The Kaieteur Plunge

Church ended somewhat late on Sunday and needless to say we were quite hungry, well to be honest we are always hungry. This time we took our friend Rochelle with us as we drove through the concrete jungle of Brooklyn and continued until we were just inside the border of Queens.

Kaieteur has been labeled the largest single drop waterfall in the world and is located in a little South American country called Guyana. So off we went to find the beauty of the tropics in Jamaica, Queens. We chose to dine at the namesake Restaurant (Kaieteur) located on Lefferts Boulevard near Jamaica Avenue. Everyone seemed very excited to take the plunge and taste the food off the falls.

Before we could even get to the door we were greeted with murals of scene's of Guyana. They were sure to include a very good depiction of the great Kaieteur falls. Walking through the door was an assault on the sense's but in a good way. The smell of curry, soy sauce and other spices caressed our nostrils and filled us with anticipation.

Our server Cindy greeted us warmly and we attacked the menu ordering our appetizers almost immediately. Roast duck and Bunjhal Pork were what the doctor ordered and boy did he do a good job. The Duck arrived glistening and topped with shredded cabbage and chopped scallions. A few seconds later the Bunjhal Pork made it's appearance and we were ready and willing to dig in. Wow! Now that"s what duck should be like. It was sweet yet savory and infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a few other spices. The meat was tender and juicy and made us all happy. The Bunjhal Pork did not disappoint either. It may be easy to confuse this dish with curry pork as it seemed like the only thing missing was the yellow color of the turmeric. It too was tender and quite flavorful. This would be a strong recommendation at this establishment.

 

After some chit chat with the waitress and a few sips of sweet carbonated lemonade (too much sugar not enough lemon) , fruit punch and pineapple juice it was time for the main event. Curry lamb with White Rice and Roti (parata), House Special Fried Rice with Roast Chicken and Roast Pork with Cabbage and Bora (long beans) served with Fried Rice all arrived nice and hot and we didn't waste a second.

The curry was just spicy enough and the roti although a bit small was soft and authentic. Roast pork was the talk of the table however as the thick soy based sauce was a definite hit. The vegetables were still crunchy and fresh and we devoured as much as we could quickly. A little disappointment crept in as we got to the house special fried rice. While the chicken that topped the dish was suculent and flavorful the rest of the dish didn't live up to our expectations. This dish seemed to have imitation crab meat that had an odd texture and left one feeling a bit cheated. Other than that the Fried Rice was pretty basic and absorbed the sauce from the Roast Chicken well.

Sadly the menu didn't offer any real Guyanese deserts so we chose to skip that part of the tasting. Our meal reached it's climax when Cindy came to the table bearing champagne, a treat from management. Mmm...the tart bubbly sweetness hit the spot we didn't even know was empty. That was a very nice touch and the memory of the crab fiasco seemed to fade away a bit.

This experience showed us just how diverse Guyanese cuisine is and Kaieteur Restaurant is a wonderful place to taste it. For a wonderful meal, family friendly feel, nice table setting and prompt courteous service we give this place a solid B. Go on and take the whole family and enjoy the plunge down the Kaieteur.