Summerlicious - Harlem West

You know those places. Everyone has them. Restaurants in your neighbourhood that you pass by over and over again and you say to yourself "I should really try this place, it's so close!" and yet somehow you never make it inside. They're hidden in plain sight and you never hold yourself accountable for neglecting them because obviously you'll get there sooner or later, after all they're so close! We are all guilty of this, and I am no exception. With my most recent Summerlicious outing I attempted to right this wrong by taking in a lunch at Harlem West.

Harlem West had been on my list for some time so I was really excited to check out its Summerlicious offering. I was even more excited to see that its menu had a lot of dishes I could choose from, which isn't always the case at Southern/BBQ restaurants (for those who don't know, I do not eat pork or beef). The restaurant had a very laid-back vibe and it wasn't just because it was a hot Sunday morning. Staff were very friendly and attentive and chit-chatted with us between Charles Bradley tunes playing in the background. Though it was my first time there, it felt like I was a regular.

For my appetizer I chose the corn bread. In fact, my entire party chose the corn bread for their appetizer, which our waitress teased us about. She was right to suggest we should have coordinated together to try the other options (Cajun fried okra! Deep fried pickles!) but who among us can resist the lure of fresh made in house corn bread? It was delicious and had whole corn nibblets (technical term) baked in... yum! I didn't even bother with butter; it didn't need any assistance pleasing my face.

For my main I chose the Bayou catfish sandwich, which was pan-seared and served on ciabatta. The catfish was prepared perfectly, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a lovely little kick of spice. For dessert I took a calculated risk, choosing the candied plantain over the lemon square (typically I would have zeroed in on this in a flash). Happily, I was not let down by my decision to act against type. The plantain was sautéed in a brown sugar caramel sauce and it was a delightful end to the meal.

Harlem West, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize what was right in front of me. See you soon!

Corn bread? Ain't nothin' wrong with that!

Probably should have taken an "under-the-bun" pic of the catfish, but you can see it peeking out here... hello!

Candied plantain might be my new favourite thing. Oh yes.