M.a's Fish & Chips Plus

Brooklyn has extended its arms to welcome the highly anticipated addition M.a's Fish & Chips Plus to its Bed-Stuy family of restaurants. Nestled in amongst the ever expanding Nostrand Ave. and neighboring soul food, seafood and fast food spots, M.a's was sure to have some competition. I must admit that because this grand opening has been in the making for years I was expecting booming flavors, fresh fish and long lines, what I got however was completely different. When I ordered the catfish fingers and fries ($8) I definitely finished my fries, the homemade tartar sauce was excellent and flavorful but the catfish fingers were undercooked, lightly fried and still very moist inside (and not in a good way). Since I am aware of trial and error I decided I'd speak with the cooks/owners and wait awhile before I gave them another try. After about a month I returned and this time I was ready to chow down. I noticed desserts like cupcakes and pie had been incorporated into the menu. They also have different flavor iced-teas which are a bit on the sweet tea side and might need to be watered down if you're a diabetic. However, at $2 for a small and $3 for a large its well worth it. There are seats to sit and eat if you'd like to have your food to stay. you can also catch a show on their tv or enjoy the neighborhood with their large window seats onlooking the bustling Nostrand Ave. On my second return I ordered the whiting fish & chips ($7) because this is after all what their named for. Into my second bite of the fish,, before I added any tartar sauce, ketchup or hot sauce I realized that this was not fresh fish at all. From the texture of the fish I immediately knew this was frozen fish which is very unlikely for a restaurant that specializes in fish. On my most recent visit I stopped in to grab a tea and decided to try something different so I ordered the fried chicken breast dinner ($10.95) with macaroni & cheese and collard greens. There was a minimal wait for my food, the macaroni and cheese was skimped on the cheese and some of the noodles were really hard and the collard greens were good but had meat (smoked turkey) in them which I was not told until I inquired. All prices are plus tax (not including tax) and they only accept cash but they do deliver. With Halsey Street Grill just down the way offering better, fresher seafood at an affordable price and Magic Soul food coming to Nostrand soon M.a's may have to come up with some specials or rethink their whole menu as far as the pricng goes, there's too much competition to skimp on anything and I want people want their moneys worth. Hopefully they haven't tanked out yet, they have potential and I'm rooting for the underdog.

VODOU BAR

This new addition to the Nostrand Ave strip has brought a little extra class to the already up and coming area. The happy hour menu is available everyday and there's a party almost every night at this modern day melting pot. I've been surprised to even see stars drop in like Hill Harper. People of all ages and diversities flock to this cozy but hip hangout whether it be to dine outside for brunch, catch a drink at the bar or dance the night away to the ever changing genres of music played by live DJs. However lets not stray from what this is all about, although Vodou maybe a great spot to enjoy the nightlife we came to eat! When I used to eat from Vodou the jerk turkey burger sliders were delish! The bite size burgers were made from lean turkey meat pepped up with jerk seasoning and your regular fixins' (lettuce & tomatoes). Another classic dish was the baked macaroni cheese which you had the option of adding bacon to and chiliyaki wings which are marinated and tossed in Asian spices and a sweet chili sauce. The menu at Vodou bar has something for everyone from mixed olives and curried deviled eggs to veggie quesadillas. Which is why it was unfortunate when I saw a GRADE PENDING sign posted in their window. After doing some research I learned that VODOU BAR received a C grade in their last inspection which was 03/15/2012. Some of the violations which totalled 32 points included: not keeping cold food items at the necessary temperature, food workers cross contaminating food by touching with their bare hands instead of using proper utensils, evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas and lastly the contamination and failure to discard raw, cooked or prepared food that had been adulterated or cross-contaminated. I understand that dinning out is a risk but this is definitely an unnecessary one. Still a go to for drinks and a little excitement but until things get corrected in the kitchen this is not the place to dine.

Ginger & Hollie's Sweet, Spicy Grill

This Bedford Stuyvesant soul food best spot should probably just start catering! Their inability to keep a consistent schedule and the fact that they close down for months at a time has taken a toll on their business. Customers are skeptical of rumors about health code violations as reason for unscheduled closures and there is no food grade posted in the restaurants window. In its better days however, the food spoke for itself! Always delicious, mouthwatering dishes, shrimp & chicken anyway you like it (grilled, fried or jerked), steaks, stuffed salmon and tilapia all made fresh when you order. There is a bit of a wait but always worth it. A nice location with minimal seating, soft lighting and sometimes music. The servers and cooks are ALWAYS polite, the sides (mac & cheese, yams, spinach, collard greens, etc.) are always hot and delicious. With their last re-opening the prices have spiked steering customers away, the menu changes on the days they are open and there are no set hours or days of operation. Hopefully Mama's Kitchen can redeem themselves, they were definitely a jewel to the BedStuy area