BG Café Creole

HAITI

According to the awning, this casual Haitian eatery is open 24 hours a day, but by the time the sun goes down it seems like they are past their prime. Walking in for a fairly early winter dinner, the selections were not exactly bountiful, and I hoped lunchtime saw greater options for patrons.

The wall behind the steam table lists all manner of choices written in nice handwriting, but it is best to simply check in with the person working and ask what is available. She will open compartments and show you dishes, maybe suggest a few here and there. We inquired about a few interesting things and were told they would have to be prepared, which seems like a normal scenario in a restaurant, but here seemed like the last thing they wanted to do. Our questions eventually become a hassle, but only because we were unfamiliar with the place I suppose.

The one main entree that was available up front was poule en sauce ($8, above and below), which goes by the name "stew chicken" in other Caribbean cuisines. We took it with rice and peas (beans), also available is white rice. She will ask if you want more sauce, and keep saying yes as this stuff is delicious and a lot is necessary to mix with the mountain of rice. All sorts of seasoning and peppers are in this sauce, a dark and delightful bite. Two fried plantains are also included.

When we seemed determined to have another dish, but none of our inquiries seemed desirable to cook, she went to the kitchen and asked us to wait. A minute later a small cup of legume ($8, below) arrived in our hand, which we immediately ordered. As you can see, I asked for more plantains instead of more rice, which we figured to have enough of. This is probably a mistake, as the thick vegetable stew needs rice. What might surprise a vegetarian is that legume, the french words for vegetable, actually contains chunks of meat and is completely unsuitable for them.

Thankfully for meat eaters, the stew is great and we polished it off. It is think and slimy and oily, but those are all used in positive ways here. Besides the rice, maybe a loaf of bread would suit it well.

This is an enjoyable place to hang out in, even if the jukebox does screech to a halt when you walk in. Haitian cab drivers and others fill the space with French language, and it all seems like a crowd in the know. I will try it again for lunch someday and report back the findings at midday.

FLATBUSH Brooklyn

1366 Flatbush Avenue