In New York, especially Brooklyn, you can throw a rock and hit ten different options for Caribbean food. But tucked away in the lobby of the Hotel Indigo lies a special dining experience that marries a sexy, sophisticated aesthetic with unique twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. The Continent Brooklyn, located at 500 Metropolitan Ave, serves a curated menu of specialty cocktails and delectable plates for dinner service. The beautiful restaurant was founded by famed Chef and restaurateur Scotley Innis with a vision to “elevate Caribbean dining”. I visited with a friend for that elevated experience and was not disappointed.
From the first step inside, the tone is unmistakably chic. Plush seats and booths wrap around candlelit dark-wood tables, with striking gold fixtures along the walls that add just the right touch of flair. The Continent is a modern space that feels effortlessly upscale.
The cocktails set the mood. Whether you like something sweet, like the “Lychee Love”, or something stronger like the “Just Passion”, there was enough on the cocktail menu to satisfy your taste. The Lychee Love, made with gin, lychee liqueur, and lime, was just my speed as I was able to end each spicy bite of my meal on a sweet note as I sipped. The Just Passion is a fun blend of D’Usse’, passionfruit and vanilla liqueurs, lime, and prosecco. While it is best sipped slowly, it is hard to resist ordering more than one.
There was an impressive offering of appetizers, including Yard Man Oysters, Shrimp Mandu, and Pepper Prawns. My table chose the Tamarind Wings and Oxtail Bao Buns, two dishes that put a delicious twist on familiar flavors. The wings, tender and juicy, were coated in the rich, sweet yet savory sauce that any wing lover will enjoy. The oxtail in the bao buns had just the right amount of spice and was an interesting pairing with the soft, fluffy bun. They were small bites but big on flavor, and left me intrigued and eager to try the main courses.
The Oxtail Lo Mein was stellar. While the serving size of the appetizer bao bun left me wanting more, the main dish gave me more than enough delicious, savory pulled oxtail. The tender, flavorful meat lay on a bed of lo mein and vegetables that was not greasy and perfectly soft. The Pan-seared salmon was served with callaloo gnocchi, sitting in a heavenly beurre blanc (a white wine butter sauce), carrots, and corn. The table split a side of mac and cheese, made with three cheeses, of course, that I am still dreaming about. These signature plates, and the menu as a whole, are a quiet flex of Executive Chef Innis’ Caribbean upbringing and Le Cordon Bleu pedigree.
Where the experience fell a bit short was in the dessert. The coconut lemon cake was the only dessert available at the time I went, and while the presentation was lovely, the taste fell flat. The coconut flakes that topped the dessert tasted a bit old, and the dish was served with a chocolate sauce that didn’t pair well with the lemon flavor of the cake. For a $280 night out, the dessert missed the mark but was a small miss in an otherwise polished experience. The Continent gets the mood, space, and dining experience right and offers excellent service from the wait staff. I would return, in hopes that the dessert selection can expand to match the rest of the menu.