Sugarcane

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
A soundtrack that alternates between hip-hop and calypso sets the tone for this island-spirited restaurant with an urban flair. Stalks of tropical red flowers and black-and-white photography from regions that inspired the cooking add sophisticated style to the place. The staff may come off as soft-spoken, but they're happy to answer any questions, and it adds to the experience that your waitress can expound on the sour sop colada--she probably had a sour sop tree in her yard growing up.

The Food
The vibrant menu begs diners to try something new. Sure, they've got great jerk chicken, but be adventurous and order a filet of shark sandwich, oxtail, West Indian curry, or Trinidadian stewed chicken with rum and Spanish thyme. Each artistically presented entree comes with two sides, so branch out with a delicious bowl of callaloo, a spicy green vegetable puree. This spot is lovable not because it's what you expected, but because, pleasantly, it isn't.