Sak Pasé?

… N'ap boule!

Haitian restaurants and bakeries are ubiquitous in my hometown of Boston, which has one of the largest Haitian communities in the country. Surprisingly, I had never experienced Haitian cuisine until a week ago, when a fellow foodie (Zappah) and I visited a little spot named Chez Carmelle Pastry and Restaurant for Sunday dinner.

The Scene

Location
After travelling OTP (outside of Atlanta’s perimeter) and getting lost for what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at our destination. Chez Carmelle is located at the intersection of Windy Hill Road and South Cobb Parkway and can be quickly identified by two Haitian flags that wave proudly atop the establishment. The two-year old business is in a tiny, no-name strip mall, which houses a tax preparation office, barbershop, and a furniture repair store—typical strip mall staples.

Note: For the music lovers out there, there is store that sells “Dirt Cheap Music” on the corner. Also, for the ladies, there is a Dominican hair salon across the street if you need a quick wash and set!

Interior
One word: BRIGHT! The interior is a bright lime green (very tropical, very Caribbean) and the walls were decorated with large posters of Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. (I felt inspired!) There is plenty of seating available to dine in comfortably and two flat screen televisions display CNN and Haitian music videos for patrons. The restaurant is a clean, relaxed setting and there is definitely no need to dress up.

Crowd
Let’s just say my friend and I stood out and we were definitely excited by the number of expats enjoying the food.

Service
Fast and friendly… just the way I like it!

The Food

After a brief (okay...LENGTHY!) consultation with the very patient owner, we decided to start with the salt-fish and chicken meat pies, which can be described as buttery, flaky, GOODNESS! YUM! For our entrees, we ordered the fried turkey and fried goat. Each order comes with your choice of rice (i.e. red beans and rice, pigeon peas and rice, or riz djon djon—a Haitian mushroom rice), a small side salad, fried plantains (reminiscent of tostones), and macaroni pie (which Zappah described as spicy baked ziti). You are also given a small serving of homemade picklese, a spicy vinegar-based sauce that adds kick to the meal. Honestly, you won’t need the picklese because everything is well seasoned and absolutely delicious! To top it off, I introduced Zappah to Kola Champagne a popular carbonated drink enjoyed in Haiti and other Caribbean countries.

If You Go

• You must order the goat and the red beans and rice. WHY? The goat was flavorful, tender, and fell off the bone despite being fried. While red beans and rice is a staple of many Caribbean families, the Haitians have put their own twist on this traditional dish. Who knew red beans and rice could taste so good?!?!
• Go hungry, but you may still take home leftovers because the serving sizes are huge.
• Forget about the pig. The owners of Chez Carmelle are Seventh Day Adventists, thus they do not prepare or sell pork.
• Soupe Joumou, a Haitian pumpkin soup that we sampled, is made only on the weekend. Zappah and I will definitely be coming back during the winter for this special soup, which is usually enjoyed during New Year’s celebrations. For more information about the history and significance of this soup visit: http://www.ehow.com/about_5318317_history-pumpkin-soup.html.

The Bill
Our bill was $28 total (14 buckaroos each)! It was worth every penny…

5-star Frugal Foodie Rating
4 out of 5 shots of Barbancourt (Haitian Rum)

Chez Carmelle Pastry and Restaurant

560 Windy Hill Rd.

Smyrna, GA 30080

(678) 213 2892

I like to eat...

...who doesn't?!?! The purpose of this blog is to share my adventures as I search for two of my favorite things—great food and a great deal! Each week, I will share the highs and lows of my culinary odyssey into the world of Atlanta’s strip malls.

What is a strip mall?

Some people may describe them as gray eyesores or the creation of a suicidal architect. I, on the other hand, am often struck by the effortless beauty of these magnificent feats of modern architecture. Concrete. Rectangular. Box. Minimalism at its best! Seriously, the working definition of a strip mall for this blog is an open area shopping center which houses a variety of businesses like a grocery store, café, dry cleaner, nail salon, strip/dance club, or even a store-front church. Yup! You too can get the Holy Ghost in a strip mall! Other names for a strip mall may include mini mall, shopping plaza, or shopping square.

Why dine in a strip mall?

Atlanta is “The Hub of Strip Malls.” There are thousands scattered throughout the city and its surrounding counties. Despite their dreary and often sketchy exterior, strip malls serve as gateways to the diversity of American culture and cuisine. From Brookhaven to Cascade and Buford Highway to Memorial Drive, the strip malls of Atlanta house culinary delights from every corner of the earth. Oh, there’s usually free parking too!

So, what’s my game plan?

Given the hard economic times, dining out has become more of a luxury than a convenience for most singles and families. My goal is to find great food that won’t suffocate your wallet: Fine dining on a dime, one strip mall at a time. Here are the rules:

1. One cannot spend more than $20 (including tip) at any restaurant. The less spent the better!
2. The meal must include the purchase of an entrée, a beverage, and an appetizer or dessert. Note: The glass of water offered by the establishment does not count as a beverage if it is free.
3. Breakfast, lunch, dinner specials are all fair game. Who doesn’t love a coupon?!
4. TNS: You can taste a friend’s dish, but cannot split the dish!

My fellow foodies and I will chronicle our dining experience every Friday, which are now officially known as 5-star Frugal Foodie Fridays. Bet you can’t say that phrase three times fast!

Enjoy the blog and if you have any suggestions for restaurants that you would like me to review, feel free to email me!

Let's eat, peeps!