possibly the best meal I've ever eaten in New York. I had jerk chicken with rice n beans and fried plantains. The rice n beans was delicious. The jerk chicken was perfect.

My only tiny gripe was that the chef interrogated me about my dreadlocks (I have shoulder length locs all piled on top of my head). He asked me why I was wearing dreadlocks if I am not a Rasta. I explained that I'm from Africa and that AFricans have worn dreadlocks since way before Jamaica was even populated by any black people. Anyway, I like the chef (who himself is a baldhead) because he can really cook!

You should definitely check this place out! YOu can eat in or take out. If you get the Jerk Chicken, get the large portion. Enjoy!

Subject: Re: The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

Precious Williams wrote: I ate at the Island or whatever it is called, the Jamaican restaurant over in Prospect Heights.

Crown Heights!

The Islands is awesome. I've tried the jerk chicken, curry chicken, curry shrimp, calypso shrimp, jerk leg of lamb, curry goat, roti, and miscellaneous sides. Their rice and peas are bursting with coconut milk goodness.

My fave are the shrimp dishes (I would only eat these on site rather than delivery because shrimp at any restaurant tend to get overcooked in transit) and the curry goat.

This place was written up in the NYT about a year ago:

http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1602#1602

the curry goat is DAMN good. I always end up having the jerk chicken, though, because they run out of goat before I get there most of the time. I'm so glad that place is close by.

Subject: Re: The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

WhyFi wrote: [quote=Precious Williams]I ate at the Island or whatever it is called, the Jamaican restaurant over in Prospect Heights.

Crown Heights! :DOh, that's Crown Heights? I walked a long way from my nabe today! Anyway, I really liked the neighborhood! Its a bit more grass roots than where I live in Park Slope.

The border between Crown Heights and Prospect Heights is not universally agreed upon. We've had many discussions on this in the past.

For example, Prospect Heights high school, which was built when most of our grandparents were children, is on Classon Avenue. Also, there is an old (and defunct, I believe) synagogue on St. John's, between Classon and Franklin, that says it has been "serving the Prospect Heights community since 1929".

Anyway, I consider the Islands to be located in Prospect Heights.

Subject: Re: The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

WhyFi wrote: [quote=Precious Williams]I ate at the Island or whatever it is called, the Jamaican restaurant over in Prospect Heights.

Crown Heights!

How is the islands in Crown Heights!? Has this argument actually gotten so pedantic that we are now distinguishing between one side of Washington and the other??

And in so doing, we lose one of the great gems of the neighborhood???

Sorry, but I'm not giving up The Islands to Crown Heights. Nuh uh.

(Even if most of you would say I live there).

Subject: Re: The best meal I've ever had in Brooklyn

ana.log wrote: Sorry, but I'm not giving up The Islands to Crown Heights. Nuh uh.

(Even if most of you would say I live there).

You DO live there!!! Come on - I'm willing to concede my wife's store to PH (it's on the PH side of Washington), we in CH can at least claim The Islands!!!

all I know is that the Islands rocks and it's 2 blocks from my front door. yeah!

The consensus around here is that it's amazing, but that you shouldn't be tempted to order takeout* unless you're willing to wait a long, long time.

Here's a blog post:
http://www.dailyheights.com/archives/533

And here's a few more forum discussions about it:
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=232
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55

*oops, I meant "delivery". Delivery is the option that takes a long time.

dailyheights wrote: The consensus around here is that it's amazing, but that you shouldn't be tempted to order takeout unless you're willing to wait a long, long time.

Here's a blog post:
http://www.dailyheights.com/archives/533

And here's a few more forum discussions about it:
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=232
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55

I must have been lucky. I was in there the other night and waited at most ten minutes! The place was fairly busy at the time too.

so where is this mecca?

Its either in PH or CH, depending on who you ask.

hmmm what streets?

Washington and Eastern Pkwy

I think the only Jamaican food I have ever had was Brawta and it was overpoweringly spicy/hot, and usually like spicy/hot. How does this compare?

steve wrote: I think the only Jamaican food I have ever had was Brawta and it was overpoweringly spicy/hot, and usually like spicy/hot. How does this compare?

I've eaten at Brawta and found it perfectly enjoyable. The Islands is about 20 times better!

I think Brawta closed, right? I walked by the other day and unless I missed it, it's not there any more.

Flexichick wrote: I think Brawta closed, right? I walked by the other day and unless I missed it, it's not there any more.

it's still there - I walked by it the other day when I was taking a break from the vet's office (kitty getting xrays). I've never eaten there, though.

There are two Brawtas. Maybe one of them has closed

I didn't realize there were 2. I meant the one on 7th near 15th St. Where is the other one?

the other one is on Atlantic - its sort of the main one. In fact I though the 7th ave branch only did takeout

There is even better and that has been to consensus around the neighborhood.

A new spot just opened up at the intersection of Classon and Lincoln called Island Village. It is on the North-East corner of Lincoln and has a neon sign.

It's the former chef from the Islands restaurant.

The food is a bit cheaper, speedier service, take out service, they don't seem to run out of food, and offers a different twist than the others.

Oh...the real estate folks call the area, brooklyn museum/eastern parkway area. It is technically the far corner of crown heights.

djuoh wrote: A new spot just opened up at the intersection of Classon and Lincoln called Island Village. It is on the North-East corner of Lincoln and has a neon sign.

Daaaamn -- I went looking for this place last night, but did it on the spur of the moment as I got off the shuttle and couldn't remember which intersection folks had said it was on. I got as far as St. Johns before giving up and turning around to head back north. D'oh! Gotta check this place out ASAP.

I have been a regular of the Islands since they opened.

I was talking to a friend of mine and he suggested to the Island ladies, that the Island Taste guy is doing a really good job...

It is right next to the new and clean, Lincoln Deli.

I think he is open until 11:00 on week nights?

I am already walking all the way from Park Slope to Crown Heights and back just to get a fix of The Islands' food. Now I have to trek over to Island Village. This is too good to be true. However, a few more weeks of this food and I will no longer be skinny.

Precious Williams wrote: I am already walking all the way from Park Slope to Crown Heights and back just to get a fix of The Islands' food. Now I have to trek over to Island Village. This is too good to be true. However, a few more weeks of this food and I will no longer be skinny.

No worries - It's a short block-and-a-half from The Islands to Island Village... 90 seconds, walking, max.

WhyFi wrote: [quote=Precious Williams]I am already walking all the way from Park Slope to Crown Heights and back just to get a fix of The Islands' food. Now I have to trek over to Island Village. This is too good to be true. However, a few more weeks of this food and I will no longer be skinny.

No worries - It's a short block-and-a-half from The Islands to Island Village... 90 seconds, walking, max.

Cool - thanks! Do they have a similar menu?

Can we get independent confirmation that Island Village is possibly even more awesome than The Islands? Carnivore, why are you not all over this??

dailyheights wrote: Can we get independent confirmation that Island Village is possibly even more awesome than The Islands? Carnivore, why are you not all over this??

I don't have much time off this week, but I might get to check it out Monday.

definitely now on my to-try list.