Gingerbites

273

Marc Piperno
President, ET Week
    Tucked away in a small strip mall lies a hidden gem that brings the taste of Haitian cuisine right here in Huntington Station. Opening up just one year ago, owner Marie Gomez wanted to bring her heritage to the states by sharing all of the authentic dishes that Gingerbites has to offer. As Marie explains, “I take great pride in sharing with our community the wonderful and unique flavors of the Caribbean, while using locally sourced food products, many of which are organic.”
    Gingerbites is one of those neighborhood places that you just seem to warm up to. Its’ ambience is cozy and welcoming with a friendly staff eager to please.
    As Marie states, “what keeps new people coming in all of the time, is that we offer something that no other restaurant around can provide.” If you just go to their website at www.gingerbitescatering.com you’ll see what I mean.  Some popular starters include; “Malanga Frittas (vegetables) seasoned with herbs and spices with Gingerbites sauce and pikliz with Marinad. Pikliz is a spicy condiment of cabbage, carrots and chile-laced pickles. Fried veggies. Nothing wrong with that! The “Bannan Etoufee” (stuffed Plantain Cup): Mashed plantains shaped into cups, then stuffed with sausage, green and red bell peppers and onions. The sweetness and crunch of the plantains with the savory sausage stuffing, makes this the ideal appetizer.
    Entrees are plentiful, but two that come to mind that I have tried is the “Fritay”; A generous portion of Fried cubes of pork, served with sweet potatoes, breadfruit, plantains, akras, fried sausages, served with house sauce and pikliz condiment. A sensational array of food fit for a King! A great Vegetarian option is “Legume” which is a vegetable stew of spinach, cabbage, eggplants, and carrots. Healthy and Hearty best describes this traditional Haitian classic.  Interested in cooking classic Caribbean cuisine? Just ask Marie and she will arrange to get you into one of her many cooking classes that she offers, right at the restaurant.
    Gingerbites has a Tapas night where you get a chance to sample a variety of Haitian treats while enjoying live entertainment every last Friday of each month with ½ price on all wine and beer as well.
    Rated by Newsday as one of the top 10 Brightest Stars 2016, Gingerbites is certainly worth exploring all the riches that Caribbean cuisine has to offer.