Exquisite Earns Its Name in the NY Times

Exquisite, a Jamaican restaurant at 218 Parkside Avenue (across the street from the train station) got a nod from the New York Times yesterday.

The $25-and-under column turned its attention to sandwiches and featured Exquisite for its breakfast sandwiches of saltfish and bake. The saltfish is stewed with tomato, onion, green bell pepper and just enough scotch bonnet pepper to give it kick, then stuffed into frybread ($3). It comes mixed with okra or cabbage or - for a little more money - ackee. According to the Times,

The bake is warm, fresh and just a bit greasy; the ackee is nutty and slightly sweet; the salt cod is tangy, zingy and belly-filling. Put them together, and you have a glorious morning meal. Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish; the bake only makes it better.

This isn't the first time Exquisite has gotten a positive nod here on Hawthorne Street. Back in 2007, when we held our one and only "annual" Jerk-Off, professional food writer Paul Lukas deemed Exquisite the only jerk chicken in the neighborhood that he'd travel for (though the winner was Hammond's on Nostrand).

I'm glad I caught this news early in the morning. Now I can swing by Exquisite on the way to work.