Haitian Food Adds to Local Restaurant Scene

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In recent years, Roanoke has been catering more and more to the adventurous palette, with our growing immigrant community bringing delicious dishes from their home countries and other local chefs putting their own spin on traditional "American" cuisines. 

Now we can add Haitian food to our list of nationalities serving up tasty grub from their home countries as Romieal and Yurose Romeus have opened Cuisine Kreyol at 2942 Hershberger Rd NW, in the space formerly occupied by Vina Café beside UHaul.

We all know a certain kind of person (maybe it's you), the unadventurous diner who refuses to exit his or her comfort zone to try anything that sounds vaguely "different." Dining with these folks can be less than fulfilling when you're in the try-anything camp.

But mismatched dining companions can rejoice at Cuisine Kreyol because there's something for both of them.

If you can get your picky eater in the door, they'll find items that will suit their taste in fried turkey, chicken, and pork. The names may differ (on Kreyol's menu, they're listed as Koden, Poulet and Griot, respectively, with helpful translations beside them), but the taste will feel familiar.

The Tasso Koden (fried turkey) will remind you of Thanksgiving. Not Southern fried, as you might find at a fast-food restaurant, what this turkey lacks in a coating, it more than makes up for with its crispy skin and juicy meat beneath.

The familiarity of this dish makes it a good option for those looking to branch out a bit without venturing far from their comfort food zone. 

But there are numerous options for someone wanting to venture further down the culinary path.

The amiable and courteous staff at Cuisine Kreyol explain that everything in the Haitian language sounds the way it's spelled. So their spicy pickled slaw picklez is pronounced pick-leez.

That straightforwardness is present in the tastes of their food as well. 

While flavor-forward and unique in its spice profile (including hints of cloves), the spices don't hide the taste of the main ingredients.

The legume (a false cognate unrelated to beans) is a somewhat gelatinous dish filled with delicious vegetables, ox tail, and seafood. If the texture sounds unappealing, know that it tasted almost like a pot roast stew.

Their Ka bef (oxtail) had a delicious meaty flavor in a brown sauce that made you want to order more rice to pour it over. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys a little chew in their meat and doesn't mind getting around bones.

In addition to the entrees, there are many sides and appetizers from which to choose. Most dishes come with the aforementioned picklez, which makes everything better, provided you're not spice averse. It has a slight kick of heat but nothing overwhelming, and not so much that you can't enjoy the freshness of the slaw itself.

The sospwa is a pureed black bean side that threatened to steal the show from the main dishes. It's the Haitian answer to refried beans, though its texture is smoother and flavor more tropical. 

Several fried appetizers are also available. They're diverse and tasty:

Pate koda, a delicious savory hand pie; marinad, a Haitian dumpling; and Acra, a fried root called malanga, similar to yuca or potato. They're crowd-pleasers if you have a large appetite or a large group to feed!

If you need a split-decision meal between an adventurous and traditional eater, check out Cuisine Kreyol, and neither party will be disappointed. It's typically not crowded, but that may change as word gets out. Of course, you can always order ahead.