January's Fresh Pick: Red Rooster Harlem

I don't know about you, but it's been a busy start to 2011 for me! January is flying by....I was in Georgia and South Carolina last week helping out a special friend (I'll talk more about it in my next post) and the week before that I was in Harlem, NY...Man, although I've been to NYC alot in the past couple of years, I hadn't been to Harlem in about 10-15. WOW-I was surprised at how much it's changed, I almost couldn't believe it. Of course you know there were about a dozen different food spots I wanted to immediately check out, but I was on my way to a celebrate the opening of my friend Mary Beth OConnor's new film & TV studio, so I had to stick to my plans and keep my appetite in check. (Shout out to Mary-check out her new studio, Ironbound Film & Television Studios in Newark!)

I'm glad I waited-the party was at Red Rooster Harlem , a really nice restaurant with a real cool vibe-laid back, vibrant, lots of great art featured. I loved the atmosphere and the food....man the food was phenomenal! I had their salad with pickled beets & hazelnuts for an appetizer and for an entree, you've gotta try their hearth baked mac & greens with a side of cornbread w/tomato jam-WHAT?! I know it sounds simple, but I'm telling you, it was amazing, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! If you haven't had the chance to got there or haven't heard of it, you might recognize the owner, Chef Marcus Samuelsson...(btw, my pics are a little blurry-didn't have the digital camera on me, just the Blackberry!)

He won Top Chef Masters Season 2, is a food activist, has several cookbooks,and is amazingly talented, but he's also a real cool, down to earth cat. You know how celebrities open up restaurants and you never see them in there? Not this guy-He was there, walking the floor, talking to people, getting feedback on the food, I loved seeing that-If you're going to own a restaurant-be there, be hands on....

I also had the chance to meet Tichina Arnold,("Martin", "Everybody Hates Chris") and Rueben Santiago Hudson-you probably remember him from "Lackawanna Blues" but I remember him from my soap opera junkie days when he was on "All My Children." Yes, I used to be a soap opera fan-I was into soap operas back in the Luke & Laura days on General Hospital, back when Tad & Dixie were the hottest couple, when Angie wasn't a doctor and Jessie wasn't a detective lol. I was a huge Ryan's Hope fan-anybody remember watching that, or was I the only one? hahaha.

Speaking of the past, I even ran into my good friend growing up and C/O 89 alum, Sidra Smith...you might know her twin sister Tasha Smith from "Why Did I Get Married?" and "Daddy's Little Girls." We all went to school at Pyne Poynt Middle School and seeing her again brought back tons of memories of growing up in Camden in the 70's & 80's....

Well, there you have it-my quick trip to Harlem was a success-I plan on going back as soon as my schedule frees up, so if you have any suggestions on where to eat, email me or leave a comment! And don't forget to check out Red Rooster Harlem-it's well worth the trip!

Next post I'll tell you about my trips to GA & SC-until then, take care & God Bless!