El Caribe in Harlem

Three words – grilled chicken salad – a more than generous salad made before your eyes – romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and chicken. all for $ 5.00. If you want you can also ask for carrots, corn, beets etc. Add avocado for an extra buck. Eat in (def. low brow) or take out… it’s all good. Haven’t tried anything else cuz I am feeling the salad. Do youself a favor and get oil and vinegar (they put it on in the back) vs. the commercialized dressing.

Went to Harlem for Apollo Amateur night with some friends and planned to try Soul Food at Manna. Too bad the joint was closed — forever! We were so damn hungry with little time to spare and this was the first place we found besides McDonalds. I’d have to say the food is on the cheap and my $ 5 steak burrito was extremely yum. The secret sauce that I couldn’t figure out (kind of reminded me of Italian dressing, maybe that was it?!) kept making me bite into more and more and I completely finished the thing with a huge belly afterwards. I also ordered a side of tostinos for $ 1 to compliment all. Friends got chicken and salad and the yellow rice portions were enough to feed a family of 5. The staff were nice and accomodating.
There are only a few tables but fortunately we all fit. The place was steamy at first but with customers coming in and out a nice breeze was let in to chill the place a bit.
If I am ever in that hood again I would stop in again for sure.