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If anyone asked David
Cange, owner of Fritay Restaurant, what makes his restaurants so
successful, I bet he would hesitate to give you the secret of his
business.
Pass by Fritay Restaurant on River St., in Mattapan some evening and
you will see what I mean. Lines of cars park along the street, people from all ethnic
backgrounds waiting in line to buy their favorite plate of Haitian food. This food that
seems to have everyone commenting includes choices of Fried Pork (Griot), Fried Beef
(Tasso) . . . my personal favorite, Goat (Kabrit), Fried Plantain, Fried Potato,
Vegetable/ Meat Dishes (Legumes), Rice and Beans (Du riz ak Pwa) and much more.
Many have attempted to attribute David's success to his reputation as a
Haitian/ Creole TV anchor at Tele Diaspora (the most popular weekly Haitian television
program) and as a radio announcer on Haiti Diaspo-Inter. But to tell you the truth, David
Cange's food has a distinct taste.
During the last ten years, Haitian restaurants have taken on a large
expansion. There are nearly twenty Haitian restaurants in Boston. Among the most popular
are Fritay Restaurant, Bon Appetit Restaurant, Ideal Restaurant, Las Vegas Seafood
Restaurant, Whitney's Restaurant and Rond Point Restaurant. The expansion of these
restaurants is probably due to an increase in popularity among other ethnic groups,
especially with white Americans. The Chinese restaurant owners in the Dorchester and
Mattapan sections of Boston are reporting set backs because of the demand for Haitian
food.
People choose to eat Haitian food
for many different reasons. One of
them is the taste. The meat is boiled
in order to cut down on the amount of
fat then cooked (well done) with an
array of natural spices. I do not know
if it is the spices they use or if
they have special leaves, but no other
food has a flavor like theirs. Yet
another reason is the service. The
waitresses and other customers are
always smiling and delight in trying
to teach me new Creole words. They
make me feel like I am right in my own
dining room.To explain why
Irish native Paul Sweeney and his wife, both of Quincy, visit a certain Haitian restaurant
very often, the couple vowed that sex is better after eating Haitian food.
After being married for eight years, Jessica Scott claimed to have had
her first orgasm after eating a Haitian dish called Baga. "I eat here a lot! My sex
drive has skyrocketed since my husband first brought me here," said Jessica.
Celebrating his victory of becoming a State Senator, Brian A. Joyce sat
down with his Haitian friends at Ideal Restaurant, to enjoy a large dish of Haitian food.
It may be what is giving him the energy to do such a great job representing his
constituents.
An Italian American from Hyde Park was overheard making reservations
for his entire family to return to Las Vegas Seafood Restaurant. When I asked him why, as
a white man, he would want to bring his family, he said, "I was working in Hyde Park
and tried some Haitian food for lunch. After I discovered that the food was so savory, I
brought some home for my wife. Since then, everyone in my family has fallen in love with
Haitian food."
The Boston Connection Magazine has plans underway to
conduct a Haitian food festival to give more people an opportunity to
discover this new flavor in town. Meanwhile, if you are in Boston or in any
major city, find a Haitian restaurant near you. I doubt you will be
disappointed. ¨
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